 | ||||
| Full name | St Johnstone Football Club | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nickname | The Saints | |||
| Founded | 1884 (141 years ago) (1884) | |||
| Ground | McDiarmid Park | |||
| Capacity | 10,696[1] | |||
| Owner | Adam Webb | |||
| CEO | Francis Smith | |||
| Manager | Simo Valakari | |||
| League | Scottish Championship | |||
| 2024–25 | Scottish Premiership, 12th of 12 (relegated) | |||
| Website | www | |||
 Current season | ||||
St Johnstone Football Club is aprofessionalassociation football club inPerth, Scotland. The team competes in theScottish Championship, the second division ofScottish football. The club's name is derived from St John's Toun (or Saint Johnstoun)—an old name of Perth—and the team is nicknamed the "Saints". The club was officially founded in 1884, and the team played its first match in February 1885. Their home since 1989 has beenMcDiarmid Park; former home venues were thePerth Recreation Grounds and, from 1924 to 1989,Muirton Park. The team's firstScottish Cup appearance was in1886–87 and they joined theScottish Football League in1911–12.
Historically, St Johnstone tended to float between the top two divisions of Scottish football and gained the reputation of being a "yo-yo club". The team won theScottish Football League First Division, then the second tier of Scottish league football, in2008–09, bringing a return of first tier football to McDiarmid Park for the2009–10 season after a seven-year absence. They played in theScottish Premier League, rebranded as theScottish Premiership in 2013, for sixteen consecutive seasons, their longest ever stay in the highest league until relegation in 2025. St Johnstone's traditional rivals are the twoDundee clubs,Dundee andDundee United, with matches between St Johnstone and either Dundee club being called "Tayside derbies".
St Johnstone had limited success in cup competitions for the first 130 years of their history, losing at the semi-final stage on numerous occasions, as well as losing twoScottish League Cup finals. In2014, they won their firstScottish Cup with a 2–0 win against Dundee United. In 2020–21, St Johnstone won their first League Cup and second Scottish Cup to complete a historic Cup double, becoming only the fourth team to achieve the feat. They defeatedLivingston 1–0 in theLeague Cup final andHibernian 1–0 in theScottish Cup final.
They have also won theScottish second tier seven times, theScottish Challenge Cup in2007, theB Division Supplementary Cup in 1949 and the Scottish Consolation Cup in 1911 and 1914. They have qualified forEuropean competitions in seven seasons, including four consecutively from2013 to2016. Their highest league position in thetop division is third place on three occasions:1971,1999 and2013.
St Johnstone FC was formed by members of a localcricket club seeking ways to occupy their time and keep fit once the cricket season had finished. The cricketers were kicking a football around the South Inch, a large public park beside theRiver Tay during the autumn of 1884. This is widely acknowledged to be the date of the formation of St Johnstone Football Club, although it was not until early in the following year that a group of footballers, led by John Colborn, held an official meeting that led to the formation of the football club as a separate entity rather than a 'spin-off' from the cricket club.[2]
Football was becoming increasingly popular in Scotland and, although there were other local clubs includingFair City Athletic,Erin Rovers andCaledonian Rangers (based at Perth railway station), it was St Johnstone that became the one most associated with the town. The name is traced back to the Middle Ages when Perth was colloquially known as 'St John's Toun' (or 'Saint Johnstoun') as the church at the centre of the parish was dedicated toSt John the Baptist.Agnus Dei (The Lamb of God), the symbol associated with John the Baptist, forms part of St Johnstone's club badge.[3]
Club members leased a piece of land adjacent to the South Inch, known as theRecreation Grounds, which became St Johnstone's first home ground. After several decades – and regular problems with flooding – it became clear they had outgrown the venue and so, in 1924, they moved to the other side of Perth and builtMuirton Park, which would serve as their home for the next 65 years.[2]
St Johnstone made their debut appearance in theScottish Cup in the1886–87 tournament but were defeated 7–1 in a first round replay by the Erin Rovers club, also based in Perth, after a 3–3 draw at home.[4] In the1910–11 Scottish Division Two season,Port Glasgow Athletic F.C. finished next to bottom and declined to apply for re-election. They were replaced for the1911–12 Scottish Division Two season by St Johnstone, who finished fifth in their first season with ten wins and eight defeats.[5]
St Johnstone were promoted to the old First Division in 1924–25, by winning the Second Division title, and appointedDavid Taylor as team manager. They remained in the top flight until 1929–30 when they finished bottom of Division One. Two years later, under new managerTommy Muirhead, the Saints were runners-up in Division Two to gain their second promotion. They performed well in Division One through the 1930s, reaching the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup in 1933–34 and finishing fifth in 1932–33 and 1934–35. In the final season beforeWorld War II, St Johnstone played well under manager David Rutherford to finish eighth.
