Chris Smith returns

"Chris has been back training for three weeks. We are delighted to have him back; he is a good goalkeeper and we thank St Mirren for their help."

Chris Smith and Greg Fleming after training 02/04/10

Pars 20 year old goalkeeper, Greg Paterson is expected to be out for six months after breaking his leg in Tuesday night win over Dundee. During an operation at Dunfermline's Queen Margaret Hospital on Thursday a pin was inserted in the leg and he is expected to get home on Friday,  Jim McIntyre said:-

"He has a long rehab ahead of him but he has been through it before with his back so he knows what is involved mentally. That will stand him in good stead."

Macca has had a chance to view the incident with Ben Hutchinson that led to the double fracture and maintains that it was an accident:-

"The ball was definitely there for the taking. I would be disappointed if my striker never went for it."

Chris Smith returns on loan from St Mirren until the end of the season. The keeper was at Dunfermline from 1st December but broke his foot and went back to St Mirren. Now that the Pars have a keeper problem the Pars gaffer feels that the 24 year old is the ideal man to return:-

"We needed another goalie and Chris has been back training for three weeks. We are delighted to have him back; he is a good goalkeeper and we thank St Mirren for their help."

Smith's last game in a St Mirren jersey was that famous 1-0 Scottish Cup sixth round win over Celtic in March 2009.  He was then sidelined by a serious knee injury after he had to go under the surgeon's knife and part of the procedure involved taking a replacement ligament from his hamstring and inserting it through his shin and onto his knee.

His lateral ligament was also badly damaged and had to be repaired but Harley Street specialist Dr Andrew Williams, who carried out the operation, got Smith's career back on track.

With Paul Gallacher and Mark Howard ahead of him in the St Mirren pecking order, Smith agreed a loan deal at East End Park but that was cut short by his foot injury.  Here's hoping his second spell with the Pars is successful for both parties.