ST JOHNSTONE boss Callum Davidson has admitted that he will be “surprised” if he does not lose any of his prized McDiarmid Park assets this summer.
The Perth outfit secured a top six finish before the international break and already have a League Cup trophy in their cabinet following a Hampden victory over Livingston at the end of February.
Davidson has produced wonders in his first season as a manager, but the former Scotland international is quick to pile the praise on a young Saints squad who have been mightily impressive over the course of the campaign.
Asked if he expects bids for some of his players this summer, Davidson responded: “I’d be surprised if I didn’t. That is how well they have played for me.
“You look at my back three. I’ve been pleased with them and they have formed a brilliant partnership together. It is one of the main reasons we’ve had success, especially in the semi-final and final of the League Cup. They were tremendous.
“To lose one or two of them would be a big blow. Any offer would need to be right for the club. It would be a big plus for us that, if we do get money in, it will definitely help the club survive.”
Davidson has also confirmed that Saints are close to agreeing new contracts with a number of players after securing a spot in the top six of the Scottish Premiership.
He continued: “Things are progressing. With Covid issues it takes a little bit of time.
“Most clubs have suffered from losses. We need to make sure we balance the books and work hard to make sure St Johnstone are still a football club in a couple of years’ time.
“It has been tough, it will be tough, but hopefully we can keep working hard and get two or three more players signed up.”
St Johnstone travel to Dens Park this weekend as they begin their 2021 Scottish Cup venture with a Tayside derby against Dundee.
Davidson has played his part in many feisty encounters between the two teams over the years, and one of his fondest memories was when Saints dismantled their rivals 7-2 on New Year’s Day back in 1997.
He laughed: “My favourite derby memory is from McDiarmid Park when we won 7-2 on New Year’s Day. I was on the bench when we were five or six up when Danny Griffin gave away a penalty.
“John Blackley was raging at the dug-out. He was shouting and screaming at Danny. Then he started to mumble. We were wondering what was going on. It turned out his false teeth had fallen out and landed on the track!”
Perth midfielder David Wotherspoon returned from a hugely successful international break with Canada today after bagging a goal and three assists against the Cayman Islands.
Both he and Ali McCann, who featured for Northern Ireland over the international break, will be available for this weekend’s game, barring any late fitness issues.
Davidson continued: “David got back today and Ali has the game against Bulgaria. Hopefully he comes through it fine.
“It was great for David getting his first goal for Canada. That is brilliant for him. Having worked with him before I knew he was one of those players who understands instructions really well.
“He is a great guy to have out on the pitch. He is technically very good and he has been enjoying the role he has been playing higher up the park. You can see from his performance levels he has been one of our best players this season.
“He is quick in mind and over the first 10 yards. David has that in abundance. And he has that chop which people know all about but he still gets results from it.
“He will continue to play at a high level for a few years to come. He’s a great role model for the younger players here. We have a few older ones who are invaluable to the younger ones. If they look and listen they will definitely learn.”
Commenting on the rest of his squad, Davidson added: “Charlie (Gilmour) is getting fitter and stronger. Like James Brown, it gets to a point where he needs to play. Hopefully we can get them game time between now and the end of the season.
“Murray (Davidson) is improving and has no pain. It is similar to what it was before the cup final. We just have to make sure he doesn’t overdo it. He could be a valuable player for us in the run-in.”
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