The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Anderson extends stay with Saints
Goalkeeper admits pre-season training will be missing a few characters – but future looks bright for McDiarmid Park club
St Johnstone have handed longserving defender Steven Anderson a new two-year-deal, writes Ian Roache.
The 32-year-old is the club’s alltime record appearance holder, having arrived at McDiarmid Park in 2004. He has made more than 400 appearances for Saints and scored the opening goal in the Scottish Cup final victory over Dundee United in 2014.
Welcoming the news, Saints boss Tommy Wright said: “He’s been a huge player for St Johnstone over the years and as one of our senior players, and given the age of the squad, it was important for me to make sure we held on to him.
“Obviously, Steven was one of the players who had an extension clause in his previous contract which he had triggered through his playing time, but that was just a one-year-extension and we wanted to have his future secured longer term.”
Also staying at the club next season is full-back Scott Tanser, who joined from Port Vale last summer and has signed a one-year extension.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Mark Hurst has also signed a one-year extension but Ben MacKenzie has been released.
Returning for pre-season training in a few weeks and not being subjected to the dressing room “insults” from familiar sources will take a bit of getting used to for Zander Clark.
But, despite losing a wealth of experience in the form of Chris Millar, Steven MacLean and Alan Mannus, the St Johnstone keeper is confident the Perth club will continue to thrive without their recently-departed McDiarmid Park heroes.
“It will be a strange scenario when you come in for the first day of pre-season and aren’t greeted by the usual insults from Macca and Midge,” he said.
“It will be different but the ones who have come in, and the younger players, have great potential.
“Ali McCann showed in the last three games what he is capable of.
“Callum Hendry came back after a long spell out with injury and did brilliantly for the goal against Ross County.
“It’s looking like a bright future for the club.”
Clark added: “I’ve said before that Alan Mannus, Chris Millar and Steven MacLean have been great servants to the club.
“And there’s also the experience they have brought to the younger ones in the squad.
“The amount of help Alan has given me over the years has been brilliant.
“I’m sure young Ali and Callum will say the same about Chris Millar and Steven MacLean in their positions.
“It is always sad to see good friends leave the club. But I’m sure they will move on and continue to do great.”
Clark and Mannus swapped the number one jersey over the last couple of seasons and Clark admitted the competition between the two of them has “brought the best out in me”.
He said: “I would like to think that the pressure I had put on Alan brought the best out in him too.
“It can only be good for the club when you have two goalkeepers knowing that they need to play at their best to keep a place in the team. “It was a battle with Alan that I did enjoy. It’s hard when you are a goalkeeper because you can only play that one position.
“If Alan was in his best form, I needed to be content with a place on the bench.
“Whoever is on form next season will be in the team. It’s never something that you can take for granted.”
Clark hopes that a proper summer rest will aid Saints’ cause next season.
“Last year with the European games it was a significantly shorter break,” he said.
“But we will get a longer one this time and it will give us plenty of time to recharge the batteries.
“We will have a couple of weeks off but will get back into the swing of things and be ready to go for pre-season.
“I would think the longer break would help us.
“The way we finished the season after the split, with the performances we put in, is something we can look forward to taking into next season.
“It’s important to get a good pre-season under our belts.”