McNamara wishes family saw first goal

THE cost of Covid in football can’t just be measured in pounds and pence. The treasure trove of lost moments and memories are an additional price being paid by players and fans alike.

None more so than for Danny McNamara.

A 21-year-old south-east London kid, 500 miles from home, away from a family and girlfriend who would ordinarily watch his every kick.

Yet who missed the crowning moment of his fledgling career so far on Friday night, his first professional goal, as well as yet another accomplished performance in a St Johnstone resurgence finally gathering some momentum.

The Millwall loanee (below) was one of a few stand-out performers in a vibrant side which has shown promising signs all season but earned scant reward for them.

However, through the dense fog engulfing McDiarmid Park, the wing-back barrelled forward to smash home a welldeserved 70th-minute winner to stretch Saints’ unbeaten run to a month and counting and double their home goal tally for the season in the process — but it was a bittersweet moment. ‘I’m buzzing to get that first goal,’ he said. ‘It’s just a pity there was no one here to celebrate with me. ‘Obviously, I miss home but it’s my job and if I want to push on, I have to go out of my comfort zone to get where I want to be.

‘The thing is, though, my mum and dad and girlfriend would probably be up every week in normal times. They love coming to watch me.

‘It’s just a shame it’s such a rubbish situation just now, but the main thing is that everyone is safe. ‘Hopefully a lot of fans were watching online and they could just about see it through the fog, because I couldn’t!

‘The goal has been coming. I’ve had a few chances. It is something I’ve wanted to add to my game and I’m glad it has come now rather than later. There have been games when I’ve come away asking myself why I didn’t pull the trigger, hit the target or whatever.’