If Saints ever build a statue of Rooney, he knows what he’d like

Those goals helped win the trophies, but I definitely enjoyed the header against Dundee in front of our fans

Craig Bryson suggested that Shaun Rooney should get a statue built at Mcdiarmid Park for his unique contribution to St Johnstone.

The former Saints hero doesn’t see himself as different to any of the other cup double legends.

But if the Perth club were minded to get a sculpture carved out of the man who scored the winners in League Cup and Scottish Cup finals, he knows which image he’d choose.

“I’d pick the one with the two trophies!” said Rooney.

Manager Callum Davidson and team-mates have talked up the importance of Rooney’s offpitch contribution during last season’s relegation battle.

But the 25-year-old played it down.

“I wouldn’t class myself as a big figure in the dressing room,” he said.

“I’d class myself as a normal person who wants to go to his work and enjoy himself.

“I don’t want to go in with a sad face, downbeat. I want to enjoy training. That’s just how I am.

“You’ve just got to be yourself. That’s just my personality overall.”

Reflecting on the magic moments in St Johnstone colours, of which there were many, Rooney picked out his number-one goal.

“The League Cup final goal is the one I enjoyed the most,” he said.

“I’d obviously scored in the quarters and the semis.

“For the Scottish Cup final one I didn’t really celebrate the same at the time.

“Even though it was about the same time in the game, I didn’t want to get overexcited.

“Against Livi I knew after we’d scored the first goal that we would go on to win.

“It felt different against Hibs.”

Rooney added: “Those goals helped win the trophies, but I definitely enjoyed the header against Dundee in front of our fans.

“I know how big that game is for the supporters and it turned out to be a really important point for us. Dundee were on our tails at the time.

“There was the header in the first leg at Inverness and the last-minute one in the second leg, of course.

“It couldn’t have gone better.”

As far as that final match is concerned, losing two

goals late in the Highlands – and temperatures rising in the away dressing room at full-time – proved to be decisive in Rooney’s eyes.

“Everybody had their say in the changing room,” he said.

“Looking back, I don’t think there was enough of that over the season.

“I think it helped get us right for the second leg.

“All the blame had been put to bed and everybody knew their jobs.

“It was just what the team needed.

“If we’d gone down, I think it would have tarnished what we did the year before.

“It would have been a sickener to go from such a high to such a low.

“I’m just delighted that we don’t have to talk about that. Now I hope the club kicks on again, which I’m sure it will.”

HANDS ON THE TROPHIES: Shaun Rooney with the Scottish Cup and League Cup won with St Johnstone in 2021, when he scored in both finals.