It’s not the way anyone wanted it to end.
After winning a historic cup double at St Johnstone, it seems wrong it was all over with a text or a message on the team’s WhatsApp group chat.
But that’s the nature of football, the drama of transfer deadline day.
And despite Ali McCann’s self less attitude as a player on the pitch, this time he had to think about himself.
His departure to Preston North End probably still hurts the more ardent Saints fans. And not getting to say goodbye properly to his team- mates or the McDiarmid Park support was – and still is – painful for McCann too. Sealing a life- changing deal in the English Championship from his hotel room whi le on international duty with Northern Ireland wasn’t how he envisaged his Perth exit. After playing a huge part in the club’s greatest ever season, when they lifted the Scottish Cup and League Cup, he deserved a better send-off.
But it wasn’t to be. McCann admits he feels bad about it – yet it was largely out of his hands. When St Johnstone chairman Steve Brown accepted Preston’s initial £ 1.25million offer, which will rise in time, the move was inevitable. And now the 21- year- old is ready to kick on at Deepdale and take his game to the next level. H e returned from injury in the Carabao Cup against Liverpool on Wednesday, biting at the ankles of guys like Takumi Minamino, Curtis Jones and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
He holds no regrets about heading south. The Scot just wishes he could have bid farewell to St Johnstone properly.
Reflecting on the hectic deadline- day move, he said: “I was away on international duty so it was a weird one. I was just sitting in a hotel room answering the phone every five fiv minutes.
“When it was all done I still had two games ga for Northern Ireland to play. So I had ha to try to forget about it.
“On the Thursday I f lew back to Edinburgh Ed and just had to pack stuff to come co down the road. That’s when it all really re kicked in.
“I didn’t really get a chance to say gogoodbye to the guys. I texted them, phoned a ccouple – and wished them all the best in ththe group chat. That was it – so it was quite weweird and a bit sad really.
“Given everything we’d been ththrough last season it was strstrange for it to end like that. “We had such a great group
Saints which was reflected the fact we won two cups. “We were so close-knit and it wwas great to be part of. So it wawas a bit sad leaving. But I just felfelt it was the right thing for meme. There was a lull in the day aftafter training with Northern IreIreland which gave me a chchanchance to think about it all.
“DDuring the session my mmindind was going at 100mph, ththinking:ink ‘How many missed cacallsalls am I going to have when I ccomcome off here?’
“BuBut I spoke to lots of people who’d been at PrestonPr and every one of them talked ththee clclub up so I was excited to get here.
“ThThe gaffer Callum Davidson gave me adadvicedvic and was always honest with me.
“He said if the right move came up for meme,e, heh wouldn’t stop me going. He was at PPrePreston as a player too.
“He said he’d never stand in my way. WWhen Preston came in he told me it wwas a great club and he was supportive of me, which meant a lot.”
St Johnstone fans aren’t renowned for bebeingeing Scotland’s most vocal support.
BuBut many were angered by McCann’s dedeparture,epa upset about the timing, while momostost observers of the game up here felt the fefeeee wwas too low.
MMcCann said: “I was aware of the fans’ rereaction,eac I could see it on Twitter so I read a lot of it. It made me feel a bit bad.
“BBut I had to think about my own career. OOf ccourse it was disappointing to leave
St Johnstone because it’s a great club. The set-up is brilliant and I enjoyed myself.
“But I just felt it was time for me to move on to something new.
“I wasn’t too sure what would happen in the summer. I didn’t put any expectation on it because I thought I’d just end up disappointed.
“But I didn’t think it would work out the way it did.
“I certainly felt a sense of sadness that I didn’t get to see the lads or the fans before I left. It was a bit abrupt.
“But St Johnstone will be fine. They’ve sold players before and kicked on.
“For myself, it’s been great here so far. Coming down was mad because I’ve never really moved anywhere before.
“So it was a new experience but I’m settled now and it feels good.”
It was a double blow for Saints fans on August 31 because McCann wasn’t the only player heading down the M6.
While he was sealing a move to Preston, their skipper Jason Kerr was on his way to Wigan Athletic.
Midfielder McCann said: “One of the lads at Northern Ireland plays for Wigan and he came up to me that day and said: ‘ We’ve just signed your captain.’
“I texted Jason saying: ‘ What’s this?’ And he replied: ‘How did you know that?’
“That probabl y jus t compounded things for St Johnstone fans, the fact we both left on the same day.
“And it was probably unexpected too. Jason was brilliant for the club, especially being so young as captain and lifting both cups. I’m sure he’ll go on to have a good career down here as well.”
McCann won’t face the standard of Liverpool every week – even their second string was impressive at Deepdale in midweek – but he’s relishing the fast pace of the Championship.
He’s quick to defend the Scottish Premiership to its English critics. But the physicality and relentlessness of the league he’s now part of makes it fairly unique.
He said: “The standard in Scotland is good, it’s under-rated. People give it a lot of grief but there are lots of good players who could cut it down here.
“The difference is the physical side. Everyone is rapid and so strong.
“That’s what I’ve noticed. Everyone is sharp – you have to keep switched on or you’ll get caught out.
“But the gulf is not as big as everyone probably thinks.
“Intense is the word for it. Everyone is so fast-paced and nailed on. You can’t afford mistakes as you probably get punished more here.
“It’s relentless. But that’s why you play football, isn’t it?”
I saw fans’ reaction on Twitter .. it made me feel bad .. but I had to think about my career. It was time to move on