There have been times when Liam Gordon contemplated leaving St Johnstone.
Even if you’re part of the club you supported as a boy, playing games of football eventually becomes the inescapable priority to fulfil a career that passes all too quickly.
Letting heart rule head when it felt as if the prospects of regular first team action at McDiarmid Park were remote, however, has proved to be a wise decision.
Because now that the defender has committed himself to a new contract with Saints, there can be little doubt that cold, hard professional pragmatism and the heartstrings being tugged have met in the middle.
The fact that Gordon is in the first batch of 13 players due to be out of contract in the summer to be offered fresh terms, and that he was the first to agree them, speaks to his importance to Callum Davidson and to his own clarity of vision.
“It was an easy decision,” said the 24-year-old. “I love playing for the club and I feel I’ve been loyal.
“In previous years I probably didn’t get as much football as I felt I should have. That’s sometimes the way it is.
“There were doubts in my mind because you want to be playing. I could have maybe got that somewhere else.
“If it was any other club, I may well have moved on. But it’s different when it’s the club that means a lot to you, your friends and family.
“I was always ready for the fight to cement my place. If something is worth fighting for, you fight.
“I always believed in myself and I’m happy to be here. Now I’ve got the opportunity, I need to make the most of it and enjoy it.”
Gordon made 17 appearances in 2018/19 and had played 19 times by the point last season was halted in March, evidence that his importance to Tommy Wright was growing year on year.
The transition from Wright to Davidson has elevated his status at McDiarmid further yet, with the latter describing Gordon as one of his “stand-out performers” during the current campaign.
“The new manager coming in has given the place a lift,” he said.
“But at the moment we’re in a position where we shouldn’t be and we feel it’s not good enough for the club. We’re determined to put that right.”
We had just passed St Madoes and had to turn back.
Gordon and his Saints team-mates make the short trip to Tannadice for their rearranged clash with Dundee United on Tuesday evening after a frozen pitch forced a postponement on Saturday. This time, they hope to get further than half-way along the A90.
“We had just passed St Madoes and had to turn back,” he said. “Everyone was so geared up for the game.
“For something like that to happen so late on is very disappointing for us.
“But we came back down the road and managed to get in a training session. It was a really good standard.
“We’ve prepared right we’re ready to go again on Tuesday.”
Saints have a decent grasp on their opponent’s strengths and weakness, having played against them (and drawn against them) three times already.
“They have three very good players in attack,” said Gordon. “On paper, there aren’t many stronger in the league.
“We’ll need to be on our toes but we’ve done well against them this season. We’ve limited them to a small number of chances.
“In the games we’ve played, we were the team on top and lacked the final cutting edge. Three points would be a big result for us.
“There are guys who have been at the club for so many years and have played in front of the fans in these games.
“So we know the magnitude of the match for our supporters. The players know how much it means and everyone will be up for it.
“We’ll be playing as if it’s the biggest derby of our lives.”
In ordinary times, Gordon’s friends and family contingent at games such as this would probably be the largest of the Saints’ players.
“My papa has been a St Johnstone fan all of his life,” said the former Perth High School pupil. “For his grandson to play even once for St Johnstone was a nice moment.
“My dad and uncle have been fans since they were young. I used to go to all the games with my friends growing up.
“They are gutted they can’t get to the games. I’d love the fans back in because it makes such a difference.
“It’s a little bit sad at the moment because you begin to feel that playing without fans is the norm.”
Gordon’s physique is unmistakably one of a centre-back these days but there was a time when he was a reluctant presence at that end of the pitch.
“When I was pulling on the white and orange jersey at Letham, I would never have thought I’d get here,” he said. “I played every position back then.
“I remember moving on to Bridge of Earn where my neighbour’s dad ran the team. I’d always said it was too boring at centre-half but he kept me there. I played in defence in all the big games but when it was the lesser teams I was able to go up front and score a few goals.
“I was always decent when I was younger but I never thought I’d be doing what I am right now.”
