Two cup-winning goals have gold-plated Shaun Rooney’s St Johnstone legend status.
But the double hero doesn’t want to close the book on his Saints story – because his sights are set on a Perth return to put even more silverware in the McDiarmid Park boardroom.
No player will have crammed more never-to-be-forgotten moments into 24 months of football in the club’s history.
He’s a one-off.
The injury-time goal in the second leg of Saints’ Premiership status-preserving play-off against Inverness proved to be Rooney’s last contribution for the scrapbooks, as a transfer to Fleetwood Town was announced just a few days later.
However, with plenty of good years left in him, Rooney would love to write a second chapter at the place he will forever be adored.
The 25-year-old admitted that putting distance between himself and Saints hasn’t quickened the process of putting his achievements in perspective.
It's that man again – Shaun Rooney nods @StJohnstone in front at Hampden.#ScottishCupFinalpic.twitter.com/Fz8MzIcdmO
— Scottish Cup (@ScottishCup) May 22, 2021
“It’s not sunk in yet actually,” he said.
“It probably won’t until I’m retired and I look back on my career.
“I saw Jason (Kerr) the other day and he was saying ‘you do know it’s absolutely mental what you’ve done in the last couple of years?’
“It is surreal to think you’re looked upon as a legend having just been at the club for two seasons.
“There’s a few legends in the team I played in for sure – Muzz, Ginge, Spoony, Stevie May.
“We’ll hopefully always be invited back for reunion dinners!
“You never know what’s going to happen next in football. Hopefully I’ll be back later in my career for more.
“Everybody wished me well and said nice things when I left and I’d definitely want to come back one day.
“Who knows, hopefully I’ll score another two cup final goals!”
Weighing up offers
Fleetwood will be Rooney’s seventh club in nine years as a professional.
The package tabled by the EFL League One club was one he felt he couldn’t turn down.
“With the position St Johnstone were in, they didn’t want to offer any contracts until they knew which league they were going to be playing in the next season, which was understandable,” he explained.
“After the game we all had a drink in the boardroom, which was great.
Shaun Rooney scores the 4th and final goal for St. Johnstone ️👏⚽️ pic.twitter.com/0uUD8Lp0pi
— Sky Sports Scotland (@ScotlandSky) May 23, 2022
“That was the Thursday and on the Sunday, Scott Brown asked if I wanted to come down. Everything was sorted by the Tuesday.
“I didn’t really want to wait about because you don’t know how things are going to work out – offers can disappear and the next thing you know, you can be jobless.
“To be fair, there were a few teams in for me – Rotherham and Kilmarnock.
“In the end I thought that coming down south would open up different avenues and I’m really looking forward to the challenge.
“It will be good to work under Scott Brown in a different league against different teams. It’s something I’m up for.
“I was maybe too young when I went to England (with York City) the last time.
“And maybe going out to the pub on a Friday wasn’t a great idea either!
“To be fair actually, that was a time when I didn’t drink – all my money went in the puggy when I was down at York!”
Unique bond with fans
Rooney scored his iconic St Johnstone goals in front of empty stands at Hampden.
The second season might not have been anywhere near as successful as the first but it gave him the opportunity to strengthen a unique connection with the Saints supporters.
“The way I was treated by the fans last season made it special,” he said.
“In the first year it was hard for me to break into the team.
“And after my first game at Kilmarnock they were probably thinking ‘who have we signed here’!
“After that I played some good games and some not so good games.
“But the fans were brilliant with me throughout.
“The second season didn’t pan out as we wanted but getting the bond and connection with them was great when crowds were allowed back in.”
🎉 👑 | Shaun Rooney with the equaliser on Saturday 👊#SJFC pic.twitter.com/al9PeuxMbf
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) April 25, 2022
Rooney’s larger than life personality – not to mention the ‘cometh the hour, cometh the man’ goals, tackles and marauding runs – made him the darling of the terraces.
In his eyes though, the recipe for McDiarmid Park popularity isn’t complicated.
“I just gave my all for the club,” said Rooney. “I’m not the best at football but I always tried my best.
“That’s all I ever did and it’s all the St Johnstone fans asked for.
“If people do that, they’ll become fans’ favourites as well.
“I knew somebody in there (the Fair City Unity section of the East Stand) – wee Callum Shields.
“He’s a St Johnstone fan from East Kilbride and I’d get him tickets for away games whenever he needed them.
“He’s in amongst them every week.
“It means something special when they’re singing your name.”
Tommy Wright’s last signing wasn’t even getting a regular game for the first few months of his time with Saints.
But it never crossed his mind that the fates were conspiring against him.
“It’s not in my DNA to chuck it if I’m not playing,” he said.
“I work hard in training every day whatever the situation – I’m sure the gaffer would tell you that.
“I’d do extra running and this, that and the next thing to improve.
“I kept plodding away, Danny (McNamara) left and I got my chance.
“I took it with both hands and it couldn’t have turned out any better after that.”
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