A new book is set to spark debate amongst St Johnstone fans by ranking the club’s “30 best matches”.
Currently set for release in time for Christmas, “Matches in Dispatches”, Alastair Blair and Brian Doyle, will seek to rate the greatest games in the Perth club’s history, while also marking a selection of “milestone” and “significant” clashes.
The book is based on contemporary news reports of said matches along with memories from players and fans.
Author, Alastair Blair, accepts the ranking of the games in question – by himself and fellow writer Doyle – is likely to trigger discussion and disagreement amongst supporters.
But he insists the book will have plenty more to offer fans.
“The book is in three parts,” he told Saints’ website. “With the first section covering all the important milestones, such as the first ever game, the first local cup win, the first national cup win, the last and first games at the Recreation Grounds, Muirton and McDiarmid Park.
“In total, there are 30 games featured, before part two examines what we’re calling the most significant games.
“These may not necessarily have been fantastic matches, but they were all, for a variety of different reasons, interesting or in some way important in determining the future of St Johnstone at different times throughout the ages.
“Finally, we have ranked what we believe are the 30 best matches in Saints’ history.
“While we’re pretty sure no-one will agree entirely with our choices for each position in this pantheon of greatness, we do hope that our list will provoke a lot of debate and friendly comment about which matches are included.
“While many of our selections will come as no surprise (for example, there are a few games against Dundee and the Old Firm that feature), we have deliberately chosen games from every period in Saints’ history in order to demonstrate that great performances and results are not just those within living memory.”
Blair and Doyle have previously collaborated on Saints’ official history book “Bristling with Possibilities”, which was updated and re-titled “Manifest Destiny” following the club’s first Scottish Cup success.
More recently they worked together to release “Hagiography: The Great Saints“, which ranked the 50 greatest Perth players and 10 top managers and club officials.
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