Saints won’t sell top stars on the cheap, says Davidson

MURRAY DAVIDSON believes the St Johnstone board will hold out for top dollar as clubs circle a clutch of prized assets.

Defeat to Austrians LASK on Thursday night has denied last season’s double cup winners a shot at European group stage football this term and also shut off a potentially lucrative autumn revenue stream.

Without the prospect of an extended run of continental fixtures, the team’s star performers like Ali McCann and Jason Kerr may also be more susceptible to a transfer should firm offers materialise before Tuesday’s transfer deadline.

‘It’s outwith the players’ control, but obviously I hope we can keep everyone past Tuesday,’ said veteran midfielder Davidson (right).

‘We probably have five or six players other teams are looking at. Hopefully, we can keep them, but it’s football and we’ve seen it happen before. We have lost a lot of players over the years, but that’s the business we’re in.

‘I don’t think the club is desperate for money, it has always been run the right way. My understanding is they’ve always said they won’t sell unless they get a valuation they’re happy with.’

Although Callum Davidson’s team experienced two wonderful highs in their League and Scottish Cup wins last term, consecutive European defeats to Galatasaray and LASK have left the dressingroom feeling flat, something Davidson acknowledges must change in time for today’s Premiership game against St Mirren.

He added: ‘We’re gutted because we put so much into the four games in Europe. There is no time to feel sorry for ourselves because the St Mirren game is coming round so quickly.’

Scott Tanser realised his St Johnstone stay was over on the day he lifted the League Cup.

Tanser swapped Saints in the close season and will face his former club for the first time in Paisley today. He feared his Perth time was up after losing his place to Callum Booth on the big day against Livingston last February at Hampden.

The English wing-back was an unused sub for both finals of the historic trophy double.

Tanser explained: ‘The first one was really tough to take.

‘I’d played most of the season, including the semi-final, then thought the final would be the reward.

‘You can’t get back that chance to play in your first final. Then it went through my head, “Is it time (to leave)?” And I think it was.

‘You want to play in games like that and, when you don’t, you’re disheartened.

‘It was hard for the manager. I wouldn’t want to be in his place making those decisions, but they have to be made and there was nothing I could do about that.

‘St Johnstone are always going to be close to my heart. I had four great seasons there and have nothing but good words to say about the club.’