St Johnstone disciplinary lowlights as Kimpioka completes hat-trick

Two themes have dominated St Johnstone’s recent form slump – set-piece goals conceded and red cards.

As far as the latter is concerned, the Perth club have just completed an unwanted hat-trick of players being sent off in three consecutive games.

First it was Adama Sidibeh’s double red at Tannadice, then Jack Sanders was shown a second yellow in injury-time of the defeat to Motherwell and at the weekend, Benji Kimpioka was given his marching orders by referee, Nick Walsh, for sliding into Hibs’ Jordan Obita.

Courier Sport looks back on previous seasons to put the recent outbreak of dismissals into context.

The worst start

Three reds in their first five games (four if you count Sidibeh as two) is a low as far as far as the opening of a Premiership campaign is concerned for St Johnstone.

However, 2012/13 runs it close.

In Steve Lomas’ first and last full season in charge, it was three reds in seven games.

Gregory Tade was sent off before half-time in the opening day defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle.

Gregory Tade protests his innocence at Tynecastle. Image: SNS.

Rowan Vine was red-carded late in the second fixture – a 1-1 draw at Motherwell and then again in a victory over Ross County in Dingwall.

Saints reached SIX reds by December 8 after Dave Mackay got into the dressing room a couple of minutes ahead of his team-mates when they lost 1-0 to Hibs.

The half-dozen was completed in style, if that’s an acceptable description.

Although Saints were reduced to nine men in Paisley – Steven Anderson and Chris Millar the mean to see red – they still managed to emerge with a point.

Lomas was himself serving a suspension so touchline and post-match duties fell to his assistant, Tommy Wright.

“I’m proud of them all,” said Wright.

“Not many teams can go down to nine men and still take something from the game.

Chris Millar was punished for tripping John McGinn. Image: SNS.

“It reiterates the team spirit we have at the club.

“We have a very tight unit and they are willing to put bodies on the line.

“But I would not like to go through that in every game.

“Going down to nine men is not a comfortable experience.”

No wonder Wright’s glass was half-full.

That “very tight unit” went on to finish third.

Best behaviour

Of the current 15-year broken spell in the top flight of Scottish football, two seasons stand out for St Johnstone successfully avoiding the wrath of referees.

In their first campaign back up, Derek McInnes’ side didn’t pick up a single straight red.

The same was the case in 2014/15.

James McFadden after his red card. Image: SNS.

There was one sending off in each season, though – both for two yellows. Graham Gartland against Celtic in 2010 and James McFadden against Hamilton in 2015.

Hat-trick

The good news for Craig Levein is that three reds in a row doesn’t necessarily mean a team is afflicted by a collective character defect.

It happened in 2020/21 – and that season didn’t turn out too badly.

Captain, Jason Kerr, started things off by making an ill-advised tackle on St Mirren’s Ilkay Durmus on the stroke of half-time that helped turn a 2-1 lead into a 3-2 defeat.

Michael O'Halloran lost his temper against Rangers. — Michael O’Halloran lost his temper against Rangers. Image: SNS.

Four days later, Michael O’Halloran showed lost control to pick up two bookings within the space of a few minutes when Rangers were cruising to a comfortable McDiarmid Park victory.

Then in a 2-1 Boxing day defeat at Pittodrie, another substitute, this time Callum Hendry, went in Alan Muir’s book twice.

It proved to be a line in the sand as from that point on, Saints didn’t pick up another red on their way to their most successful season ever.

Eight-man team

Three games in a row is pretty uncommon in St Johnstone’s history.

Three reds in one game even less so, mercifully.

Michael Moore was one of three St Johnstone players sent off at Love Street. Image: SNS.

Back in 2004, the John Connolly era got off to a calamitous start and at the end of a four-match losing run, Sean Webb, Eddie Malone and Michael Moore were all sent off by referee, Charlie Richmond, in a bad-tempered clash with St Mirren at Love Street.