St Johnstone

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Rangers manager Derek McInnes says he still uses notes from his first managerial job at St Johnstone almost two decades ago as he prepares to face the Perth side this weekend.

McInnes was an experienced and well-travelled midfielder at McDiarmid Park when he took the managerial reins in 2007 following Owen Coyle's exit to Burnley.

"I enjoyed my time there, they were good to me," said the 55-year-old.

"I still look at my notes from those days and the fundamentals of being a manager and the core values are the same in terms of what my team needs to look like. The rules and conditions about how the club works on and off the field.

"A lot of things tactically I think I want us to be. Sometimes just a wee check, looking back. There's a notepad I keep that I just add to every now and then.

"Just wee things that keeps me reminded about what's important. Because sometimes you just need that wee reminder.

"Sometimes you've got to evolve and change and players are different now.

"The circumstances are different in terms of the fallout when you lose a game. Everything's magnified now and everybody's got a comment to make. Whereas back then, it was just really about working closely with the players."

McInnes remembers exactly where he was - approaching the Broxden Roundabout just outside Perth - in autumn 2007 when he heard on the radio St Johnstone would be announcing their new manager the following morning.

What McInnes didn't know was that he was the new manager being referred to.

"The chairman hadn't even asked me!" he recalled. "And I did what I was told, to be honest, by (chairman) Geoff Brown.

"It was a shock and a pleasant surprise when he said to me he'd watched me and liked how I commanded respect, how I dealt with players and had contacts in the game and that he thought I was ready for it.

"So it wasn't a job I'd applied for or expected."

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Derek McInnes has half a dozen players - including Tuur Rommens and another key man - dealing with a sickness bug which has affected the squad.

Ross McCrorie, Cammy Devlin, Lawrence Shankland (all hamstring), Youssef Chermiti (knee) and Daisuke Yokota (groin) are still out.

St Johnstone are missing Sam Stanton, who has sustained an ankle injury.

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Reece McAlear believes St Johnstone can take encouragement from Tayside neighbours Dundee when they travel to Ibrox on Saturday.

The Dark Blues were good value for their 2-2 draw with Derek McInnes' side at Dens Park last Saturday night.

Saints midfielder McAlear said: "Rangers at home are obviously a wee bit different, heavily backed.

"But Dundee took two goals off them and that's a positive. They can score goals but they also can concede goals.

"I am looking forward to it, playing in front of a big crowd in a big stadium.

"We've come a long way in our performances but still can get better.

"We are a tight group as well, we kept some good core of players from last year which is very important.

"When we got promoted last year, these were the type of games we wanted to play in, the big games.

"But everyone in the dressing room will be the exact same. Buzzing to play in these games, these are the games everyone wants to play in."

St Johnstone have made an impressive start to the season and are sitting fifth in the table.

McAlear said: "I think teams are going to think we are going to come into the league and lay down to them but it's not been quite that.

"Everybody in the team is proving a point, whether they belong at this level or not.

"Have we surprised people? Probably but that's what we want to do as well. We have players in the building that suit the way we play.

"We have good players that were too good for the Championship but this is where the test comes."

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Simo Valakari has no plans to shelve his attacking outlook at Ibrox as St Johnstone bid to prevent Rangers getting their title bid back on track.

The Ibrox side's seven-game winning run was ended by a 2-2 draw at Dundee last week that allowed Celtic to open up a four-point gap at the summit.

Fifth-place Saints have lost just one of their past six matches before the trip to Govan.

"We need to play our way of football because when you go to these tough places, there is no point trying to be something different, trying to be something you are not, or you have not been in training," boss Valakari said.

"Yes, we know there will be moments when they will push us into a low block, when we need to execute our defending actions at a very high level.

"But then the ball is a power and it gives you the front-foot thinking when you can have the ball. And especially in places like this, you need to be able to have the ball. And that's the challenge for us, what we can do then with the ball.

"It's easy to say, 'go and play, have no fear'. But when there are 50,000 people on you and you're a little bit out of breath, the pressure will come. But in those moments, we should remember to breathe and show our composure because we are good footballers.

"Of course, it would be massive if we can win. But we can't just go and hope. We need to go there and make things happen. And that's what we are aiming to do."

Valakari wants his side to make life as uncomfortable for the hosts in front of an expectant Ibrox crowd.

"Rangers may not be the happiest after their last result on the road," he said.

"Now they go back home and will really want to show what they can do in front of their own fans. I believe they would like to score a lot of goals and show their domination.

"But it's all about us and now we need to compete at a very good level. We need to go there and not let them breathe easily. We need to make them work for everything.

"Our aim is to ask the questions of them and make them a little bit uncomfortable with what's happening on the field."

• Rangers have spent 50.8% of their game time drawing in the Scottish Premiership this season, the highest proportion of any side. They drew 2-2 with Dundee last time out, ending their six-game league winning run.

• Only Claudio Braga has had more shots (36) in the league this season than Djeidi Gassama (33), while only Benjamin Nygren has created more chances (25) than Gassama (19).