The Scottish Football League suspended competition for the duration of the war but sixteen clubs were able to form a regional Southern Football League that managed to operate each season. St Johnstone were closed for most of the war and lost their top flight status as a result. The Southern Football League continued through the post-war 1945–46 season but with two divisions to incorporate clubs that were restarting, including St Johnstone. The Saints played in the 1945–46 B Division and finished sixth of fourteen clubs.[6] When the Scottish League restarted in 1946, the Southern League set-up was used as the first post-war competition, so the A Division became the new First Division and the B Division the new Second Division. St Johnstone had lost all the ground gained in the 1930s and could only finish ninth in Division Two in 1946–47.
Jimmy Crapnell became the team manager for the 1947–48 season and was succeeded byJohnny Pattillo for 1953–54. The Saints remained in the Second Division throughout the tenures of these two managers.Bobby Brown took over in the summer of 1958 and, in his second season 1959–60, the club finally won promotion again. Brown and his successorWillie Ormond both managedScotland after leaving St Johnstone. In 1970–71, under Ormond, Saints finished third in the league and qualified for the1971–72 UEFA Cup.
The club historically has had little success in national competitions. Prior to winning theScottish Cup in 2014 their only cup successes were limited to successes in the Consolation Cup – a competition for clubs knocked out of early rounds of the Scottish Cup – in 1911 and 1914. The club have appeared twice in theScottish Challenge Cup final, losing 1–0 toStranraer in 1996, and winning the trophy in 2007 with a 3–2 victory overDunfermline. Saints' Scottish Cup win came after seven semi-final appearances dating back to 1934. They have never won the top league. There were two appearances in the final of the League Cup, losing first toCeltic 1–0 in 1969 and 2–1 toRangers in 1998, withCanadian internationalistNick Dasovic scoring forSaints.In 2020–21, St Johnstone won their first League Cup and second Scottish Cup to complete a historic Cup double, becoming only the fourth team to achieve the feat. They defeatedLivingston 1–0 in theLeague Cup final andHibernian 1–0 in theScottish Cup final. DefenderShaun Rooney headed the winner in both matches.
In terms of the league, the club's highest-ever finish has been third place in the oldFirst Division, which has occurred on three occasions. The first was in 1970–71, whenSaints finished behind Celtic andAberdeen but ahead of Rangers. The team was mostly the 1969 League Cup team, managed byWillie Ormond, who eventually went on to manageScotland. The club had some notable players during this period, who later went on to success at other clubs, e.g.Henry Hall,Alex MacDonald,John Lambie,John Connolly, andJim Pearson.
This third-placed finish led to a European adventure in theUEFA Cup, beatingGerman giantsHamburger SV and HungariansVasas SC before finally going out inYugoslavia toFK Željezničar Sarajevo. The club continued to play in the top division of theScottish Football League until reconstruction in 1975, but were relegated from the newPremier Division in its first season, and turned part-time for the first time since 1961.
McDiarmid Park's south stand is named the Ormond Stand in his honour.
It tookSaints until 1983 to return to the top flight – albeit for a single season and as part-time team – before setting a record through suffering two successiverelegations in 1984 and 1985. They eventually found themselves bottom of the entire league in 1986 and skirted with financial oblivion, before local businessmanGeoff Brown stepped in.
An unprecedented change in the club's focus occurred over the next decade or so, with the move from long-term home Muirton Park to the new purpose-builtMcDiarmid Park on the outskirts of the city, the first purpose-built all-seater stadium built in the United Kingdom. The new stadium was named to recognise the donation of land by local farmer Bruce McDiarmid. This plus the input of significant transfer funds and the appointment of managerAlex Totten spurredSaints through the leagues. They obtained promotion to theFirst Division in 1988.Saints then won the First Division championship and promotion to thePremier Division in 1990 during the first season of football at McDiarmid Park. After 15 years as a semi-professional outfit, the club turned full-time again when promotion was achieved.
