Football: Saints lose skipper for Euro clash.

Midfielder fully focused as he tries to forget eventful continental adventures

The last time Murray Davidson played in Europe, he needed stitches in his eye shortly after kick-off when he was accidentally punched by his own goalie Allan Mannus.

Then just before half-time in the game in Armenia against Alashkert in 2015, he had to hobble off with a knee problem.

Afterwards, he had to endure a sevenhour flight home having been told the desperate news that the club’s medical staff feared he had suffered a serious cruciate injury.

Thankfully, those fears proved to be unfounded but it is no surprise to learn that the midfielder is hoping his next European adventure, against Lithuanian side FK Traika, will be much less eventful.

Davidson said: “It was a long flight home as I had been told it looked like it was my cruciate ligament.

“It was a seven-hour flight and I remember saying to the doctor to be honest with me and he just said we think you have done your cruciate.

“When I did it on the pitch, I played on for 10 or 15 minutes afterwards.

“I had it in my head that it wasn’t my cruciate but because I had been told by a couple of medical people you have to listen to them.

“They got me three seats on the plane and I was just lying there with my leg up icing it. Because I had forced it out of the medical staff, the players also thought it was my cruciate and that I was in denial.

“But I had it in my head that I hadn’t. Thankfully I got it scanned the very next day and it came back OK.

“When I got the scan I was able to turn around and say that I knew I hadn’t done my cruciate but at the time I didn’t want to say that. You can maybe think you have a wee injury, then get a scan and you are out for six months but thankfully I was the other way.

“It was a huge relief and I am hoping for better memories this year.”

Davidson is rarely out of the wars and he needed a tidy-up operation on his ankle towards the end of last season with a view to being ready for Saints’ first European tie which takes place at McDiarmid Park on Thursday.

The player admitted he is progressing well and is hopeful he will be ready if called upon.

He said: “It (the op) was just one of those things that needed done at the end of last season to give me the best possible chance of being ready.

“So we decided when we came back for pre-season that I would have a couple of days with the physio just to build it up again.

“It has been feeling really good in the last week. I played 20 minutes against Rangers and I am looking to get more in the next game, all going well.

“We spoke about it at Christmas time as we knew it needed done and once we got top six secured it then looked as if we would get into Europe and have a short break.

“So if I waited until the last game of the season, I wouldn’t be ready so we decided to do it early and I would miss the last couple of games. Up until now it has all gone really well and I am looking forward to getting myself ready.

“Playing is a different type of fitness but hopefully if called upon, I feel ready.”

St Johnstone have been in Europe in four out of the last five seasons and Davidson admits most of the squad know exactly what to expect on their continental adventures.

He said: “I was asked a couple of weeks ago if experience helps and it definitely does. There is a large chunk of the dressing-room who have experience.

“Looking back to our first year against the Turkish team (Eskisehirspor), it is all about learning – the travelling, the training. It will be new to a few of the boys but a large part of the squad have been here three or four times now.

“In my opinion, that is a big help and that can only be a positive thing.

“Being in Europe is a great thing, for the players, for the fans, for Perth. Everybody gets behind the team and this year we are certain we want to do well. I believe there is no reason why we can’t do that.

“We obviously have a difficult tie coming up. We have the home leg first and we want to get a positive result and then see where it takes us. Rangers, Aberdeen and ourselves all want to get to the group stages but it is so difficult.”