Defoe has been a friend to Butcher but he expects no favours today
Jermain Defoe came from Bournemouth to Scotland to prolong his top-level career.
Matt Butcher followed him up the road to kick-start his.
But while the Cherries kid – currently on loan at St Johnstone – can’t wait to reunite with his former team-mate today, he is delighted he won’t have to face the injured striking legend on the pitch.
“I saw a lot of Jermain at Bournemouth in training and at games,” said Butcher.
“His track record is quality. He’s scored goals wherever he’s been, so it’s a good thing for us he’s not playing this weekend.
“I can’t speak highly enough of him. He was brilliant to the young players at Bournemouth.
“He was always talking, telling us what to improve on and relating things we were doing to times in his own career.
“He was very approachable and that was a big help to the players making their way up.
“He is a top professional, he’s in great shape and looks after himself really well.
“He was always striving to get better, and that was something he passed on to everyone at the club.
“When you have a player of his quality, who has done so much in the game, you have to learn from him and pick things up.
“I am sure he is having a positive impact on the other players at Rangers too.
“Even when he’s not playing, he will be an influence around the club. So it’s no surprise Steven Gerrard wanted to keep him.
“It will be good to see him at the weekend.”
Butcher has only made three
appearances for Saints since arriving in January, yet his impact in midfield has been clear to see.
Perth gaffer Tommy Wright has hailed the 22-year-old’s strength on and off the ball, as well as his character off the field.
Now he is determined to have an even bigger influence in the Saints engine room, starting today against the Gers.
“I have already had friends and family texting me about playing Rangers on the television this weekend,” he said.
“So that shows it’s a major thing. But I have been up for every game because I’m just delighted to be involved in a firstteam again.
“I am here to play as much as possible, and have the biggest impact I can.
“This weekend will be a different type of game to what we have played recently, because in the past few weeks we have been the ones controlling it.
“You’d imagine against Rangers that will be more difficult to do. So it might be more about keeping your shape, and choosing when to go forward.
“Our confidence is high, the belief is there and we have been working hard on a few things.
“You can see this is a team which has really come together in the last few months.
“I can’t believe that we were bottom of the league for so long this season, from what I’ve seen.
“But things have clicked now, the manager has brought in a lot of young players and he’s given them their chance.
“It takes time to gel, and I think it has done that now.
“On the current form table, we’re right up there. But we have to keep doing the right things to keep it up.
“We are frustrated that we haven’t taken more wins from the games recently, but that shows how well we are playing.
“The game up here is a lot quicker than I’ve been used to. “You don’t get as much time on the ball and you have to make sure your first touch is right. “But I feel I’ve settled into it okay, and getting a taster of it from the bench before I made my first start helped me. “Hopefully now I have got to grips with it, I can start influencing games more.”