Saints finished1990–91 in 7th place, but their season was buoyed by an appearance in theScottish Cup semi-finals, in which they lost to Dundee United.
The following season proved to be Totten's last at the helm, an eighth-placed finish bringing to an end his five-year reign as manager. He was succeeded byJohn McClelland for the1992–93 season. The Northern Irishman didn't fare much better, however, leading the club to 6th place. Another semi-finals cup appearance, this time the League Cup, sweetened the campaign slightly.
St Johnstone's four-year run in the Premier Division came to an end in1993–94, a 10th-placed finish sending them back to the First Division. McClelland left the club before the season ended, and was replaced by former Dundee United strikerPaul Sturrock.
UnderSturrock's stewardship, more emphasis was placed on the club rearing its own players. This bore fruit in the form ofCallum Davidson,Kieran McAnespie andDanny Griffin. Sturrock also introduced – at least in principle – the concept of morning and afternoon training sessions in an attempt to raise the fitness level of his players. In Sturrock's first full season in charge,Saints finished 5th in the First Division and reached the quarter-finals of the League Cup. In1995–96, he led them to fourth place and aScottish Cup quarter-final. League success returned in1996–97 with the First Division championship and a return to the top flight. The club more than held their own in the first season back. Their 5th-placed finish meant they became founder members of theSPL the following season.
Although Sturrock soon left forDundee United, the club found a second 'golden period' in 1998–99 under new managerSandy Clark, when the club finished third in the SPL behind Rangers and Celtic.Saints also reached the final of theLeague Cup and the semi-finals of theScottish Cup in that season, losing to Rangers in both competitions. They lost to Rangers in five of the six meetings between the two clubs that season (including a7–0 home defeat), butSaints won 3–1 in the other game.[7] Their finishing position in the league meantSaints had qualified for the 1999–00UEFA Cup campaign. They started with a 3–1 aggregate win in the qualifying round overFinnish sideVPS Vaasa, but were beaten 6–3 on aggregate by French giantsAS Monaco in the first round proper. The return leg meant that international stars such asFabien Barthez,John Arne Riise andDavid Trezeguet played atMcDiarmid Park. St Johnstone remained unbeaten at home in European competitions until their tie against FC Minsk in 2013.
After a period of steady decline, the club were eventually relegated from the Premier League in 2002. Clark's replacement,Billy Stark, oversaw this relegation, and left the club in 2004 after two seasons of varying success. With the club in eighth place after a poor 2004–05 season under Stark's replacement,John Connolly,Owen Coyle took charge in April 2005, ushering in a promising new period in which St Johnstone earned second-place finishes in 2005–06 and 2006–07.
There was also cup success under Coyle. On 8 November 2006, St Johnstone beatRangers 2–0 atIbrox to reach the semi-finals of theLeague Cup.Steven Milne scored both of the goals.[8] This was the club's first victory at Ibrox since April 1971. It was also the first time the club beat Rangers in a cup competition, and the first time that Rangers had been eliminated from a major cup competition at home by lower-division opposition. On 31 January 2007,Saints were knocked out of the League Cup at the semi-finals stage byHibs.[9] On 14 April 2007, St Johnstone were beaten 2–1 byCeltic atHampden in the semi-finals of theScottish Cup. By then Coyle's name was being linked with managerial vacancies in the SPL. On 21 April 2007, second-placedSaints won 3–0 at home toQueen of the South, while table-toppersGretna played out a goalless draw against the visitingClyde, which put the Perth club just one point (and seven goals) behind Gretna. As a result, the First Division championship was to be decided on the final day of the season.[10] Seven days later, St Johnstone were pipped to the First Division championship by Gretna, who had led the division for the majority of the season.Saints won 4–3 atHamilton Academical,[11] butJames Grady scored an injury-time winner for Gretna atRoss County[12] minutes after the St Johnstone game had finished. The results maintained Gretna's one-point lead and they achieved promotion to thePremier League under formerSaints playerDavie Irons.