• Rangers have won their past nine meetings with St Johnstone in all competitions by an aggregate score of 18-1 since a 2-1 league defeat in November 2022.

• St Johnstone are winless in 12 away games against Rangers in all competitions (D2 L10) since a 3-1 win in December 2017.

• St Johnstone have only lost one of their past six league games (W2 D3), avoiding defeat in their latest two away trips (W1 D1).

Sam Miller
Fan writer

In the high-stakes world of Scottish football, tacticians are revered and logic is more often than not thrown out the window. Just ask St Johnstone's Matty Foulds.

​After putting in a stormer of a performance at Aberdeen, earning top match ratings and walking away with a brilliant 1-0 victory, Foulds probably expected a hero's welcome for the Tayside derby against Dundee United.

Champagne? Perhaps. A permanent statue outside McDiarmid Park? Maybe a bit premature, but at least a guaranteed spot on the teamsheet, right?

​Wrong.

​In a classic slice of managerial mind games that left some Saints fans scratching their heads, Foulds found himself unceremoniously relegated to the bench for the big game.

Apparently, putting in a man-of-the-match display merely unlocks the privilege of watching the action from the best seat in the house - wrapped in a cosy dugout jacket.

​St Johnstone fought out a tense 1-1 draw against Dundee United, but Foulds must be wondering what wizardry he needs to pull off to keep his starting spot.

Next time he wins man of the match, he might just ask for a day off instead.

Sam Miller can be found at Dogger Saints, external

Former St Johnstone defender Richard Foster has been impressed by manager Simo Valakari's adaptability following the Perth club's return to the Scottish Premiership.

Watch Sportscene highlights of the weekend's top-flight action

Watch all the highlights as St Johnstone and Dundee United played out a 1-1 draw in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday. Available to UK users only.

Dominant Dundee United rescued a well-earned Scottish Premiership draw at St Johnstone to stretch their unbeaten run to four games.

Read the match report here

Have your say on the match here

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St Johnstone head coach Simo Valakari: "It was a good football match, United had their moments and played some good football, it was difficult to get close to them, they have players that are in good places, but at the same time we had our moments.

"The goal we scored was a beautiful goal and it changed the game a little bit, so it was a question of whether we could hold until the end. It's difficult to defend to ninety minutes, what we can now improve is these moments when we are 1-0 up, how do we put more pressure on and be more ruthless to get the second goal.

"The intensity was there, a good atmosphere, and both teams really pushed until the end looking for the winner and we very much enjoyed it."

As for top scorer Josh Fowler's substitution, the Finn added: "There is a big flu going around, he ran his chest out so he needed his rest and that's all it was."

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St Johnstone will be boosted by the return of defender Cheick Diabate from suspension.

Dundee United have no fresh injury concerns following last weekend's win against Hibernian.

Left-back Will Ferry continues to be monitored having picked up a knock during the training camp in Portugal over the international break, while forward Mehdi Merghem and Emmanuel Agyei (both knee) continue their own rehabilitation.

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St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari is enjoying the challenge of managing in the Scottish Premiership but admits it is a "tough life".

The former Finland midfielder, who spent four years at Motherwell as a player, guided the Perth Saints to promotion last season following relegation in 2025.

They have applied themselves well on their return to the top flight, taking 11 points from their opening eight league games as they sit fifth in the table.

"I'm enjoying it, but it's a tough life, you know," Valakari said. "Every match, it's so tough. But as I said, we worked so hard to get back here and it would be stupid not to enjoy it.

"We are enjoying it but at the same time, we are very realistic, very humble, knowing how tough it is, and that's why every match for us it's like our unique opportunity to show ourselves.

"[To] show what kind of club we are, what kind of team we are, and so far our players have been very good."

Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin has revealed he decided to pursue other targets when considered signing Ruari Paton permanently after his loan from Port Vale, but he is delighted the 26-year-old striker is now playing regularly in the Scottish Premiership with St Johnstone. (Daily Record, external)

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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• St. Johnstone's Josh Fowler is the top scorer in this season's Scottish Premiership, scoring five goals from just 10 shots (50% conversion), six of which have been on target.

• Dundee United have won both of their last two league games, last winning three in a row in April 2025 – when the third win was over St. Johnstone.

• After their 1-0 win over Aberdeen, St. Johnstone are looking to earn back-to-back victories in the Scottish Premiership for the first time since February 2025, and first time without conceding since March 2021.

• Dundee United have won four of their last seven visits to St. Johnstone in the Scottish Premiership (D2 L1) and could win successive trips to McDiarmid Park in the top-flight for the first time since April 2012.

• St. Johnstone have lost each of their last three league games against Dundee United, their longest top-flight losing run against the Tangerines since a run of four defeats from May 2001 to January 2002.

New Scotland centre-half Luke Graham was with St Johnstone before joining Dundee, who sold him for £2m to Stoke City this summer, and new head of academy Paul McDonald is determined to ensure the Perth club do not lose such talent again. (The Courier)

Read the rest of Wednesday's gossip.

