NEVER mind the seven years that have passed since their previous appearance in the Premier League, the past few weeks have been a long and tortuous challenge for St Johnstone supporters, but with yesterday's acquisition of the First Division tit
le, their patience was rewarded. Two goals by Steven Milne and one from Martin Hardie made up for the heartache of two years ago, when Gretna denied them on the final day.
Just when they needed it most, they came up with a brave and bristling performance that served not only to answer their critics, but to suggest that their stay in the SPL need not be a short one. Sure, they have made heavy weather of it at times, drawing almost as many games as they have won, but there was a 22-match unbeaten run in there, and the gap between themselves and second-placed Partick Thistle is seven points.
"I don't think the players have had the credit they deserve," said manager Derek McInnes. "They have done it the hard way at times, but we have been top of the league since October. Everybody goes on about how tight the league is, how anyone can beat anyone, and yet we had the longest unbeaten run in the club's history. I'm happy for the players, and for the supporters, who have suffered more than most in the past few seasons."
It makes up for the years in which St Johnstone were punished for refusing to live beyond their means. In the midst of a credit crunch that has at last taught the likes of Livingston, Dundee and, yes, Gretna, the error of their ways, it could be that St Johnstone are the right club at the right time. Although their chairman, Geoff Brown, expressed reservations afterwards about the effect of Setanta's problems on his ability to strengthen the squad, they will surely be a solid addition to the SPL. St Johnstone, whose fans invaded the pitch at full-time, are a family club who have stuck together in hard times. Brown indicated as much when he said that said that a previous manager had called to wish them luck yesterday morning. Paul Sturrock's daughter was at the match. Owen Coyle, who was in charge on that traumatic day two years ago, was the first to contact McInnes afterwards.
The only fear is that the current manager, appointed by Brown against some supporters' wishes, will be as attractive to bigger clubs as Coyle was to Burnley. "Any team the size of St Johnstone has to accept that," said the chairman. "The only consolation is that if someone comes hunting, you can say 'you've done well'. At the end of the day, he's a manager who is capable of going on to greater things."
So, too, are his team, if yesterday is any guide. Not only was their second-half performance utterly dominant, it was achieved after the loss of an early goal. When Carlo Monti hurled in a free kick, some needless pushing and shoving ensued, mainly by Martin Hardie on Brian Wake, after which referee Steven Nicholls pointed to the penalty spot. From there, Ryan McGuffie, a former Gretna player, struck it low past Alan Main.
It was the last thing St Johnstone needed, especially given their fragile disposition. With the possibility of panic setting in, an immediate response was vital, and, as it turned out, forthcoming. Four minutes, in fact, was all it took for the home side to restore parity, with Hardie making up for his recklessness at the other end. When Kevin Moon headed a diagonal ball back across goal, the midfielder turned it past Kevin Cuthbert from close range.
Twice before half time, Collin Samuel nearly gave Saints the lead, first when his shot came off the underside of Cuthbert's body and Milne failed to convert. Six minutes before half time another shot by the same player cracked off the inside of one post, before spinning along the line and beyond the other one.
Buoyed by their recovery, it was a lively Saints side who emerged for the second half, setting about their opponents with the same high tempo that did for Dundee seven days earlier. The visitors were all at sea when a shot by Moon came off the goalkeeper. Chris Millar smashed the rebound off a post, and Milne had no time to react when the ball shot his way. The striker's unwitting connection was somehow cleared off the line by a bewildered defender.
In Hardie, Moon, Millar and Paul Sheerin, St Johnstone have a slick, inventive midfield, which ought to have been rewarded with more goals this season. Their part in the one that put Saints ahead was evidence enough of that. It was a thing of beauty, started with a flick by Sheerin, continued with a dummy by Hardie, and finished off in the most spectacular fashion by Milne, whose curling right-foot effort found the top right-hand corner. "That goal was as good as you will see anywhere," said McInnes. "I have always thought the players at this club were SPL standard, and that proved it."
Although Milne also missed an open goal midway through the second half, his second of the afternoon was another cracker. When Liam Craig delivered a deep cross from the left, the towering figure of Derek Holmes, on as a late substitute for Samuel, returned it across the six-yard box. First to react was Milne, who slammed a right-foot volley into the same corner as he had his first. And, with that, the party could begin.
The full article contains 956 words and appears in Scotland On Sunday newspaper.
