They keep saying it every year, but St Johnstone fans are well aware that their European adventures can’t go on forever.
And over 500 of them have flown in to Lithuania to cheer on their team for the latest one.
Riga, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Brussels and Kaunas were among the stop-offs for the Saints’ travelling army on their way to the Balkans.
And they have received a warm welcome in Vilnius ahead of the Europa League first qualifying round second leg against FK Trakai.
@psjsaints on tour in Vilnius, Lithuania. C'mon the Saints!!@St_Johnstone_FC @SJFC_SLO pic.twitter.com/ogQRnii1QH
— PSJ Saints (@psjsaints) July 5, 2017
Among that group are three generations of one Perthshire family who have long set their hearts on seeing their side play on the continent together.
Graeme, who came to Lithuania with son Matthew and his father, Tom, said: “The three of us are on our first European trip with Saints. I’ve always wanted to go to an away game in Europe.
#stjohnstone #vilnius #EuropaLeague #EuropaSaints #everywherewego #perthshire pic.twitter.com/cDfczao0iJ
— Hannah (@Blanchy13) July 6, 2017
“I’ve never been able to get the time off work but this time I made sure I would do it.
“I kept saying to my wife that I’ll need to go because it will never happen again. But it keeps on happening.
“I have a lot of friends going across to Lithuania so it’s been great to meet them all and have a couple of beers.
“My son Matthew and I have a season ticket at McDiarmid Park and my dad comes along to the occasional game. We all really enjoy each other’s company.
“I’ve definitely been the most excited for the trip! I was up at three in the morning wide awake before going to the airport.”
This is St Johnstone’s eighth game in Europe in six years and you won’t find many people arguing against the claim that this is the golden age in the club’s long history.
“This is as good a time to be a St Johnstone supporter as I can remember,” said Graeme, 40, of Luncarty. “I’ve been going to the games since I was six and remember the days at Muirton Park.
“Winning the cup back in 2014 was fantastic and constantly getting into the top six means we’re enjoying probably the best time ever.
“I have more connections to the club than just being a fan. I am the manager of PSJ, the club’s supporters’ team.
“It’s a team which really brings the supporters and the club together.
“We have a British Cup final coming up against Stirling Albion’s team Beechwood Albion and also recently won the Scottish league.”
Matthew, 11, who will start his first year at Perth Grammar School in a few weeks after finishing at Luncarty Primary, suffers from cerebral palsy. But it hasn’t stopped him amassing a medal collection Saints would be proud of.
“Matthew competes for Scotland at race running and has been across to Denmark for the European Championships,” Graeme said.
“He has won 11 gold medals in total over the last two years.
“He also plays for a cerebral palsy football team based in Falkirk and he loves that as well.”
