MOTHERWELL manager Stephen Robinson’s one experience to date of signing a player based on former glories will likely be his last. Tony Watt, unlike Ross McCormack last January, has not been brought to Fir Park because of what he did in the past.

It’s not every day of course that someone who has a winning goal against Barcelona on their CV signs a short-term contract at Fir Park, but Robinson says the only reason he decided to offer Watt that deal – which he accepted yesterday – was that the 26-year-old has his hunger back.

Motherwell is fast gaining a reputation as a sort of rehabilitation unit for the careers of various waifs and strays, whose path to the top may not have been as smooth a journey as it had once appeared.

Like those who have gone before him though, Robinson is sure that Watt – given the appropriate hard work and dedication – is ready to show once again just what he is capable of in claret and amber.

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“I am convinced Tony has his hunger back,” Robinson said. “You could never doubt his talent. We have a reputation for getting boys back to what they can do, and I am sure he will be a big benefit to us.

“You sign players and you look at their attributes and his are superb. He is a number nine who holds the ball up, brings others into play and scores goals. My question was his hunger still there and it is. “It is a short-term contract which will hopefully lead to more. I have had players before that have gone on their reputation and that’s not why I signed him, I signed him on the here and now. What he did years ago is irrelevant, it is what he does now that concerns me.

“He wants to get back on track again. He is only 26 so there is no reason why we can’t give him a platform and then it is up to him.

“Everyone thinks people needed pushed but sometimes they need a bit of love and a home. I think that is the same as Chris Long.

“They need an arm around them, but sometimes they need a kick up the backside to keep them going in the right direction. But they have to know you believe in them.

“You don’t lose the knack of scoring goals. There was never any question about his ability it was about where he was fitness-wise and where he wanted to go. I am convinced this is the right place for him. If it works for everyone, we will look to make it longer.”

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That reputation that Robinson and his staff have gained for kick-starting careers has worked in Motherwell’s favour in getting the deal for Watt over the line.

“He had other offers and offers for a lot more money,” said Robinson. “He decided not to take it and it was a case of him believing this was the right place for him to get going again. That is a compliment to the staff here and hopefully we can be good for each other.

“He is very much focused on doing well here and that was the attraction for me.

“He has undoubted talent. He has scored goals at good levels and we have to get him back to that.”

Motherwell travel to take on St Mirren today looking to seal a place in the last eight of the Scottish Cup, but Robinson revealed they may have to do so without a couple of vital cogs from down the spine of their team.

“Declan Gallagher didn’t train on Thursday and he is touch and go,” he said. “Allan Campbell has a tight back and hamstring and with the amount of running he does, I have to be careful with him. He could start on the bench, but we will look at that in the morning.

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“We will give them both every chance and it will be a late decision with what we do with Allan especially.

“We have people who can come in like Mark O’Hara who has been excellent for me when he has played. We feel we have people who could come in if they don’t play.

“We have found the games against [St Mirren] tough and this will be no different. You play each other that often I don’t think there will be many surprises.

“I have total respect for Jim [Goodwin]. Their fans are tremendous, and we will take a large travelling support so it should be a great atmosphere.

“They are a hard team to break down but if we go with the same mentality we had against Celtic then we have to be confident we can go into the next round.

“St Mirren will think it is a great opportunity to get into the last eight like we do. Hopefully it will be an open game, but I know they are well organised.”