Saints striker has been ‘beyond low’

Cummins tells of toll taken by failing to find net

St Johnstone striker Graham Cummins has revealed that a “dreadful” first few months of the season left him “beyond low”.

The trials and tribulations that began at the end of June, when he missed a chance to level the scores in Saints’ Europe League home leg against FK Trakai, have made the Irishman’s life a misery, he admitted.

But the torment of going 16 games without scoring turned to elation when Cummins ended that run in spectacular fashion with the third goal in the 3-1 defeat of Rangers on Saturday.

Reflecting on the 2017/18 campaign pre-Ibrox, Cummins said: “This year has been the hardest time in my career, easily. As a striker, when you are not scoring it makes you question everything about football and everything about yourself.

“It’s not enjoyable. I haven’t enjoyed it at all this season so far.

“I’m not deaf. I can hear the shouts from the crowd and it does get you down.”

The former Preston North End man said: “It didn’t start well when I missed that chance against Trakai in Europe back in the summer, and things just haven’t clicked for me at all.

“I don’t think my overall play has been bad but in my position you get judged on goals, that’s what everyone looks at.

“I am more harsh on myself than anyone else can be. It’s a confidence thing.

“I have been beyond low this season. It has been dreadful. You are only human and things affect you.

“I have been bringing it home,” he said. “I have been a very miserable man. I have been hard to live with.

“That’s why it meant so much to me at Ibrox. It was just relief to get a goal.

“Scoring once doesn’t mean it ends there, but on Saturday I was certainly the happiest I have been for a long time.”

Cummins was a second-half substitute for Saints on Saturday and, with Tommy Wright’s men only one goal in front when he came on, his impact was telling.

“It was actually my second touch,” he said. “The ball just came to me and I hit it – so luckily it went in.

“It meant a lot to me, especially as my whole family were there. My mum, dad, wife and brother Kevin were there. That’s the first time he’s seen me play,” he said.

“Scoring against Rangers meant a lot to them. My dad is in the Celtic supporters’ club back home so his phone was getting plenty of messages on Saturday night.”

Cummins wasn’t the only hero in yellow whose season hadn’t gone to plan up until the weekend. Denny Johnstone got his first goal for the club after failing to have any real impact previously, while man of the match Chris Millar could have been moved on in the summer.

“I thought we played some excellent football,” said Cummins.

“Chris Millar has come in and he deserves the plaudits he’s been getting for his performance.

“He came in and really helped us keep the ball.

“He was demanding things from the people around him, and I think you could see that.”

Cummins added: “We were comfortable. Even when they scored, I always felt we would get back into it because we were playing well.

“I don’t think anyone can say we didn’t deserve it.”

There was speculation in Ireland last week that Cummins would be returning home to Cork City next month, but the 29-year-old said: “I don’t know anything about it. It was news to me.

“I got a few messages about it last week because it was a story in Ireland.”

Picture: SNS. Graham Cummins after Saturday’s win.