Out-of-control behaviour could harm Goodwin’s post-playing career

Jim Goodwin is a classic Jekyll and Hyde character.

I’ve met him on a few occasions, and he came across as polite, intelligent and good company in short, a very nice guy.

That seems to be the consensus, and his off-field reputation is universally good. So his on-field behaviour all the more difficult to understand.

Last week Jim accepted a three-match ban for elbowing Dundee United forward Aidan Connolly in the face.

TV evidence of the incident is damning. The ball is running out of play so he gained precisely no benefit from striking his opponent. It was a cheap shot on a young, inexperienced player who was clearly not expecting it.

The only mitigating factor was the fact that Connolly’s crouched stance made it look worse. Goodwin was attempting to elbow him, yes, but not in his face.

Unfortunately his long history of such assaults the forearm smash on Connolly’s United team-mate Stuart Armstrong being just one such example makes people less inclined to find excuses. St Mirren themselves didn’t even try to when accepting the ban. That should give Jim food for thought.

He is, of course, not simply their player but also a coach working under Tommy Craig. It is a position of authority and of responsibility. As part of the club management team, he will be expected to set an example for the young players at the club to follow. He has failed to do so here and, as Saints pointed out, it is not the first time that can be said.

Jim will turn 33 later this month, and is already planning for his future after he hangs up his boots. That is smart thinking, but continuing to indulge in behaviour perceived to be “out of control” will do him no favours.

In my own playing days, I encountered plenty of hard guys. Jimmy Case, my team-mate at Brighton and a Liverpool legend, was fearsome. Opponents would be genuinely scared of him.

With Jimmy, though, it was definitely controlled. Hurt him and he would hurt you back worse no matter how long it took. That earned him a reputation in the game which ensured people would think very carefully before taking liberties.

Which was important because it allowed him to do what he wanted to do, which was make the best use of his talent to win games for the teams he played for.

The other Jim should take note.