Owen Coyle left the club on 22 November 2007, to become manager ofEnglish clubBurnley.Saints next game, theChallenge Cup Final againstDunfermline three days later, saw them win their first cup since the Scottish Consolation Cup of 1911, with a 3–2 victory.[13] St Johnstone midfielderDerek McInnes was appointed as Coyle's replacement as manager on 27 November 2007,[14] after Coyle's assistant, Sandy Stewart, who had been in charge in a caretaker-manager capacity for the Challenge Cup Final, decided to follow Coyle south to Burnley. McInnes began as a player-manager. Results to the end of 2007 continued the indifferent form shown under Coyle, leaving St Johnstone in third place, some way behind the leaders. In 2008 the club did, however, reach the semi-finals of the Scottish Cup for the second consecutive season, losing out to Rangers on penalties after extra time.[15] It was the club's seventh appearance in the semi-finals, and their seventh defeat.
On 2 May 2009,Saints beatGreenock Morton 3–1 at McDiarmid Park to clinch theFirst Division title and a return to thePremier League after a seven-year absence.[16] They finished eighth in their first season back.
In November 2011, on the same day the club announced the appointment of managerSteve Lomas, it was also announced that club chairmanGeoff Brown, the longest-serving chairman in Scottish football, was retiring and therefore stepping down from his post. His son, Steve, was handed control of the club. In June 2013 Steve Lomas left the club to manage Millwall and Tommy Wright was appointed as his replacement. In his first competitive game in charge, Wright lead St Johnstone to a 1–0 victory against Rosenborg BK in Norway. This was the club's first away win in Europe in over 40 years.[17]
On 13 April 2014, St Johnstone reached their first-ever Scottish Cup Final, after defeatingAberdeen 2–1 in the semi-final atIbrox Stadium.[18] They won the final against Tayside rivalsDundee United on 17 May, 2–0 atCeltic Park.[19][20]
The club won its second major cup seven years later, defeatingLivingston 1–0 in theFebruary 2021 Scottish League Cup final.Shaun Rooney scored the only goal of the game.[21][22] Later that season, St Johnstone won its secondScottish Cup, defeatingHibernian 1–0, withShaun Rooney again scoring the only goal of the game in the 32nd minute, the same time as his winner in the League Cup Final.[23] This victory meant St Johnstone had become the first team outside of theOld Firm to win a cup double sinceAberdeen in 1990, and beating 10,000/1 odds to do so. St Johnstone also qualified for Europe for the sixth time in ten seasons, having only qualified twice before in their history.[24]
On 14 May 2025, the club were relegated from the Scottish Premiership for the first time since 2002 after a 2–1 loss toHeart of Midlothian, coupled withRoss County's 1–1 draw withDundee.[25]
St Johnstone share aTayside rivalry with bothDundee andDundee United. It was against the former on New Year's Day 1997 that they recorded their biggest league win in recent memory, 7–2.[26]
Below is a list of all of St Johnstone's kit suppliers and shirt sponsors:
| Period | Kit supplier | Shirt sponsor (front) | Shirt sponsor (sleeve) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1976–1977 | Umbro | No sponsor | No sponsor |
| 1977–1978 | Admiral | ||
| 1978–1979 | Adidas | ||
| 1980–1986 | Umbro | ||
| 1986–1989 | Matchwinner | The Famous Grouse | |
| 1989–1991 | Bukta | Bonar Textiles | |
| 1991–1994 | The Famous Grouse | ||
| 1994–1997 | The Saints | ||
| 1997–1998 | Xara | ||
| 1998–2002 | Scottish Hydro Electric | ||
| 2002–2004 | Scottish Citylink | ||
| 2004–2006 | Megabus.com | ||
| 2006–2007 | George Wimpey | ||
| 2007–2009 | Surridge | ||
| 2009–2010 | Taylor Wimpey | ||
| 2010–2011 | Joma | ||
| 2011–2015 | GS Brown Construction | ||
| 2015–2016 | Invest in Perth | ||
| 2016–2018 | Alan Storrar Cars | ||
| 2018–2019 | BLK | Binn Group | |
| 2019–2023 | Macron | ||
| 2023–2025 | GS Brown Construction | Saints in the Community[28] | |
| 2025–present | MandM[29] | AIIR Environmental[30] |
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
|
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For a list of all St Johnstone players with a Wikipedia article, seeCategory:St Johnstone F.C. players.
