The pressure of having to deliver in high stakes play-offs is food and drink for former St Johnstone striker, Callum Hendry.
But watching one from the stand would be torture.
Hendry’s Salford City are well-placed to get there in EFL League Two, with just a couple of fixtures remaining to clinch their spot.
Saturday, May 27 is the Wembley final he’s hoping to be a part of.
But making a trip back to McDiarmid Park the following week to watch his old team in a second successive relegation play-off certainly isn’t on the end-of-season wish list of Saints’ 2022 survival hero.
“Jason (Kerr) and Ali (McCann) travelled up the road to watch our second leg against Inverness,” said Hendry.
“I really want to come back to McDiarmid soon but I hope it’s not in those circumstances.
“I don’t think I could sit and watch a game like that. I really hope Saints aren’t back there again.
“The season is so relentless here that I’ve not even had the chance to come back to Scotland yet.
“When I do get up the first thing I’ll be doing is getting to McDiarmid. I’ve got friends for life in Perth.”
Dressing room leaders
No two seasons are the same.
But the need for dressing room leaders is a common denominator of last year’s relegation battle and this one, according to Hendry.
“I watch as many Saints games as I can when I’m not playing and I speak to Gordy (Liam Gordon) all the time,” he said.
“Results obviously haven’t been going the way we’d hoped.
“But I was gutted when the news came out about Callum (Davidson).
“I just wish it had worked out better in the end – for Callum and everyone else.
“We had some really strong characters in our dressing room last year who stood up to be counted.
“A lot are still there.
“As a skipper, Gordy will throw himself in front of anything for the team.
“Off the pitch he’s a leader as well.
“I played with Andy (Considine) at Aberdeen.
“He’s had an unbelievable career.
“Losing him to suspension was a blow but he’s exactly the type of guy you want in your squad when it’s pressure football.
“You need these boys at the back.
“Mayso (Stevie May) isn’t a shouter in the dressing room but he’ll lead by running himself into the ground. That’s just as important.
“And when the moment comes he’ll come up with an important goal like he did against Inverness.”
‘Life is good’
Salford are currently third of the four teams in the League Two play-off positions.
They face the team above them, Carlisle United, this weekend in their penultimate fixture.
Neil Wood’s side have hit form at just the right time – as has Hendry, scoring eight goals in 13 games.
“I’m loving it here,” he told Courier Sport. “I missed so much football when I was younger that playing and scoring goals means so much to me.
“It’s the best feeling ever.
“Life’s good on and off the pitch.
“Trying to get promotion is a bit different to fighting survival like we were at Saints last season.
“But the pressure in football is always to win.
“We’re in a good spot. There’s no time for draws if we want to be in the play-offs.
“I came here for an experience like this and we’ll see what happens.”
There’s even been a finish to rival last season’s wonder-strike against Motherwell, not to mention two goals (and a penalty miss) in injury time of another game.
Drama and excitement follows Hendry wherever he goes, it would appear.
It gets better every time we watch it 🤩@Callum_Hendry just loves scoring special goals 💫
— Salford City FC (@SalfordCityFC) April 1, 2023
“Technically, I might just have to give it to that goal I scored against Stockport,” he said.
“But the timing in the game, the position St Johnstone were in and the importance of it, meant the one against Motherwell was just crazy.
“I couldn’t believe it myself.
“St Johnstone fans will say it was the best, Salford fans will go for the other one. I’m happy to sit on the fence!
“The two goals against Wimbledon in injury time after missing a penalty were crazy as well. I’m trying to make up for lost time!”
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