PASSPORT TO EUROPE A point is enough to enter Europa Conference League
ST JOHNSTONE ................. 0 LIVINGSTON ........................ 0
“We’re all going on a European tour”was the chant echoing around Perth’s city centre.
It was late Saturday evening. Around 10.30pm. And by this point the streets were clearing of cheery latenight revellers.
But above all the name of St Johnstone was being belted out for all to hear.
Fans remain unable to attend in person due to the coronavirus pandemic but just what they think of this remarkable squad was heard loud and clear. The passionate chanting was understandable.
Earlier in the day Saints had achieved their latest piece of success in a season that will forever be remembered. A 0-0 draw with Livingston - in all honesty it was a shocking game of football - secured the point required for a fifth place Premiership finish.
Supporters watching via online video links from home would not care a jot about the monotonous nature of this league curtain-closer.
For the first time since 2017, although the sixth occasion in nine years, McDiarmid Park will host European football.
At this point, the Perth club will enter the second qualifying round of the recently introduced UEFA Europa Conference League.
But an even greater prize is on the table if Saints defeat Hibs in this weekend’s Scottish Cup final at Hampden.
The winner books a ticket to the playoff round for the Europa League group stage where some of the world’s greatest forces in football would be lining-up. What an occasion that would be for the Fair City’s finest.
A League Cup win earlier in the season, the fifth place finish, the European qualification, the upcoming Scottish Cup showdown. It’s actually quite difficult to absorb just how incredible this campaign has been.
In October St Johnstone were bottom of the table. The basement side in the top tier.
Manager Callum Davidson was just months into his first ever season in charge and many were beginning to question his credentials. But internet snipers were so far off the mark.
Performances had never been terrible during the early stages of his tenure. Quite the opposite, in fact. Yet the results hadn’t arrived.
That soon changed. The ball started to hit the back of the net with more regularity and the defence in Jason Kerr, Liam Gordon and Jamie
McCart - known as the Great Wall of Perth - were more resolute by the week.
Saints climbed the table and had one final summit to reach on Saturday. A solitary point would clinch fifth spot behind champions Rangers, Celtic, Hibs and Aberdeen.
Coronavirus concerns had eased ever so slightly with stalwarts Murray Davidson, Liam Craig and Stevie May welcomed back into the starting line-up. That was a huge boost.
But Zander Clark, Elliott Parish, Liam Gordon, Scott Tanser, Ali McCann and Michael O’Halloran all remained out for such a big game.
With two goalkeepers absent, emergency loan signing from Hearts Bobby Zlamal again took his spot between the posts. While not overly busy, his contribution should never be forgotten.
He touched a Jay Emmanuel-Thomas strike behind for a corner in the first half but better was to come.
Seventy-two minutes were on the clock when hearts were in mouths.
Livingston’s Jaze Kabia was suddenly presented with a free strike at goal following an uncharacteristic mix-up in the Perth ranks. Zlamal did not let his new mates down. He smartly stopped a powerful, low drive with his legs and the danger was swiped clear.
Saints had rarely threatened all afternoon. But the battling nature of the performance was mightily impressive, especially in difficult circumstances due to COVID-19.
In particular, Craig and Davidson put in a remarkable shift in the middle of the park. The long-serving pair are club legends.
And when the final whistle sounded, what a special moment. European football is back.
All that was missing was the cheering fans inside of McDiarmid Park. The pitch would be invaded by joyful scraf-twirlers of all ages and the outpouring of pure joy would be a lovely sight from perched up in the press area.
It remains up in the air whether crowds will be back for the summer’s Euro adventure. If they are, this Perth team will receive one helluva backing - and rightly so.
Saints: Zlamal, Rooney, Kerr, McCart, Booth (Bryson 84), Davidson, Craig, Wotherspoon (Conway 67), May (Kane 66), Melamed (Middleton 57), Brown. Unused: Wills, Gilmour, Ferguson, Robertson.
Livingston: Stryjek, McMillan, Fitzwater, Guthrie, Longridge, Diani, Bartley (Holt 78), Pittman, Poplatnik (Forrest 69), Kabia (Mullin 82), Emmanuel-Thomas. Unused: Maley, Lithgow, Serrano, Ambrose.
Referee: Craig Napier