Callum Davidson wishes Drey Wright had never been away but is savouring the wide man becoming a St Johnstone success story second time round.
When Davidson accepted the McDiarmid Park manager’s role in June 2020, Wright had already left the club after failing to agree terms over a new contract.
He signed for Hibernian, where he stayed for two years before being released by Lee Johnson.
The 27-year-old has netted five goals from the right flank and excelled in his defensive work since returning to Perth last summer.
One of the best
“I’ve been delighted with Drey,” stated Davidson. “He’s been one of our best players this season.
“When I first came into the job, I wanted him to stay because I knew what he was capable of doing for us.
“His best position is as a wing-back, he has shown he’s very good defensively and that’s an aspect of his game I don’t think a lot of people had seen.
“Drey brings quality and energy to the team, he is also intelligent so knows how to play the position and what is expected of him.
“He knows the role we’re asking him to play, carries out the tasks you want him to carry out.
“It’s fantastic, as a manager, when you have someone with his quality who can also take on the information and do what’s asked of him for the team.”
Wright, signed by Tommy Wright, joined Saints initially from Colchester United ahead of the 2018/19 season.
His first campaign was cruelly curtailed by a knee injury sustained in November. He returned to feature 25 times the following season.
The only goal of his first stint with Saints was against Queen Of The South in a League Cup tie.
Wright’s five in the Premiership this season makes him currently the club’s top league scorer.
Level with Stevie May and Jamie Murphy for goals in all competitions, he has scored on his last two appearances against Motherwell and Celtic.
Seven or eight target
Davidson added: “Drey has scored five goals so far so hopefully he can get more as the season progresses.
Goal of the game so far from Drey Wright has the hosts right back in this match 🔥
pic.twitter.com/NYoWTsr9cr— Football Scotland (@Football_Scot) February 5, 2023
“If he can get up to seven or eight goals himself, on top of what he also contributes, then it would be a very good season from him.
“It was obvious we needed more goals this season, so we brought in Drey to be an attacking wing-back on the right while Adam Montgomery has added that on the left and is getting better every week.
“Getting them in has helped the strikers. We’ve scored double what we were sitting on this time last year after 25 games.”
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