In October 2013, the club inducted the first five members to its "Hall of Fame" intended to formally recognise those who have made a significant contribution to the club. Those inducted wereJohn Brogan, Joe Carr, Willie Coburn,Roddy Grant andHenry Hall. The inaugural event took place at a dinner ceremony atPerth Concert Hall.[32]
During the2022 FIFA World Cup,David Wotherspoon became the first St Johnstone player to appear in a World Cup match when he made a substitute appearance in the 76th minute forCanada in a group stage loss againstMorocco on 1 December.[33]
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Owner/Chairman | Adam Webb |
| Vice-chairman/CEO | Francis Smith |
| General manager | Roddy Grant |
| Director | Aileen Campbell |
| Director | Alisdair Dewar |
| Director | Matt Klase |
| Director | Daniel Lamb |
| Director | Andrew Litster |
| Secretary | Abby Ramsay |
| Life president | Geoff Brown |
Source:[34]
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager | Simo Valakari |
| Assistant manager | Jordi Aluja |
| Goalkeeping coach | Gordon Marshall |
| Head of football operations, scouting and recruitment | Gus MacPherson |
| Performance manager | Paavo Valakari |
| Head of youth development | Paul McDonald |
| U19 head coach | Danny Griffin |
| Club doctor | Ewen Fraser |
| Physiotherapist | Caitlin Wright |
| Sports scientist | Murray Kinnaird |
St Johnstone has had 28 full-time managers in its history. The longest-serving manager was David Rutherford (11 years), although his tenure was interrupted by the Second World War. The club has, on average, appointed a new manager every 3.8 years.Willie Ormond andBobby Brown both left "Saints" to manage theScotland national team.
Peter Grant (1919–20)James Buchan (1920–22)David Taylor (1924–31)Tommy Muirhead (1931–36) David Rutherford (1936–47)Jimmy Crapnell (1947–53)Johnny Pattillo (1953–58)Bobby Brown (1958–67)Willie Ormond (1967–73)Jackie Stewart (1973–76)Jim Storrie (1976–78)Alex Stuart (1978–80)Alex Rennie (1980–85)Ian Gibson (1985–87)Alex Totten (1987–92)
John McClelland (1992–93)Paul Sturrock (1 August 1993 – 5 September 1998)Sandy Clark (7 September 1998 – 25 September 2001)Billy Stark (2001–04)John Connolly (2004–05)
Owen Coyle (15 April 2005 – 21 November 2007)Derek McInnes (27 November 2007 – 18 October 2011)Steve Lomas (3 November 2011 – 6 June 2013)Tommy Wright (10 June 2013 – 2 May 2020)Callum Davidson (1 June 2020 – 16 April 2023)Steven MacLean (27 May 2023 – 29 October 2023)Craig Levein (5 November 2023 – 17 September 2024)
Simo Valakari (1 October 2024 – present)Prior to Peter Grant's appointment in 1919, the team was picked by committee – a practice in wide use at the time.
Past averages:
St Johnstone have qualified for theUEFA Europa League (formerly the UEFA Cup) on eight occasions. The furthest they have progressed is the third round, which occurred in 1971–72, their debut season in the tournament.
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971–72 | UEFA Cup | First round |  Hamburg | 3–0 | 1–2 | 4–2 |
| Second round |  Vasas SC | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | ||
| Third round |  FK Željezničar Sarajevo | 1–0 | 1–5 | 2–5 | ||
| 1999–00 | UEFA Cup | Qualifying round | VPS | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 |
| First round |  Monaco | 3–3 | 0–3 | 3–6 | ||
| 2012–13 | UEFA Europa League | Second qualifying round |  Eskişehirspor | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–3 |
| 2013–14 | UEFA Europa League | Second qualifying round |  Rosenborg | 1–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 |
| Third qualifying round |  FC Minsk | 0–1 (aet) | 1–0 | 1–1 (2–3p.) | ||
| 2014–15 | UEFA Europa League | Second qualifying round |  FC Luzern | 1–1 (aet) | 1–1 | 2–2 (5–4p.) |
| Third qualifying round |  Spartak Trnava | 1–2 | 1–1 | 2–3 | ||
| 2015–16 | UEFA Europa League | First qualifying round |  Alashkert | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–2(a) |
| 2017–18 | UEFA Europa League | First qualifying round |  FK Trakai | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–3 |
| 2021–22 | UEFA Europa League | Third qualifying round | Galatasaray | 2−4 | 1–1 | 3–5 |
| UEFA Europa Conference League | Play-off round |  LASK | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–3 |
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