Sam Miller
Fan writer

There was something familiar about Sunday's 1-0 triumph over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

Josh Fowler's coolly dispatched first-half penalty delivered three vital Premiership points, but if you look closely at the steel and determination on display, you have to wonder: did the squad draw inspiration from a viral clip of club icon Frazer Wright?

​Last weekend, internet feeds were inundated with footage of Wright's famously unapologetic tackle at the Tennent's Sixes.

It was uncompromising, ruthlessly competitive, and delightfully old school.

While nobody was asking Simo Valakari's side to completely throw caution or the rulebook to the wind, that crunching viral moment served as a timely reminder of what it truly means to play for St Johnstone: grit, fight, and absolute defiance.

​At Pittodrie, Saints channelled that exact spirit. We stood resolute against the Dons, throwing bodies in front of shots, disrupting their rhythm, and refusing to give an inch.

Fowler's spot-kick provided the advantage, but the sheer work-rate without the ball secured the victory.

​If Wright's internet-breaking challenge reminded this team of the inner fire required to wear the jersey, then long may the viral clips continue!

Sam Miller can be found at Dogger Saints, external

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The goals temporarily dried up for Josh Fowler last season after his January move to St Johnstone but now the 24-year-old is the leading scorer in the Scottish Premiership as he embarks on just his second term in senior football.

An early penalty at Pittodrie took Fowler's tally to five from eight outings and was enough to earn the promoted Perth side victory on Sunday.

After prolific spells in the contrasting surrounds of Beith Juniors and Dubai City, Fowler continued his free-scoring form at Queen's Park, knocking in 19 goals in 25 appearances before St Johnstone snapped him up.

He would only add two goals to Saints' title-winning effort in the Championship but now they are flowing again.

"The biggest asset for a striker is confidence," former Saints centre forward Cillian Sheridan told the BBC Scotland Football Podcast.

"It gives you that extra half-yard, you feel stronger and fitter.

"Teams that build up play and like to be attacking need a striker that's going to put chances away. At the moment, Josh Fowler is doing that.

"He'll be looking forward to every game and to every chance that comes his way."

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St Johnstone defender Matty Foulds' hard work in training paid off after picking up his first appearance in two months during Sunday's 1-0 victory at Aberdeen.

The 28-year-old, who made 30 appearances across all competitions for the Saints last term, was named in the starting XI for the first time since a 1-0 defeat to St Mirren back in August.

And the left-back helped Simo Valakari's side keep their first clean sheet of the season, with Josh Fowler's penalty converted penalty for St Johnstone the only goal at Pittodrie.

Cheick Diabate was suspended for the game while Zach Mitchell's loan spell from Charlton was cut short by a serious injury so Foulds and Liam Smith lined up in a makeshift back three alongside Dan Finlayson.

"It was new for us playing together in that formation," Foulds told the club website. "But we have all played enough games to understand what our role was.

"It was important that we talked with each other to get through the game.

"You sometimes need to bide your time and, when you get your chance, take it.

"We demand a lot out of each other in training. You always need to be spot on. Even the lads who didn't come on for this particular game, everyone has a massive part to play. We're all together.

"We would have liked to have had more of the ball, but we found a different way to win a football match."

St Johnstone fans, we asked for your views after Sunday's victory over Aberdeen at Pittodrie.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Jack: Superb win for Saints. A clear penalty and Josh Fowler finishes it as he always does. Aberdeen had plenty of chances but couldn't find the back of the net. Dan Finlayson was my man of the match, super defensive shift. Onwards and upwards.

Ian: I, a lifetime Saintee from Perth, now a season ticket holder at Leicester City. Leicester has a poor management structure and team coach, who have alienated fans who see a bleak future. Saints are fortunate to have an owner who has a long term vision and a manager who has united a squad to fight for one another and the supporters, who ultimately are the life blood of the Saints. In unity of purpose is strength. Thank you Adam Webb and Simo Valakari. We are on the up.

Stuart: With no Zach Mitchell or Cheick Diabate this game could've gone bad very quickly, reassuring to know we have the resilience to hang in when needed. Fowler is looking more and more like the striker we've needed for a long time, and I hope we can hold onto him for a good while.

Watch all the highlights as St Johnstone narrowly defeat Aberdeen at Pittodrie to move into the top six of the Scottish Premiership. Available to UK users only.

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St Johnstone head coach Simo Valakari: "There has been a lot of talk about how we want to control games. Mostly that's with the ball but today, that was not possible.

"We still controlled it without the ball. Defended very well in our own box, mostly kept them out the dangerous zones. Yes, a lot of crosses and corners but that's normal.

"I'm very pleased with our players. We still want to attack but we can defend as well, it was a very good display.

"I was very pleased with how we started and the action that led to the penalty was very good play by us. Fowler coolly scored the penalty and then we needed to defend.

"What we learnt from this match is that when we were 1-0 down, when our backs are against the wall, we learnt what to do with the ball.

"We had a couple of moments to go and score a second goal. That's one thing we need to learn.

"Our players are great human beings, great characters, and I love all of them. It's a team sport, we all need to push in the same direction. If one isn't doing it, we're not strong.

"It's important we all push the same way and then, you can see what's possible."