Marian Pahars is set to hand Saints boss Gordon Strachan a timely boost by returning to full training after 12 months of injury hell.

The Latvian striker, pictured, has not started a game since September last year and has undergone three separate operations on his troublesome ankle, but is now fit enough to rejoin first-team training.

If everything goes according to plan Pahars could be ready to figure in the first team in the next few weeks and the man himself also hopes to prove himself fit enough to represent his country in their two-leg Euro 2004 play-off against Turkey next month. The news comes at just the right time for Strachan who has seen his side fail to score in their last four matches.

He said: "Pahars should be joining full first team training within the next couple of days.

"That is good news because arguably he could be the best natural finisher at this club if he can get back to his old self.

"He is an excellent footballer who can give us imagination, a change of pace, and goals."

Pahars has finished as Saints' top scorer in two seasons since he moved from Skonto Riga in Latvia for £800,000 in March 1999.

His lightning pace and deadly finishing made him one of the Premiership's hottest properties and saw him score 42 times in 140 appearances for Saints before the injury problems that have dogged him for more than a year.

If he gets himself fully fit in the next few weeks it will give Strachan an extra dimension in attack alongside James Beattie, Kevin Phillips and Brett Ormerod.

Strachan saw his side miss chances once again as they halted a run of three successive 1-0 defeats with a 0-0 draw at Everton on Sunday but hopes that the presence of Pahars in the squad will add that extra bite in front of goal that is missing right now. He added: "We probably have one of the best defensive records in the league, but one of the worst scoring ones.

"That is why we will all be pleased to see Pahars back as a regular member of our senior squad."