If Callum Davidson had got his way, Robbie Deas would have been part of St Johnstone’s Premiership survival bid.
But instead the Inverness Caledonian Thistle man has got his sights set on sending the Perth club down to the Championship and taking their spot in the top-flight.
The Kinross-born defender, who has strong family connections with Saints as his uncle Paul became a Scotland international while playing at left-back and centre-half at McDiarmid Park, was a January signing target for Davidson.
But as the bids got higher, the Highlanders stood firm.
And now Deas is focused on winning the second leg of the play-off winner-takes-all contest and reaching the Premiership through his efforts on the pitch rather than in the transfer window.
“January was out of my hands, thankfully,” he said.
“I’m a Caley Thistle player and I will do everything I can to win and get us promoted back to the Premiership.
“When I signed here two years ago, my goal was to help take this club back to the Premiership.
“If I can do that, it will be a dream come true.”
1990 | Paul Deas makes his debut for St Johnstone in the 5-0 defeat of Aberdeen. pic.twitter.com/UAqyloYqRM
— Saints On This Day (@SaintsOTD) September 29, 2020
Deas added: “My uncle played for St Johnstone and I’m from Kinross.
“My family were at the game on Friday, here to support me and I will have a big family at friends support at the game on Monday.
“I want to do them proud, but most of all do myself proud – and just kick on now.
“Surprisingly, the family are not St Johnstone fans. They are Caley Thistle fans because I play for them. They’re Robbie Deas fans!
“I was too young to watch my uncle play at St Johnstone but I saw him at Brechin.”
ICT with momentum
Deas believes the Caley Jags have the play-off momentum after coming back from 2-0 down to draw the first leg 2-2.
“Friday might put doubt in their heads,” he said.
“I’m sure they went in very happy at 2-0 at half-time and rightly so.
“They were playing really well and were creating a lot of chances. We were not good enough.
“I think we came out with the bit between our teeth in the second half and dug deep.
“We were delighted to finish at 2-2.
"This group keep finding something!" ✨
Inverness CT manager Billy Dodds reacts to the 2-2 result in the first leg of the Scottish Premiership play-off final against St Johnstone. pic.twitter.com/EvLrCb0I4o
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) May 20, 2022
“We needed a bit of luck and we now go into Monday confident we can turn them over.
“We’re unbeaten in seven games now, so we’re on a good run. We never say never.
“We have a young, well-balanced team, with some experience.
“In games like this, it’s adrenaline that gets you through. A chance to play in the Premiership is what we all want.
“We’ve had a never-say-never attitude throughout the season. We’ve hit back when we’re down a number of times.
“We have proven that again, this time against a Premiership side in St Johnstone.
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