ST MIRREN goalkeeping legend Campbell Money has urged new boss Tommy Craig to make a move for out-of-contract ex-Hearts shotstopper Jamie MacDonald.

The Paisley club are once again in the goalkeeping lurch after Marian Kello completed his short-term deal at Saints with the end of the campaign just gone.

Rookie keeper Christopher Dilo, who had displaced the Slovakian international towards the end of the season, has returned to parent club Blackburn Rovers after completing his loan spell with the Buddies.

All of which has left Craig light when it comes to his options between the sticks and Money says a swoop for Jambos discard MacDonald is a no-brainer.

The Scottish Cup winning Saint said: "If you look at the situation surrounding the goalkeeping issue at St Mirren then it is very similar to last season after the club let Craig Samson go to Kilmarnock and were without a keeper.

"I don't know if Marian Kello is going to be made a new offer by Tommy Craig, but the fact he was displaced by young Dilo to the end of last season tends to suggest he may not be.

"Clearly Dilo will have returned to Blackburn and for me that makes getting at least one experienced keeper in an absolute priority for St Mirren and the obvious answer is Jamie MacDonald.

"At 28 he is coming into his prime, he was an established No.1 at Hearts where he played over 40 games last season and kept seven clean sheets for a club who were at the bottom of the table from the beginning of the season and he never let them down.

"One of the things I like about Jamie is that it took him quite a bit of time to establish himself at Hearts, so he served his apprenticeship and, in my opinion, he was one of the top three keepers in the Premiership last season.

"He is out-of-contract now and for me that makes him the obvious choice for St Mirren to move on. Of course that is just my belief but Jamie's availability and his pedigree seem to be the perfect fit for what St Mirren are looking for."

But new Buddies' gaffer Tommy Craig has been given the thumbs-up by Money after he made talismanic top scorer Steven Thompson St Mirren's new club captain.

Money said: "With Jim Goodwin moving into the coaching side of things in a combined player-coach capacity, I think it was vital that the players had a captain who had nothing to do with the management team.

"For me there could only be one choice in that regard and it had to be Steven Thompson. He enjoys such huge respect at the club and is such an important player for St Mirren, so he has that status and he speaks well and with authority, everyone looks up to him."

Meanwhile new boss Craig has wielded the axe on more first-team stars following David van Zantens departure.

He said: "David van Zanten is not to be offered a new contract and Eric Djemba-Djemba, Conor Newton, Josh Magennis and Adam Campbell won't be back at the club.

"I know people will be asking about Kenny McLean and as things stand the dialogue continues with him."