Fran Sandaza’s future was the subject of speculation in the build-up to Saturday’s Scottish Cup tie and the Spanish striker showed why with a crucial winner to squeeze St Johnstone into today’s fifth-round draw.
The one-time Dundee United attacker took his tally for the campaign to 13 with a close-range finish seconds after the interval, with the scoreline 1-1 and the tie in the balance.
Given his value to a Perth club with an eye on a top-six finish and another cup run, it’s no surprise that chairman Steve Brown has warned clubs, Rangers included, keen to take Sandaza during the transfer window, that they can expect to stump up at least £300,000.
While Sandaza has declined a contract extension offer described as “the best in recent times to a Perth player” by Brown, he and manager Steve Lomas don’t want to lose their centre before May.
But after edging their way past a stubborn Second Division side who again emerged with credit from a cup joust with manager Jim Weir’s former club, defender Steven Anderson maintained the Perth club have the firepower to push on if Sandaza does depart, especially if, as anticipated, they can today finalise the move to extend Cillian Sheridan’s loan spell from CSKA Sofia.
Saints, who were taken to a quarter-final replay last season by City’s part-timers, looked set for a comfortable afternoon when midfielder Murray Davidson was handily placed to batter home a sixth-minute finish when keeper Craig Nelson pushed out a shot drilled in by Carl Finnigan from the edge of the box.
But Anderson inadvertently featured in a bizarre mix-up which handed City a first-half equaliser and boosted their confidence levels. Skipper Jody Morris was woefully short with a back header and as the defender prepared to handle the danger, keeper Peter Enckelman emerged from his box. When the pair collided striker Paul McManus strode on to slip the ball into an empty net for his seventh in as many games.
Predictably, though, Sandaza was the man who mattered, dispatching a tidy six-yard box finish beyond Nelson in the 46th minute.
Anderson said: “Everything is about Sandaza just now isn’t it? He got a vital touch and he was there to score. Fran is a goalscorer and that’s what you want.
“I want him here but if he goes now he goes and the club gets money for him. They got him on a free so it would be a good bit of business. If he stays we’ll see where we finish. It works both ways.
“But I still think we have the players here to get further up the league. We’ve got strikers like Cillian Sheridan if we get him on an extended loan Marcus Haber, Carl Finnigan and Sean Higgins all choking to play.”
Saints manager Lomas admitted his players took the foot off the pedal after their early goal, adding: “The lads and the crowd got frustrated. Full credit to Brechin and their manager Jim Weir. We were delighted to hear the final whistle.”
Weir, who lost defender Gerry McLauchlan to a late red card, said: “I have to be proud of my lads but maybe they will feel it was an opportunity passed up. It is never easy at Perth and Saints are on a great run of form.
“We responded very well after losing the early goal and frustrated them for a long time. We maybe deserved a draw.”
Rangers boss Ally McCoist says he will discuss with owner Craig Whyte what their next move will be regarding Sandaza.
He explained: “I’ll need to have a chat with Craig and see where we are on that one. He’s one of a number of forwards I’m really interested in.”
Premier League outfit West Brom and Championship side Cardiff City are the latest clubs to be linked with the Spaniard.