DAVE MACKAY will forever be held as a St Johnstone legend after he lifted the club’s first major trophy as captain back in 2014.

The right-back, along with Frazer Wright, Steven Anderson and Brian Easton provided a masterful defensive performance to shut out Dundee United in Saints’ first ever Scottish Cup final. 

Goals from Anderson and Steven MacLean provided Mackay with the opportunity to raise the famous old trophy in front of 15,000 euphoric Perth supporters and the celebrations will live long in his memory as the highlight of his professional career.

Mackay was rocked by the news last week that cup winning manager Tommy Wright decided to call time on a memorable nine year stint at McDiarmid Park, which saw St Johnstone enjoy numerous European campaigns and top half finishes.

Fans have called for a stand to be named after the big Northern Irishman and with the dust beginning to settle following the shock news, former Saints skipper Mackay has given his nod of approval.

Speaking to Herald and Times Sport, he said: “It was a bit of a surprise. I suppose with the timing of it as well, with the uncertainty surrounding the Premiership.

“I don’t really know the St Johnstone teams of the past, but he is the only manager to have won a major trophy at the club. On top of that the high finishes in the league, the European campaigns, I think he has to go down as the best manager in St Johnstone’s history.

“Naming a stand after him would be a nice touch from the club. Normally things like that are done when people pass away or something like that, but I don’t see any reason why they shouldn’t be doing that. 

“The job he has done for that club is phenomenal and I think it would be quite fitting if they did name a stand after him.”

Wright left his position following a dispute with chairman Steve Brown earlier in the year regarding his role at the club following the appointment of head of football operations, Kirsten Robertson.

The former Saints manager argued his transfer proposals were being ignored and insisted his job title should be downgraded to head coach after claiming he was being overlooked.

Mackay doesn’t read too much into the stormy relationship between Wright and the Saints hierarchy and says it is simply part and parcel of working in the beautiful game.

He continued: “Tommy has come out and said that he just felt it was the right time and he’s the only one that will know that. He’s done an incredible job throughout the time he has been at the club and he can certainly walk away with his head held high knowing the great job he’s done.

“I don’t know what is going on at the club, if there has been a couple of wee tiffs or whatever, but that happens at any club. They’ve obviously just decided to part ways and I’m sure they will be on decent terms. 

“They’ve known each other for such a long time that I don’t think there will be any real bad blood there. The chairman will understand the job that Tommy has done for him at the club.

“I will give him a phone at some point to have a chat but I’m sure he’s been bombarded with people. I’ll let the dust settle and will speak to him then.”

Wright has been tipped to become the Northern Ireland manager after Michael O’Neill stepped down from the position last month. 

Mackay believes the 56-year-old from Ballyclare is the perfect candidate and says his style of football would be well suited to international management.

He said: “I think the Northern Ireland vacancy would be a great position for him. I think it is something he would love and relish.

“He would suit international football as he knows how to set up teams to be hard to beat and well organised, he’s shown that over his time in management at St Johnstone.

“He will know how they work, he will know the system and I don’t see any reason why he shouldn’t be at the top of the list for that job as well.

“As players we used to say quite regularly, obviously we didn’t want to lose the manager we always wanted him to stay, but we found it strange that he wasn’t taken away by a bigger club.

“The job he has done is second to none and you see a lot of managers getting moves off the back of decent jobs, but certainly not to the level of what Tommy has done during his time at St Johnstone.

“He certainly deserves a crack at something like the Northern Ireland job.”

Mackay, who is currently first team coach and head of opposition analysis at Dundee, is among the bookies’ list of possible candidates to become Wright’s successor.

The former defender racked up over 200 appearances during his time in Perth and had a spell coaching the under 20s side before he took on the manager’s role at Stirling Albion.

He added: “Managing St Johnstone is something in the future I would love to do.

“I had one crack at management and for 18 months at Stirling our time there was very successful.

“Our first point was to make sure that we stayed away from relegation, which we did comfortably. We were finishing bottom of the table in January and ended up finishing sixth.

“Then we had a sticky two months or so at the start of the next season and all that good work is forgotten about. I would love another crack at it at some point, but I am really enjoying my time at Dundee at the minute.

“I get on well with Steve Brown, we’ve always had a good relationship. I was the captain so I had to deal with him quite often regarding bonuses and stuff like that.

“I would never say never and I certainly wouldn’t rule myself out. But I’m not saying I’m desperate for the job either.”