The scale of the St Johnstone squad overhaul in recent times was brought home by Callum Davidson’s starting line-up at Motherwell on Saturday.
It was the first occasion the one to 11 was made up completely by his signings.
Though the changes have been drastic – in the last couple of transfer windows in particular – Davidson believes that Saints’ injury-time weekend victory proved that the renowned McDiarmid Park dressing room spirit is as strong as ever.
“It’s always good to get your first three points of the season so we are up and running,” he said.
“We have a difficult start so it’s important to get the first win on the board.
“The way we did it as well says a lot about the team and the character we have here.
“To lose an equaliser in injury time but then come back to score a winner right before the end speaks volumes about the players.
𝘽𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙖𝙡 – 𝙎𝙩𝙚𝙫𝙞𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙮 🎥
Morning Saints fans 🎉#SJFC | pic.twitter.com/xlMvp2K0EE
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) August 7, 2022
“There has been a big turnaround in the squad but the spirit is there even though there are so many new players.
“They are still gelling and getting used to each other but there’s that togetherness.”
Davidson added: “The turnaround in players has been massive but that’s what happens when you have been successful.
“So we have had to move the squad on, bring in younger players for the future but also help them out with experience to get the right balance.
“We were obviously disappointed to lose another goal from a set-piece late one – especially as it was another OG.
“But after the Premier Sports Cup games I felt we were conceding too many chances, so it has been nice to tighten up a bit from where we were then.
“It’s about doing that while not taking away from the attacking side.”
A young Frazer Wright
The central defensive blend of a fearless, young loan recruit with two senior pros either side of him has worked as well as Davidson could have hoped for so far – with a goal yet to be conceded by Saints from open play.
“It’s a completely new back three so they are still gelling, although it helps when you have good experience in there,” he said.
“Alex Mitchell has come into it alongside Ryan McGowan and Andy Considine and looked every bit the player we thought we were getting.
“He’s like a young Frazer Wright because he just loves defending, he wants to get his head on things and get his body in the way.
“Those are great traits to have as a defender. He’s vocal and he’s fitted in straight away.
“I really like that he’s a talker. Even for such a young lad he’s got confidence in himself to make demands of the players around him.”
Chris Kane
Meanwhile, there has been an “improvement” in Chris Kane’s recovery from knee surgery, Davidson reported.
“The injured ones are making progress,” he said. “They are all getting a bit closer to returning.
“When you go through long-term injuries like Kano has had, you get peaks and troughs and at the moment it’s tough for him.
“It’s hard when you are out for a long time but there has been an improvement for him.
“Hopefully we can get him back on the training pitch as soon as we can.”
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