Goodwin happy to stay with Buddies

Jim Goodwin claims he resisted the "easy option" of moving to Hibernian to sign a new deal at St Mirren.

The Buddies skipper, 30, had been tipped to sign a pre-contract with the Edinburgh club after speaking to Hibs boss Pat Fenlon.

So there were eyebrows raised on Thursday morning when the Paisley club revealed the Irishman had signed a new contract which will take him up until at least the end of season 2013/14.

Goodwin said he ignored most of the advice given to him out of a sense of loyalty to St Mirren and manager Danny Lennon, who signed him from Hamilton a year ago.

"I think everyone had written me off at St Mirren," he told Press Association Sport. "I was never that close to leaving to be honest. Hibs had expressed an interest and out of respect for Pat Fenlon and Hibs it was right that I spoke to them and heard what they had to say.

"But when I sat down and had a moment to myself I thought I was giving up an awful lot here, in terms of relationships, the captaincy and what we are trying to do. It is one of the best dressing rooms I have been involved in and I am extremely happy here. The easy option might have been to go to Easter Road and the big facilities and all that but I think I made the right decision."