YOUNG GUNS
Easton admits club’s rising talent are pushing for first-team spots
St Johnstone defender Brian Easton admits the club’s senior players are beginning to look over their shoulders.
The Perth full-back is aware of the rising talent who are coming through the ranks at McDiarmid Park and pushing for a first-team place.
A number of young defenders — including Aaron Comrie, Jason Kerr, Liam Gordon and Ally Gilchrist — have impressed during preseason training and matches.
Easton told the Perthshire Advertiser: “The younger boys have looked really good in the friendlies.
“A few played in the 1-0 win against Rangers at Murray Park and didn’t look out of place.
“So we’re definitely now watching our backs, which is good. They are great lads and are all really eager to learn.
“Over the last four years, the first-team squad has been full of experienced senior players.
“During this pre-season, it’s felt like a much younger changing room and it’s making me feel a bit older.
“As long as they can step up to the standard of first-team training, which they all have, then it’s brilliant for the club.”
Easton benefited from the help of older players during his days at Hamilton — and now he wants to pass on his own experience.
“There were plenty of players who took me under Easton feels the squad has a much younger look to it with the emergence of Saints’kids their wing,” he explained. “It was around 10 years ago, but it doesn’t feel like that long.
“Mark McLaughlin was great for me at Hamilton and Alex Neil was the captain at the time.
“He was very demanding but he had that intelligence and knew how to get the best out of you. There were a
lot of players like that at Hamilton. With the help I got when I was younger, I now like to do the same to the guys here — as long as they try to listen and learn.
“We try to help them out and coach them by using our experience. They are all willing to listen and want to improve.
“When you see that from the younger boys, it’s brilliant.”
After missing the away leg of Saints’ European disappointment in Lithuania, Easton has returned to full fitness and is raring to go.
He said:“I’m fully fit again and got 45 minutes against Rangers. I felt I could have played longer but you need to be cautious.
“I’m happy to be back playing because it’s not nice being in with the physio all of the time.
“I had a slight pull in my calf a couple of days after the first leg of the European game.
“It wasn’t too bad but after we were knocked out I was given an extra few days to make sure it was right.
“If you aren’t training with the boys or playing in the games, it gets frustrating.
“I want to play as much football as I can before the season starts. I think we have two games arranged and a lot of boys need game time.
“We’ll see what happens because we’ve not been told how long everyone is going to play.”