Oran Kearney says Jim Goodwin's return to Paisley will add to the occasion of Saints' Scottish Cup draw.
The Buddies were drawn at home to Alloa in the Fourth Round of the William Hill Scottish Cup on Saturday following the win over Hearts.
It will see ex-Saint Goodwin bring his Wasps side to the Simple Digital Arena in the new year and the manager believes Goodie's return to Paisley will give the game added spice.
It will give the game extra edge," he told stmirren.com.
"I don't know Jim [Goodwin] personally but I'm sure he will come here full of pride and wanting to give a hell of an account of himself and have his team fired up accordingly.
"I think in any competition the key thing is a home draw. Then, ideally, after that not picking up someone from your own league.
"We've obviously got both of those and it will be an exciting tie when it comes around, but there is a huge amount of football to be played."
Oran is no stranger to cup success having lifted the Irish Cup with former club Coleraine in May.
And while all focus will remain on the league until the tie comes around, the manager believes a run in the cup could prove significant for Saints.
They are hugely important and particularly with the predicament we're in it's nice to keep a cup run going alongside that as it can also filter into your league form.
"So with that it's definitely something we'll place high on our list of priorities.
"I think the extra lift it can give to the club, players and fans with a good run can coincide with good league form.
"I would absolutely see the two fall hand-in-hand and with it being the biggest and most important cup in Scotland it's so important we give it a good go."
The cup tie against Alloa will be Saints' first match back following the Premiership winter break and Oran says the side can't be complacent.
There's a danger there as Alloa won't have a break in January and they'll come into it having played two or three weeks of Saturday games.
"We'll probably have to look at a friendly or two to make sure there is time in the legs.
"There is the possibility also by that stage that we'll have a new face or two.
"There are shocks in the cup and it does happen so it's not a game that we'll be taking lightly."
