STEVENSON CALL-UP DELIGHTS ALISTAIR

promotion but a run of poor performances, allied to several bad injuries, rocked their confidence.

Having won promotion through the play-offs with Hamilton, he’s now felt how painful failure in them can be and doesn’t hide how acute it was on the final whistle at Livi.

“I’ve had experience of success in them and know how good it is to win, so to taste it on the losing side is bitterly disappointing. I can’t explain how devastating it is. It wasn’t to be. I have to say congratulations to Livingston and good luck to them in the final.

“They are a hard team to play against. They know their strengths and they play to them. To give them a goal of a start in the first leg and again in the second was poor. For our part it’s a case of going away and reflecting over the summer and seeing what we could have done better from the start of the season.

“But if I’m here next season then I think there is no reason why we can’t start the season strong and kick on.”

And whatever the make-up of the squad next term, he knows what the goal should be and where a club like United has to be operating.

“Automatic promotion has got to be the goal for this club because they’ve been in the Championship for too long now,” he added.

“It is a hard league to get out of but there is no reason why we can’t be in the Premier League. Getting there comes down to performances and the truth about the season is we’ve come up short.” was Man of the Match in that game.

“He’s had a super career and I always thought he would.

“He has always put everything into his game.

“Lewis is a really great competitor and I’ m so pleased he has received this Scotland call-up.

“It is a great reward for him and I am sure he will perform well for Scotland.

“He enjoyed his time with St Johnstone. Even as a young player there he was in the thick of it.”

Lewis is getting a testimonial at Hibs in lieu of his magnificent service to them.

A Scotland U/19 and U/21 cap, he has played nearly 400 times for the Easter Road outfit.

ST JOHNSTONE youth head Alistair Stevenson is delighted Lewis Stevenson has been called into the Scotland squad for the summer friendlies against Peru and Mexico. The 30-year-old has enjoyed a great career at Hibs but, before that, he was a promising...