The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Keeper extends stay with Saints
ST JOHNSTONE: Boss Wright delighted to tie Clark to deal until 2020
Tommy Wright has tied-up highly-rated keeper Zander Clark on a two-year contract extension through to 2020.
The St Johnstone manager rates Clark highly and recently championed the 24-year-old shot stopper’s case for a call-up to the Scotland squad.
The home-grown talent, who was farmed out on loan to Queen of the South, has grabbed the No 1 jersey from Northern Ireland international Alan Mannus this season.
Wright believes Clark has attributes which will attract interest from clubs south of the border if he continues to progress and he is delighted to secure him on an extended deal.
Clark said: “This season has far exceeded my expectations. I had hoped to try and break into the team. To have managed 30 starts is very pleasing but I’m taking nothing for granted.”
The keeper was substituted at half-time in the win over Motherwell after aggravating a hip injury and Mannus produced one of the saves of the season to prevent the Steelmen snatching a point.
Clark admitted: “Al reminded everyone – if it was needed – what a great keeper he is and I’ll need to stay focused if I want to retain my place.”
Contract talks reached a swift conclusion and the towering keeper said: “The club has been good to me and I’m grateful to have this sort of security and peace of mind.”
Liam Gordon grew up as a St Johnstone season ticket holder.
And after securing a new two-year deal, the young defender plans to become another local hero like Stevie May and David Wotherspoon.
The 21-year-old centre-half, currently on loan at Peterhead along with promising full-back Aaron Comrie, was snapped up by Saints boss Tommy Wright after being told he did not fit the bill for Hearts.
Gordon admits it was a dream move to McDiarmid after leaving Tynecastle.
He said: “It’s good to have my future sorted out because I didn’t want to go anywhere else.
“I was desperate to stay here because I think I’m making progress and working under the right people. So I’m delighted.
“This is the second season I’ve been here now and I think I’ve got a good future here.
“I’ve played a few games and feel I’ve done well. But I have people like Steven Anderson and Joe Shaughnessy ahead of me and they have been superb.
“So you just have to bide your time, try to keep improving and then take the chance when it comes along.
“That’s part of growing up. All you can do is just try to give the manager something to think about.
“I feel I have done OK in the games I have played and am able to step in when required. So next season I have to be ready when I’m needed.
“I watched the likes of Ando when I was coming to games with my dad and grandad. He’s great to train with every day, you learn so much from him.
“I used to come to the games and watch the team play as a supporter when I was younger.
“It got more difficult when you go into Pro-Youth but I always made the effort when I could. A lot of my mates still go to the games.”
Gordon believes the move to his home town team was timed perfectly.
He said: “Leaving Hearts was the best thing that could have happened to me.
“I wasn’t released because I wasn’t good enough. It was just that they were planning to go in another direction.
“So I came here and I think that has been the best thing that happened.
“The challenge for me now is to get a good pre-season under me this summer and hopefully give the manager something to think about.
“I’m enjoying my loan at Peterhead just now. I’ve played a few games recently and that is helping my development.
“Aaron is with me up there and he’s a brilliant player.
“He’s signed a new deal as well and will be giving the manager a headache because he’ll be pushing next season.
“We both just want to kick on from here.”
I was desperate to stay here because I think I’m making progress and working under the right people. So I’m delighted. LIAM GORDON