This piece is an extract from yesterday's McDiarmid Memo newsletter, which is emailed out at 6pm every Thursday.

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The winter break is upon us and the countdown is already on for our return to action in the Scottish Cup later this month.

Saints head to high-flying Championship outfit Airdrie on January 20th and it will be without doubt a tough fixture, especially with Rhys McCabe’s side being active while the Scottish Premiership is in shutdown mode.

Preparations have been far from ideal ahead of the fixture, but a huge positive is that Craig Levein and assistant Andy Kirk will have had plenty of time on the training ground, which will be much needed, especially given the recent hectic fixture schedule.

The new management partnership are really starting to make an impact in Perth and hopefully, with this extended run on the training pitch and some new faces joining the squad this January window, things will be looking up as Saints head into 2024.

A huge bonus is that we are only a handful of days into the new year and already Levein has made three signings. The club have pinpointed their targets and acted quickly and astutely to get deals over the line.

Kerr Smith has come in defensively to fill the void of Luke Robinson and he looked a real talent when he burst onto the scene at Dundee United back in 2021. He will have now gained valuable experience inside a huge club in Villa and he will be looking to make an instant impact now that he is back in the Scottish Premiership.

Saints’ other two additions are more unknown quantities, but both look promising. Forward Benjamin Mbunga Kimpioka arrived from AIK in Sweden and despite not having the best goal-scoring record in the past, his attributes of pace and power are something that the club have lacked in the final third.

Israeli internationalist, David Keltjens, was the latest signing to join the club and his experience will only help the squad too. International caps are not handed out for nothing, and Israel’s national team are a force to be reckoned with as Scotland know all too well given recent meetings.

Let’s hope all three players can add to our squad and make a positive impact in the long run. Competition for places is such a huge part of any football club and that is probably something Saints have lacked recently.

It would still be nice to see a new out and out No9 striker come into the club this January and possibly another central midfielder too, depending on whether Keltjens will be utilised here or in defence.

Elsewhere, I was delighted to see Callum Davidson and Liam Craig getting back into football this week as they took up roles with Queen’s Park.

Both guys are legends of the club, and I am sure they will be a big success in the southside of Glasgow. They have a tough task on their hands with the Spiders currently sitting ninth in the Championship, level on points with bottom club Arbroath, but I have every confidence they can steer the club away from relegation in the second tier. Good luck to them.