A moment when Kevin Keegan went back on his word has stuck with Tommy Wright.
And the St Johnstone boss has vowed that making a promise he can’t keep will never be one of his managerial failings.
So when players are told they won’t be involved on a match-day, it’s a task Wright doesn’t shy away from.
And it’s a task that isn’t getting any easier at McDiarmid Park, with a full squad available to him.
“Of course it’s a big part of management,” he pointed out. “Trying to keep everyone onside.
“We have various experienced players having to be patient, and younger lads like Liam Caddis and Scott Brown haven’t even featured in the 18-man squad recently because everyone is fit and doing well.
“If you are not in the team you just have to work that bit harder.
“When I got the job I told the players there would be times when I had to make tough decisions. It is always about what is best for the team, nothing personal.
“I have to pick the team and I can only pick 11. So it is black and white for me in that sense.
“The team always comes first. And I have changed teams when players have done well.
“As a player I remember when Kevin Keegan was manager at Newcastle – probably the worst thing he did was to tell me he would bring me back in as soon as I was fit. He didn’t. “As a manager you shouldn’t make promises you can’t keep.
“Kevin Sheedy and I would go to his office every Friday after the team was announced but it never changed his mind. We were going through the motions and we knew it.
“When players in this group aren’t playing well and they are left out they know why. They are an honest bunch.”
Two senior pros who will have been frustrated at their lack of football recently are James McFadden and Brian Graham.
Neither have been regulars for a while, but Brian Graham grabbed his chance against St Mirren and James McFadden is in contention to play at Hamilton tomorrow.
Wright reported: “Faddy has looked really sharp in training and he will get game time in the matches coming up. We have everyone fit and the squad will be needed with three games in a week. I am confident he will play a big part.
“Like some other clubs, once we get the top six sorted out we will start moving on further contracts.
“Brian Graham did really well against St Mirren and in training. He hasn’t been happy he hasn’t been in the team and I have no problems with that. But he has been working hard and he deserved his chance last week.
“He and Macca did well and the key is that Macca can play with anyone – Brian, Faddy or Chris Kane. He is an intelligent player and he is happy to drop off or stay high.
“He is the perfect foil for any of our strikers.
“Faddy has played at a top level but he understands the situation here. He has been great since we signed him. It’s not a question of ability but he has been hindered by some niggling injuries.
“He had an injection a few weeks ago and that has helped him.”
Dave Mackay and Frazer Wright are both available after also taking injections, as is Simon Lappin.
Wright hasn’t made his mind up whether to play MacLean on Hamilton’s artificial pitch.