Liam Gordon walked the same school corridors as World Cup hero David Wotherspoon.
But The St Johnstone defender joked he’ll never compare to Perth High’s blue-eyed boy!
Both former pupils have become multiple trophy winners for Saints, with Gordon now the club captain.
According to the McDiarmid Park skipper, though, the player who went before him at his secondary school left an impression that he couldn’t possibly live up to.
“Spoony was in the same year as one of my mate’s brothers at the High School,” said Gordon.
“He left the year I went to secondary so our paths didn’t cross there, but I knew all about him because he was at Hibs by that time and captain of the Scotland under-21s, I think.
Very proud moment for the @PerthHighSchool community to see David on the pitch at the World Cup. Representing Canada, but also representing all of us at PHS. Congratulations David! @Spoony_10 @CanadaSoccerEN https://t.co/Rx8zkpN47X
— Perth High PE (@Perthhigh_pe) December 2, 2022
“I remember it was a teacher in the tech department who managed the school football team and he had a picture of that side Spoony played in.
“I remember seeing his face on the wall. I don’t think I’ll be on his wall because I wasn’t his favourite pupil!”
Similar paths
The Gordon-Wotherspoon parallels don’t begin and end with Perth High and St Johnstone.
“I was at Bridge of Earn as well for a bit,” said the centre-half. “One of my friend’s dads ran that so I played out there.
“Spoony shows what can be done, you can go from boys’ clubs like that and Perth High School to playing in a World Cup.
“It’s all down to him, the way he’s lived his life and all the hard work he’s put in. He deserves all the credit he’s been getting.”
Gordon added: “I watched the Canada v Morocco game in the house and was looking through the subs to see if he would get on.
“I had a feeling he would get on.
“I was off the couch cheering when he did the Spoony Chop!
It did look familiar…#SJFC | @Spoony_10 pic.twitter.com/FLaXUldDNH
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) December 1, 2022
“The manager told us he was going after the Motherwell game and it was brilliant for him to do that in front of all the boys.
“It took a long time for him to switch countries.
“We were not aware of it going on for about two years so when he told us he’d been called up the first time we thought he was at the wind-up.
“Then a few years later he finds himself playing in the World Cup – it’s pretty crazy.”
