St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson has insisted he is still “up for the fight” after the Scottish Cup holders were dumped out of this year’s competition by League Two Kelty Hearts.
The 1-0 extra-time defeat was Saints’ 10th in a row, equalling a club record.
Davidson and the players were subjected to a torrent of fan fury as they made their way out of the corner of the ground to the gym hall they were changing in.
The Perth boss admitted Saturday’s loss was his lowest point of a calamitous run that has also seen them hit rock bottom of the Premiership but still believes he is the man to turn the McDiarmid Park side’s fortunes around.
“I’m fighting,” he said. “I am up for the fight.
“I want to fight, be here, change things and get results.
“We need the players to do that too.
“St Johnstone is a club close to me, so I won’t stop – I will be fighting until I get to the day I’m told not to.
“It’s not in my character to do anything else.”
Fan fury
On the post-match reception the team and management got leaving the New Central Park pitch, Davidson said: “It’s difficult when you are asked to walk through the fans when you have just been beaten and we are on a bad run.
“It was difficult putting the players through that.
“It wasn’t a great idea asking us to walk through there.
“I thought the fans were fantastic with us today, they stayed behind the team when they could have turned earlier and put more pressure on us.
“Football is an emotional game and fans, players, myself we are all emotional.
“I don’t think I need to repeat what was said. Everyone is emotional.”
John Mahon in, Cammy MacPherson recalled
Saints next face Dundee in midweek in a league basement battle and will have new signing from Sligo Rovers, John Mahon in the squad for that one.
“John Mahon has signed, he will be available for Wednesday,” Davidson reported.
He will also be trying to secure the permanent signing of Cammy MacPherson, who has been recalled by parent club St Mirren.
“Cammy MacPherson has agreed a pre-contact with us so St Mirren recalled him,” said Davidson.
“He played well the other night at Hearts so we will try to get something done.
“We need two or three more. I need players who are going to fight because it’s going to be a tough few months.”
Reflecting on the Kelty game, Davidson said: “First half I was really disappointed that we didn’t do what we worked on.
“Second half was a bit better.
“And then to lose the goal in extra-time the way we did was really poor. There were loads of mistakes in there. It was our corner and we’ve lost a goal from it.
“After that confidence fell right out of the team.
“I didn’t see any fluidity.
“There’s going to have to be changes and hopefully we’ll get two or three new faces in by Wednesday.
“That’s probably the lowest I’ve been as a manager here.”
