MACLEAN SET TO BE OFFERED SAINTS JOB

Steven MacLean will be offered the St Johnstone manager’s job.

Courier Sport understands chairman Steve Brown has been impressed by MacLean’s work as interim boss over the last six weeks and does not intend to open up the recruitment process to identify Callum Davidson’s permanent successor.

The 40-year-old has achieved the goal he was set when he stepped up from assistant manager – keeping Saints in the Premiership with two games to spare.

There have been two wins, two draws and only one defeat in MacLean’s short spell in charge and he is already putting in the groundwork for next season.

The club is also up for sale but there is no imminent takeover on the horizon and MacLean’s appointment will give Saints some much-needed stability at a time when there will need to be additions to the board of directors.

Meanwhile, Saints have announced their new off-field leadership structure, with former director Stan Harris returning to McDiarmid Park in a new role of chief executive.

The Perth club also confirmed that Steve Brown will be stepping down as chairman next week and owner Geoff Brown will become honorary president.

Harris was at Saints as a director for a period of 15 years before standing down in August 2021 for health reasons.

He said: “This is a wonderful honour to be given the role of CEO at St Johnstone.

“With Steve Brown standing down as chairman and the club up for sale, it’s important to have someone at the helm who knows the club inside out.

“We feel my appointment will help the overall stability and continuity.”

Steve Brown said: “Stan was a brilliant member of our board and it’s great to have him back.”

Having been part of the St Johnstone goalkeeping fraternity for a decade, Ross Sinclair does not lack McDiarmid Park mentors.

And now that the former Scotland under-21 international has made a “dream come true” with his first team debut, he feels ready to extend the Saints succession.

Alan Mannus, Zander Clark and Remi Matthews have big gloves to fill but Sinclair is confident he will be up to the task.

“I was gutted to see Remi go but it opened up an opportunity for me,” said the 22-year-old.

“Remi has been great for the team and he’s been great for me.

“Hopefully I can meet the standards he’s set and try to do even better.

“Zander and I are close as well. Zander was a young goalie when I came to the club at 12. Big Al was here as well.

“Zander took me under his wing and we spoke before the game. I knew I was playing and he’s obviously someone I trust.

“I got some words of wisdom about staying calm and just doing what’s got me to this point.

“There’s always been a pathway for goalkeepers here and that’s something which has motivated me.

“You can go back a lot of years for the good goalies who have played here.

“There are ones coming through the academy just now behind me. It’s great to be part of it all.”

There were 254 Saints fans in Dingwall to watch Sinclair and his teammates draw 3-3 but there will be a lot more to see the former Perth Academy pupil play his first game at McDiarmid.

“My dad, my big brother, my gran and grandpa all made it up for the Ross County match,” he said.

“Mum was too nervous. She stayed at home and I don’t think she watched it. They’re buzzing for me and I’m so grateful for all they’ve done to help me get to this point.

“I’m a Perth boy and this means a lot. All my pals will be at the game on Sunday, so I’m really looking forward to my first home match. It will be special.”

Sinclair added: “I was pleased with my first performance overall. I made some good saves. The first one early in the game eased the nerves.

“It was frustrating to not