No holds barred battles have been the norm for midfield warriors Murray Davidson and Paul Paton down the years.
But the former Livingston man is enjoying being on the same side as the Dundee United old boy at St Johnstone.
When Paton arrived from Tannadice in the close-season some would have thought it was a case of either/or as far as the two all-action players were concerned.
But at Brechin on Tuesday night they showed they could fit as a pair.
“I think Pates prefers to play a little bit deeper than me and it worked quite well against Brechin,” Davidson said.
“That was the first time I have played with him.
“We have had our battles in the past. I think we faced each other maybe seven or eight times when he was with United.
“We were right up against each other and we have both taken a kick or two along the way.
“He likes to get stuck in and so do I.
“He was doing his best for United and I was trying to win games for St Johnstone. But as soon as we were off the pitch there was a shake of the hands and we moved on.
“There was a mutual respect there. I always knew I had been in a game when I played against Pates.
“I enjoy a physical challenge and getting stuck-in. So I’m delighted to have him here now. It’s an excellent signing.”
There are nine senior midfielders at McDiarmid Park this season, and Davidson believes all the different permutations will work.
He said: “We have got a lot of players competing for starting places, especially in midfield. We are all pretty adaptable and there are various options for a central pairing.”
The Brechin game was Davidson’s return from a hamstring injury and he hasn’t suffered a reaction to the run-out.
“It was good to get 90 minutes after being suspended for the Elgin game and picking-up a wee tightness in a hamstring which kept me out of the Falkirk tie,” he said. “I’ve had to take it easy.
“We didn’t want to take any risks but I have been training since last week.
“I have played at Brechin before. The last competitive match was a cup quarter final which went to a replay. Looking back, how that game was played in the mud I will never know.
“It was a far better surface this time but it was another difficult game for us the other night because they got a lot of bodies behind the ball on a tight pitch.
Manager Tommy Wright was happy with what he saw from his two central midfielders.
He said: “Paton and Davidson came in at Brechin and were excellent. They are both players who are aggressive and can put in tackle but they proved they can play together.
“Paul also showed he has a good range of passing and has quality on the ball. He gave Murray the freedom to get forward.”
