EMERGING FROM THE SHADOWS
FOR the first time in eight years, St Johnstone will embark on a new season without the guiding hand of Tommy Wright at the helm.
Wright opted to step down back in May after presiding over a period of unprecedented success at the Perth club, which included Scottish Cup glory in 2014.
The Northern Irishman also made the Saints a regular fixture inside the top six in the Premiership — and even secured European football on three occasions.
As arguably the greatest manager in the club’s history, then, there’s no question that Wright was always going to be a tough act to follow.
St Johnstone are emerging from what, in the fullness of time, may well be viewed as the glory years — and Callum Davidson is the man now charged with steering the ship.
The former Scotland full-back enjoyed two spells as a player at the Saints, which bookended a career that saw him also play for Blackburn, Leicester and Preston.
At 44 years of age, Davidson now takes his first job in management after serving an apprenticeship as
Wright’s assistant for five years, as well as working under Gary Rowett at Stoke City and Millwall.
Having been a long-term assistant under Wright, Davidson is now eager to prove his own worth and step out of the shadows to be his own man.
Ahead of the new campaign kicking off with a Tayside derby against Dundee United at Tannadice on Saturday, he is eager to prove himself.
‘Saturday will be a big moment in my career and I’m really looking forward to it,’ he said.
‘I came back up the road to be a manager. People looked at it and said: “It’s about going back to his old club”.
‘But actually one of the biggest reasons was the squad of players I was getting to work with.
‘I looked at them and thought I could achieve success with them. That starts on Saturday.’
Stevie May will doubtless fall into the category of players who enticed Davidson into accepting the job. Still only 27 years old, the Saints striker really ought to be coming into the prime of his career.
He has struggled since returning to Scotland in 2017, though, to recapture the form which saw Sheffield Wednesday shell out almost £1million for his services in 2014.
There have been times when he has looked a shadow of the player he once was, across his time at Aberdeen and now during his second spell in Perth.
Six goals in 24 league games last term represents a fairly meagre return for a player of such obvious talent, albeit one who has suffered some chronic injury problems.
Having had such an extended lay-off to work on his fitness and mobility, there is a sense of it being now or never for the popular striker, who was a star for Saints when they lifted the Scottish Cup six years ago.
There was a message on social media last season which pleaded quite simply: ‘Will the real Stevie May please stand up?’
If Davidson can relight the fire inside May and help him rediscover his best form in front of goal, it would go a long way to silencing those critics.
Key to success will also be the form of young Ali McCann in midfield, who, at just 20 years old, identified himself as a driving force at the heart of the Saints team last season.
McCann looks to be one of the most promising young midfielders in the Premiership, with five goals and some barnstorming displays seeing him receive the Saints’ Player of the Year award.
The loss of Drey Wright to Hibs was always going to be a blow for St Johnstone, albeit one which has been softened by the expected arrival of Craig Conway on a one-year deal.
The former Dundee United star has returned to Scotland after spells down south with Cardiff City and Blackburn and, even at 35, still looks a crafty operator on the wing.
‘Hopefully, we will get something done before Saturday,’ said Davidson. ‘He has played at a high level for a long time.
‘Craig has the quality in the final third I am always looking for, that bit of quality to produce goals.’
It will be up to the likes of Conway and David Wotherspoon to provide the creativity for May and Michael O’Halloran. Yeah, remember him?
Former Rangers star O’Halloran scored just twice in 24 games last term and, like fellow attacker May, could do with a big season to silence his critics.
The meeting with United on Saturday will see Davidson go up against Micky Mellon in the opposite dugout, as both men get their first taste of managing in the Scottish Premiership.
Davidson added: ‘I watched a lot of United’s games last year and I have been looking through the footage of them as well.
‘They have a new manager, which is a bit of an unknown, but they will be thinking the same about me.
‘It’s two new managers having their first games for their clubs, so that adds a bit to it as well.
‘Concentrating on what we do is the most important thing. The team finished the season well last year, so it’s about trying to continue that.’