Liam Craig’s iconic status at St Johnstone is already secured.
And according to one of his most illustrious former team-mates, it will keep growing as the years go by.
Michael Duberry will send the veteran midfielder his congratulations after he breaks the Perth club’s all-time appearance record, more than likely against Dundee this weekend.
And the European trophy winner with Chelsea, who spent a short but memorable time at McDiarmid Park when Craig was at the beginning of his Saints career, believes the scale of his accomplishments have yet to be put into perspective.
And that’s before stories get passed down the generations.
“I don’t think it will sink in for him until he retires,” said Duberry.
“When that happens, his name will forever be etched up on club walls. In 30 or 40 years from now you will still talk about Liam Craig.
“There will be urban myths too. I’m sure there will be kids saying he had a better left foot than Messi! But it will be well-deserved.”
Legend
Duberry added: “The word legend is thrown around too loosely in football but for sure Liam is a club legend.
“I think the appearances achievement is undervalued – staying through different managers and being a mainstay.
“He has had to adjust his game.
“Listen, to get 100 appearances as a professional footballer is a massive achievement. Even to be a professional and play one game.
“But he has achieved more than 400 for one club and at a club that has achieved so much.
“I know St Johnstone don’t get the same exposure as Rangers or Celtic, or even Hearts or Hibs.
“But the club is a big one and has proven in the last decade that they are a powerful movement in Scottish football.
“Liam has been part of that – part of the surge, the growth and the consistency.
“He wasn’t struggling in lower leagues. He has always been competing for trophies and top six.”
The image of Craig crouching on the Hampden Park pitch speaking to his family on his phone was the enduring one of last season’s League Cup final triumph for Duberry.
“I messaged Liam because I saw a picture of him on the pitch all on his own,” said Duberry. “I went: ‘Look at you, attention-seeking!’
“He had so many near-misses but that was his moment. I knew how special it was for him.
“Winning anything in football is hard. There are so many people going for that one thing.
“I was really happy for him.
“Liam is a lovely lad. Off the pitch, he was always one of the ones that was welcoming – bit of a joker.
“On the pitch, he had a lovely left foot and technically he was very sound. These left-footers always look nice.
“He had a great delivery and could unlock a defence with his passing. You knew what you were going to get because he was very consistent with his performances.
“He would listen and want to learn and get better.
“Sometimes he was his harshest critic but there was always a good player there.
“He is a great ambassador for the club – and he hasn’t even retired. He still has a bit left in him yet.”
