A PAT ON THE BACK

Killian hoping lessons learned from legend Vieira at Palace can help him be a midfield king for the Buddies

- FRASER MACKIE

KILLIAN PHILLIPS hopes to bring a bit of Patrick Vieira to Paisley.

St Mirren have snapped up the Irish ace on a season-long loan from Crystal Palace with an obligation to buy.

And the 22-year-old says lessons learned from his old Selhurst Park boss can help him be a Saints hit.

Vieira brought Phillips straight into the first team fold after signing him from Drogheda in January 2022.

And he handed him a first-team debut against Oxford two years ago.

Phillips was gutted when the Arsenal legend was axed but will always cherish - and never forget - his influence.

He said: "Vieira really took a liking to me. After the first week, I was up with the first team.

"I got to train with them more and more. It was surreal. Growing up in Ireland, I always watched battles between Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira - two people I looked up to.