The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
‘Greatest ever Saint’ honour for Connolly
He was the golden boy of the Willie Ormond side which sparkled in an era when Celtic and Rangers were contenders for European football’s top honours.
Now, John Connolly has been hailed the greatest ever St Johnstone player.
The s t r i k e r, who commanded a £1 millionplus fee in today’s terms when he left Muirton Park for Everton in 1972, figured in many of the Perth club’s most memorable matches, topped off by a 3-0 Uefa Cup win over SV Hamburg in their first foray into European football.
Connolly, 70, heads the list in the The Great Saints book produced by club historians Alastair Blair and Brian Doyle.
He leads a top five ahead of USSR international Sergei Baltacha, striker Henry Hall, defender and current manager Callum D av i d s o n and prolific 1940s goalscorer Willie McIntosh.
“It’s a huge honour. I am thrilled when I think of all the p l ay e r s who h av e featured for St Johnstone down the years,” said Connolly.
“I know the talent that was in my team, never mind others before and since my time with St Johnstone.”
Connolly led Saints to an unprecedented third place in 1971, in a season when they beat the Old Firm in three of their four matches.
“You’ve got to remember this was probably the highwater mark of Scottish football, when both the Glasgow giants were serious contenders for European trophies, in the days before their teams were packed with players from far beyond Scotland,” he said.
“We beat a Hamburg side that had two World Cup finalists in the ranks and they were one of the top outfits in German football.
“I didn’t score but it was probably the best game of my career.”
Ha l l of Fame member Connolly netted 55 goals in 133 appearances between 1967 and 1972, going on to claim one Scotland cap in his Everton days before twice suffering potentially career ending double leg breaks.
Even a short-lived spell as Saints manager has failed to detract from his status as a Perth legend.
Alastair Blair and fellow author and Saints statistician Brian Doyle had put out feelers to secure an interview with Sir Alex Ferguson, best remembered in his Perth days for netting a hat-trick against Rangers at Ibrox.
That is a feat which remains uncontested by a St Johnstone player 57 years on.
“We were aware that Sir Alex doesn’t look back on his time at St Johnstone as the most joyous time of his career,” said Alastair.
“So, it was a genuine thrill when I took a call from a number withheld while in the car and it turned out to be Sir Alex.
“I just about crashed. But I swiftly pulled over and he was happy to reminisce about his Muirton Park days.
“Sir Alex told us: ‘ History is the most important thing there is. Without its history, a club is nothing’.
“His memory is phenomenal, recalling the challenge of combining an app ren t icesh ip on Clydeside with making it to Perth via bus and train in the Bobby Brown era.”