Cregg sensed Saints revival Former midfielder still keeps up to date
Patrick Cregg has not been surprised to see St Johnstone climb away from any relegation bother.
The former midfielder, speaking from experience, knows the character of the Perth club will always transfer into a positive run of results.
Saints were rooted to the bottom earlier in the season but, ahead of this weekend’s trip to Hibernian, have the chance to edge into the top six.
Cregg, now assistant manager of St Patrick’s Athletic, said: “Tommy has lowered the age of the squad.
“He always has his team solid and I never once thought that St Johnstone were going to get relegated. I always felt they would turn it around.
“They will always pick up points or go on a run. It’s how they are set up and Tommy is very good at making teams solid.
“It’s one of his best attributes. In fairness to Tommy Wright, he has got a good blend.”
Cregg was part of a Saints team familiar with the top six and he even managed to score a rare goal against this weekend’s opponents.
He finished off a sweeping Perth move to put Hibs to the sword 3-1 in February 2013, with Rowan Vine netting the other two.
“It was actually my 200th senior appearance,” Cregg reminisced. “It was a bit of an omen and I thought I was going to score, believe it or not.
“It was more a team goal and I was just fortunate that it was a good pass. The build-up was very good.
“I made the run and Murray Davidson had the ability to play the pass at the right weight.
“I could just run and finish, which was the easy part.
“Hibernian are another team I look out for because I played with their manager and I obviously played there.
“It’s a special club in terms of the fanbase and the facilities. It’s a lovely city so I always look out for their results as well, to be fair.
“But that night we had too much energy for them. In terms of an away performance, it was everything we had worked on leading up to the game.
“It was a good group of lads, like Steven MacLean, Murray Davidson and Callum Davidson. Good pros and lads who had a lot of experience.
“In the starting 11, outwith Mehdi Abeid, the team was littered with experience and lads with a lot of games behind them.
“It was a great and special time in my life. I’m a fan for life now and I look out for any team that I played for.
“I’m good pals with Liam Craig and Steven May. They are two of my best friends in football so I always look to see if they are playing.”
Homegrown talent May has been finding form and Cregg certainly expects that to continue.
“Saints re-signed Steven, which was a massive signing for them,” Cregg explained to the Perthshire Advertiser.
“He is only going to get better. I think St Johnstone will see the best of him again next season.
“I think he will get more goals from now until the end of the season and will kick on again next season.
“For me, he will be one of the best strikers in the league. They have also brought through Ali McCann, a young lad who seems to have good energy.”