Dimitar Mitov was a penalty kick Premiership hero for St Johnstone.
And McDiarmid Park great, Sergei Baltacha, is delighted that he may have played a part in his old pupil’s and old club’s dramatic last day top-flight survival story.
When Baltacha worked with a young Mitov at Charlton Athletic’s academy a few years ago, the former Soviet Union international made sure penalties were a training ground priority.
The Bulgarian international keeping out Theo Bair’s first half spot-kick at Fir Park was arguably the defining moment of Saints’ head-to-head battle with Ross County to stay up.
It was double delight for Baltacha, with his mind going back to all the penalties Mitov faced under his watch in London.
“It was brilliant that Dimitar made a penalty save to help keep St Johnstone up,” Baltacha told Courier Sport.
“I know how good he is at saving penalties – he did it to help us win a national title.
“We won three finals and Dimitar saved two in one of them.
“We practiced penalties a lot.
“After training sessions, I’d do a proper penalty shoot-out with two teams to try and make it as close to the real thing as possible.
“That’s what we did when I was a player with my club and my country. I won semi-finals and finals on penalties. You have to practice.
“I’m glad all that practice Dimitar has done has helped!”
Premier League potential
Baltacha was Mitov’s under-18 coach at Charlton, with the 66-year-old described as “an incredible person first and foremost and a real role model”.
When Mitov signed for Saints from Cambridge United last summer, Baltacha told Perth fans to enjoy watching their goalkeeper while they had him.
Now, unsurprisingly, given the tremendous season Mitov enjoyed, he hasn’t changed his mind.
“Dimitar has shown in Scotland what I knew,” said Baltacha. “He is a very good goalkeeper with an excellent attitude.
“He is definitely good enough to play in the English Premier League.”
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