Motherwell strike star Jamie Murphy believes the signing of Alan Gow can give the Fir Park side an extra dimension going forward.

The former Rangers man has signed on an initial short-term deal until January and Murphy reckons that his versatility, middle to front, can make the Steelmen far harder to contain.

And the Fir Park club’s record European scorer is hoping to feature alongside Gowser in tomorrow’s SPL fixture at St Johnstone.

Murphy said: “I think it is a great piece of business for the club to have signed a player of Alan Gow’s calibre. We have maybe been a bit thin on the ground in the forward areas and Alan’s arrival not only gives us more competition for places it gives us more quality.

“I think if you look at myself, John Sutton and now Alan, then we are all different players, with different strengths and qualities, that has got to be a good thing.”

Murphy was on under-21 international duty earlier in the week when he came off the bench in the dramatic last-minute victory over Austria which booked Billy Stark’s side a place in the play-offs.

The 21-year-old admits that although he was disappointed not to start at Pittodrie, in retrospect it has allowed him to freshen up ahead of the trip to the Perth Saints.

Murph said: “Of all the SPL teams, Motherwell have had by far and away the most demanding start to the season having had to play four games in the Europa League qualifiers before the domestic campaign started. I think the international break came at the right time for us as a club.

“Going away with the 21s obviously I wanted to play in both games and was disappointed not to start against Austria on Tuesday, but it probably did me no harm to come off the bench. Hopefully I will benefit from that at McDiarmid Park, if selected.”

The Well star is in no doubt about how tough it will be to get the better of Saints at McDiarmid Park after they impressed in their last outing at champions Rangers before succumbing to a narrow loss.

Murphy said: “I think St Johnstone were pretty unlucky not to take anything from Rangers. They have also gone to Hearts and taken a point on the opening day. So we know that we are going to have to be at our best if we want to take points from Perth.

“I think they are pretty strong defensively and we have been keeping it pretty tight at the back as well so I think there won’t be a lot in it tomorrow.

“From that point of view to get someone like Alan Gow in, who can open up a defence with a bit of individual skill, is good timing for us.

“Having lost our last two games against Odense and Celtic we want to put a stop to that negative run.

“But the bottom line is that away from home in the SPL there are no easy games.”