St Johnstone have made Kyle Cameron their fifth summer signing.
The English League Two club agreed to let the 27-year-old leave Meadow Lane on a one year loan deal.
Courier Sport looks at Cameron’s career path from St James’ Park to McDiarmid Park.
Newcastle beginnings
Cameron’s roots are in the north-east of England.
Brought up in Hexham, he joined the Newcastle United academy set-up as a nine-year-old and then spent a decade there.
He played as a left-winger and left-back before his height made the conversion to a ball-playing centre-back a natural one.
Cameron was one of 18 under-23 players released by Newcastle in 2018.
Kilmarnock’s Stuart Findlay was another one in that batch.
Cameron had come closer than most to being kept on, having trained regularly with the first team under Alan Pardew and John Carver.
“I wasn’t delusional,” he told the Newcastle Chronicle. “I understand it’s very hard to get into that Newcastle first team.
“I think it takes a lot of luck, injuries at the right time, and your face sitting in the picture.
I was never expecting Newcastle’s first team once I turned 20 or 21. When you’re 17, you’re always going to have that dream.
“But I was always thinking what’s going to be the next step in my career, where am I going to move next?”
The biggest disappointment for Cameron was the fact he learned of his release through the club’s online statement rather than in person.
Three English loans
Cameron’s first taste of men’s football was as an 18-year-old with Workington in the Northern Premier League.
It was certainly a good start – scoring on his debut against Marine and getting the man of the match award.
A year later Newcastle felt he was ready for the EFL.
An initial one-month January loan to York City was extended through to the end of the season.
Cameron played 18 times in League Two and his first EFL goal was scored past now Dundee goalkeeper, Trevor Carson, in a game against Hartlepool.
Derek Riordan was a York team-mate that day.
The following season, Cameron was farmed out to Newport County, also then in League Two.
Cameron will need no introduction to Uche Ikpeazu, as the new Saints striker was leading the line (and scored) on the former’s Newport debut against Cambridge United.
Taste of the SPFL
Levein has been a long-time admirer of Cameron and was linked with a move for him during his second spell as Hearts boss.
When he did arrive in Scotland it was at Palmerston, rather than Tynecastle.
While at Queen of the South for the second half of the 2017/18 season, Cameron played nine times under Gary Naysmith, with future Saints double-winning legend, Shaun Rooney, alongside him in defence.
The most eye-catching result of the nine was a 3-2 away win over Dundee United.
Along with Myles Beerman and Nikolay Todorov, Cameron returned to his parent club a couple of weeks before the end of the season.
Three lions become one
By that stage, Cameron was a Scotland under-21 international.
He represented England six times at under-16 level but switched allegiance and went on to play in dark blue for the U17s, 19s and 21s.
Asked in 2020 to name the best ground he’s played at, Cameron answered: “It would be the Toše Proeski Arena in Macedonia during an under-21 qualifier for Scotland.
“The atmosphere on the night was immense, there were about 20,000 people there, so I’ll always remember that night.”
The English Riviera
Cameron was released by Newcastle that summer and was signed by Torquay United.
It was under Gary Owers in the National League that his career came back to life.
“I’ve really rediscovered that love for the game,” said Cameron. “I enjoy every morning going to train and knowing I’m playing at the weekend and playing for something.
“Getting released is probably the best thing that’s happened. I got an opportunity and I feel I’ve taken it down here.
“I’m a much better player now. I’ve learnt how to defend properly and the dark arts of the game – little things that can give you an edge over the opponent week in, week out.”
There was heartbreak for player and club at the end of Cameron’s third and final season.
With Wembley out of commission due to the European Championships, Torquay lost to Hartlepool on penalties at Bristol City’s Ashton Gate in the National League play-off final.
Cameron, with Benji Kimpioka as an unused substitute team-mate, had TWO goals controversially disallowed during normal time.
Third time lucky
Swapping one National League side for another might have looked like a sideways move but it worked out well for Cameron.
As captain, he led Notts County back into the EFL in the second of his three seasons (they lost in the play-offs in the first).
Not many players can say they’ve lifted a trophy at Wembley.
County fans still joke on social media that they knew it was going to be their day when Cameron celebrated winning the coin toss!
The world’s oldest Football League club twice battled back from being a goal down to end up winning the penalty shoot-out.
Change of managers
“There’s only one direction this club is going at the moment and that’s up,” said Cameron, ahead of last season.
A mid-table finish was a respectable one.
However, despite the fact that he made 47 appearances for County, it was decided by manager Stuart Maynard, who replaced Luke Williams midway through the campaign, that Cameron wouldn’t be captain for the one soon to begin.
And that has now been followed by Maynard allowing him to leave, despite the fact he has a year left on his contract.
Ironically, the County manager is embarking upon the type of defensive overhaul that is happening at McDiarmid and has opened the door to this transfer.
Playing style
So what type of centre-back are Saints getting?
At 6ft 3in tall, Cameron has the physical fundamentals of any centre-back hoping to thrive in the Scottish top-flight.
And, with his background as a left-winger and left-back, it’s no surprise that he is very capable with the ball at his feet.
On 91%, he had the fifth highest pass completion numbers in League Two last season.
He’s played in a back-three and likes to step into midfield, so there’s a prospect of Cameron being a Jamie McCart-type influence in Levein’s side.
It may be too early to consider him as a captain-in-waiting but he undoubtedly has leadership credentials that the Perth squad is crying out for, whether he’s wearing an armband or not.
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