The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Davidson keen to keep Middleton after forward makes a telling impact
Callum Davidson is keen to bring Glenn Middleton back to St Johnstone next season. The on-loan Rangers forward has put on record he would be open to the idea of a second spell with the Betfred Cup winners.
And Saints manager Davidson is of a similar mind.
Middleton has been an impressive impact substitute for the Perth side since arriving in January – his late goal against Ross County that clinched a top six Premiership place in the last game before the split being the obvious highlight.
And the former Scotland under-21 international earned his first start in the narrow defeat to Aberdeen last weekend.
Davidson believes the dynamic attacker, who can play across the frontline, has plenty of scope for improvement and he hopes that progression can take place at McDiarmid Park over a full campaign.
“Glenn has had to be patient but he’s come off the bench against Ross County and scored the goal that got us into the top six,” said the Saints boss.
“That’s some achievement.
“He’s worked really hard from the day he arrived here and the more I can get him involved, the better he’ll be for us.
“But if he does unbelievably well for me in the next five or six games I probably won’t get the chance to keep him.”
Davidson added: “He’s great about the place, he wants to learn and has a really positive attitude about everything he does.
“We’ll be looking to get him more game-time and then have a conversation with Rangers about next season.
“Hopefully that’s something we can think about.
“I think he’s at the stage in his career where he now needs sustained matches.”
Davidson took in the Dunfermline v Dundee game on Tuesday night and there are several other Championship fixtures he has been spotted at over the course of the season.
Given the success the likes of ex-Inverness Caley Thistle duo Jamie McCart and Shaun Rooney have enjoyed after moving up a division, it is no surprise he wants to keep his finger on the pulse of the lower leagues.
“There are a lot of young players playing in that division,” said Davidson.
“If you’re between 18 and 23 and getting regular football you’re going to get better.
“Shaun and Jamie have gone on to play well for St Johnstone after being in the Championship.
“There are players to look at but whether they can improve our team and whether we can get them is a different story.”
Davidson isn’t the only Premiership manager checking out potential summer Championship recruits but the “if he can do it, so can I” inspiration of Rooney and McCart is an obvious selling point for Saints in a competitive field.
“That’s a positive for us,” Davidson said. “But that’s the same whatever market we look at.
“There are players in Leagues One and Two, England and Ireland.
“We’ll keep looking everywhere for players who we think can make a difference.
“It’s not easy to get it right.
“Guy Melamed was more of a gamble from further afield but that has paid off.”