St Johnstone have signed former IFK Gothenburg midfielder William Sandford.
The defensive midfielder has agreed a one-year deal and is now hoping to put his schooling at one of Sweden’s top academies to good use with the Perth club.
The deal is subject to international clearance but that shouldn’t be an issue given Sandford’s Scottish roots.
“I am delighted to be here, it has been a long time coming,” said the 20-year-old.
“I have been here since the first day of pre-season. I have worked hard and I am delighted to sign.
“I am half Scottish/half Swedish, so I have been to Scotland a lot. I like the club and I was invited for a trial. I worked hard and now I have signed.
“I have family here in Scotland, they stay in Pitlochry and that’s where I am staying at the moment.
“It is a great club with a lot of great players. The manager and coaches are great as well. It is a good place to be and hopefully I can develop as a player.”
Winning mentality
Saints manager Callum Davidson won’t expect his latest recruit to be first team-ready just yet but Sandford has high expectations and brings a winning mentality from Sweden.
“My aim this year is to develop as a player, help the team as much as I can and be ready whenever I am called upon,” he said.
“Hopefully it will be a good year.
William Sandford celebrates after scoring his first u19 Allsvenskan goal at the weekend. The Swedish-born Scot has enjoyed a great campaign so far and is a mainstay in the IFK Göteborg line-up, who, with 19 games played, sit top of Sweden's premier youth competition. 🏴🇸🇪 pic.twitter.com/O1cArgViSj
— Byron Hutchison (@ByronHutchison) October 11, 2021
“I was at the Gothenburg academy – a good club in Sweden, a big club.
“I spent some time with the first team which was a good experience. I learned a lot. Hopefully that can help me here as well.
“In December we won the U-19 league in Sweden, it was a great experience to be champions.
“I play as a defensive midfielder. I like to get on the ball, look for a pass and feed my teammates the ball. I am a hard-working midfielder.”
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