Armstrong raring to go

The 26-year-old attacking midfielder, who joined from Celtic this week, reports to Staplewood Campus today for the first day of training, ahead of the 2018/19 campaign.

He will be joined by the bulk of the first-team squad, and the Scotland international can’t wait to get started under the guidance of Hughes.

“It’s a big thing working for a manager with that same experience as an attacking player myself,” he said. “I spoke to Mark and he was very positive about the season ahead. I can’t wait to get to work with him and the other players in the squad.”

Armstrong is confident his experience at Celtic, where he won eight major trophies in three-and-a-half seasons, will help him bring something to the Saints squad.

“There’s a lot of pressure to win at Celtic and that’s something I had to adapt to as soon as I got there, taking on that winning mentality,” he said.

“Winning consistently was a big factor to be at that club so I learned a lot about pressure being there. Brendan Rodgers was a big influence on my career and I have a lot to be thankful for being a Celtic player for those three-and-a-half years.
 
“European football was a fantastic experience for me to play against some of the best players in the world; it was something that will never forget.
 
“One of the biggest attractions of going to Celtic at that time was the opportunity to play in Europe. We played in the Champions League group stages for two consecutive seasons which of course is every player’s ambition.
 
“Everyone wants to play at that level and I hope I can bring something to the team to help this club return to that in the next few years.”