St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson is ‘half-begging’ Perth supporters not to boycott Saturday’s Scottish Cup clash with Rangers.
Fans have made their feelings known about the decision to give the visitors three McDiarmid Park stands and tickets being priced £30 and £20 concessions.
And when season ticket holders were given the opportunity to take-up a seat in the Main Stand for the cup tie, less than 300 of them bought one.
And Davidson, who had admitted to his own frustrations after the New Year defeat to Dundee United, subsequently issued a plea to the Perthshire public to come out and back his struggling side, who are on a five-game losing run.
“I sat down with the chairman for two or three hours on Monday afternoon,” he said.
“We talked about the football side and off the pitch stuff as well.
“He’s pretty flat about the situation. In hindsight, different decisions and better decisions could have been made.
“I understand the frustration and anger from the supporters. I’m a little bit frustrated myself.
“I wanted both stands there for our supporters because I know how big the game is.
“I think the chairman understands the situation with the statement he’s released.
“But going forward there’s not a lot we can do about it now.
“I think we all make decisions in life where we think it’s the best decision then we think maybe it wasn’t.
“I’ve known the chairman for years and he is a St Johnstone fan.
“I don’t think it was a decision made for the wrong reasons but looking back now he maybe thinks those decisions could have been made differently.
“When it happens again there will be a clearer picture.
“I just hope the supporters realise how big a game this is for us in our season.
“Hopefully if they’re swithering to come to the game or not, I kind of half-beg them to put it to one side and come and support the lads.
“They were brilliant last season when we were in trouble and we’re going through a wee sticky patch just now.
“The more they can get behind the team the better – I don’t think they realise how beneficial it is.”
‘Difficult atmosphere’
Davidson admitted that three sides of the Crieff Road stadium filled with Rangers supporters and one with row upon row of empty seats and a few hundred Saints fans would make it a “difficult atmosphere” for his team.
“I played, assistant managed and now I’m managing,” he said. “The supporters obviously mean a lot.
“I understand where they are just now.
“When they do back us and we give them something to get behind they are very good.
“Saturday will be no different.
“If they aren’t there it’ll be a difficult atmosphere for the players.
“It’s about getting them to perform at a better level than we’ve been at.”
Unfamiliar territory
Taking on the role of club spokesperson on topics like this isn’t in the managerial handbook.
“It’s not a situation I want to be in – answering these type of questions,” said Davidson.
“I’m not part of the decision. I pick the team and the players.
“You get out of trouble by being one. You don’t by being factions.
“This has happened, we need to deal with it and get on with it.
“The Scottish Cup has been good to us in the last 10 or 15 years so hopefully we can try and get a result at home, give our fans something to cheer about and go home with some positivity.”
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