The first team is full of academy players – and they deserve it

Stevenson realised transition to youth wouldn’t happen overnight

“But they didn’t want to see a young player come in to the detriment of the team. I knew that Tommy was right all along.”

Much like Wright’s seven-year reign, all good things come to an end. And that was the case for Saints’ old guard.

Mackay brought his playing career to a close in 2016, fellow defender Wright departed the year before, while Millar, MacLean and goalkeeper Alan Mannus all left in the heartbreaking summer of 2018.

The band had been broken up and, for Perth boss Wright, the time was nigh for a brave switch to youth. It resulted in the age of the squad dropping dramatically.

And of all his successes, what he achieved with a heavily academy-reared team in the final months of his tenure had sufficient evidence for being the greatest of all.

In the final league match before the coronavirus lockdown, a 1-0 home win against Livingston on March 7, no fewer than six players who had been involved in the

Saints academy were listed on the team-sheet.

“It was a huge decision to move on the likes of Steven Anderson, Frazer Wright and Dave Mackay,” Stevenson explained to the PA.

“But the young players who have come in, I think we would all agree they are good enough.

“To go from bottom of the league to challenging for the top six, with the young players, was probably one of his highest achievements.

“It’s a great thing to be able to flag up to the parents. On average, every week, the first team were playing with six players out of the academy.

“You had players like Zander Clark, Stevie May, Chris Kane, Jason Kerr and Ali McCann. They were playing a part virtually every week.

“David Wotherspoon had also been in and about the academy before he went to Celtic and then to Hibs with me. He was very much Saints-minded as well.

“There’s a football observatory group who have taken the minutes played during the season for under-21 players.

“In Scotland, Hearts have given young players under 21 the most percentage of time on the pitch. But St Johnstone are second top.

“I’m going to try and get that out for my coaches and young players. It will be great for them to see that there is a pathway.”

The coronavirus football shutdown comes at a frustrating time for Stevenson and his youth academy, considering the great strides that are being made.

But Perth fans are told not to worry.

Further talent is bubbling under the surface, all now with greater confidence having watched the exploits of the current first-team crop.

“It was great for us in the academy to see young players getting a chance,” continued Stevenson.

“Tommy also had the likes of Jordan Northcott, Sam Denham, Olly Hamilton and John Robertson in the squad and training.

“But we have got others coming through and we’re also getting some international recognition for the boys. We’ve got five next year going into the performance schools.

“We’ve got clubs trying to pinch players from us, but we’re holding on to them. As well as breeding players ourselves, we’re getting a good percentage coming in from the bigger clubs.

“If it becomes really competitive for places, we also have a good exit strategy. Clubs now see us as a strong breeding ground for young players.

“Okay, they might not get a contract at St Johnstone but we can offer them to some of the other clubs so that they are still in football.

“It’s a big argument just now across football with finances people saying the younger ones at the academies will be the first to go.

“But if you don’t have the academy, you don’t get your wee stars. You will always get players coming in on the rebound when they are 20-odd years of age.

“But you will never get your Ali McCanns or Jason Kerrs unless you have them to start with.”

Stevenson was as sad as anyone when news filtered through of Wright’s departure last week.

But the Northern Irishman’s impact, particularly for youth football at the Perth club, has the potential to be defining when the search for further success resumes.

“Tommy Wright has left us in a great position with what he has done,” Stevenson concluded.

It was great to see the young players getting a chance... we have got others coming through