St Johnstone brought their pre-season programme to a conclusion with a 0-0 draw against Fleetwood Town.
Next up is the Premiership opener in Dingwall.
Eric Nicolson identifies three talking points in the wake of Saturday afternoon’s goalless encounter.
The wing-backs
Neither of Saints’ wing-back cup heroes started this match, with Shaun Rooney being brought on as a second half substitute and Callum Booth injured.
It was interesting to note that Callum Davidson chose, unprompted, to name-check Rooney’s replacement in his reflections on the game, saying: “I thought James Brown was excellent. It was one of his best performances.”
Rooney will be first-choice against Ross County and beyond should a move to Rotherham or elsewhere fail to materialise over the next few weeks but Davidson knows there is a live possibility that the man who scored both Hampden final winners could leave.
Brown needs to be ready. And it would appear he is.
My impression of the former Millwall man last season was of a dependable defender with scope to develop if he picked the right moments to let the handbrake off.
A passage of play during Hibs away before the Scottish Cup semi-final sticks in the mind when Jason Kerr stepped into midfield and was looking for a man darting past his right shoulder but it didn’t happen.
That caution is understandable when you’re a loan player dropped into a successful side sparingly.
But if Brown, now a permanent signing, does get a regular run in the team for whatever reason it should be as a less cautious wing-back.
The way in which he cut inside to beat his man and earn a free-kick in a dangerous position against Fleetwood (David Wotherspoon nearly scored from it) is an example of the required positive mindset.
On the other flank, as Davidson intimated when he was signed, Reece Devine is ready to contend for a first-team place.
Which is just as well, as Callum Booth is struggling to be fit for Dingwall.
The Manchester United youngster will also hopefully learn when to back himself and go past his opposite full-back (there was an occasion when he turned it down in the first half on Saturday) but he looks to have the all-round game and physical strength to be an asset for Saints.
Callum Hendry question remains
It still is.
You couldn’t say that the forward who was loaned to Aberdeen and missed out on both cup triumphs has made an emphatic case to be the man to fill Guy Melamed’s role as Chris Kane’s foil when Davidson opts for a 5-3-2, rather than a 5-2-3.
The best chance of the match fell to him in the second minute but he delayed when pulling the trigger early was the better option.
2' | SJFC 0 – 0 FTFC
Early chance for Hendry as he springs the offside trap, tries to cut back inside but his efforts are blocked.#SJFCLive
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) July 24, 2021
There were, though, a few examples of superb link-up play that reminded us of the skillset Hendry possesses.
Will he be happy to be a third, maybe even fourth, in line centre-forward? Will Davidson be happy with that?
Whatever the answers are, securing another attacker remains a big transfer priority for the Saints manager.
The feelgood factor
There have been plenty of uneventful and instantly forgettable pre-season friendlies played at McDiarmid Park – and every other ground in the country for that matter – but none that live in the memory as ‘I was there’ occasions like this one.
The 32nd minute Rooney appreciation society did their thing again but the afternoon became a special one for two other reasons.
Word spread towards the end of the game that the Scottish Government and SFA had signed off St Johnstone’s permission to play Galatasaray away and, more importantly, at home next month.
Let’s just leave this here for tonight 🏆🏆#SJFC pic.twitter.com/O7KGU8ygsT
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) July 24, 2021
Not all the best parties are planned ones and the reaction of the Saints’ season-ticket holders to being told the news over the tannoy was quite something.
Then, in a typically understated St Johnstone-type fashion, the two cups were paraded around the pitch after the full-time whistle.
With recent achievements fresh in the mind, the promise of bigger celebrations and European nights to come and supporters back at McDiarmid Park, there won’t be a fanbase in the country as content and excited heading into a new campaign as the Perth one.
