When St Johnstone announced their list of released players at the end of last season, most of the names in the 16-strong group carried no shock factor.
The man who would have divided opinion to the greatest extent among the Perth fan base – and probably caused Simo Valakari the deepest thought – was Graham Carey.
The logic of parting company with the Irishman was sound – age, mobility, wage size.
But supporters had become accustomed to relying on Carey for acts of genius to win games or often just make the competitive.
That was summed up by the fact that, even on the night Saints were relegated, the 36-year-old found the top corner of the Hearts net with a stunning free-kick to give them a bit of hope.
It turned out to be their last goal as a Premiership side.
So, even though Valakari’s chief focus has been strengthening his backline and making his squad more robust physically and mentally, it will have been in the back of his mind that there was a Carey-shaped hole in his squad that needed filling.
Courier Sport assesses whether Sam Stanton is the left-footed creator-in-chief heir apparent.
Breaking down a defence
Whether it was from the left, the right, behind a striker or from deeper, Carey possessed the ability to open-up a defence from his first game in a Saints shirt until his last.
It will never leave him as long as he’s a professional footballer.
The quality of Carey’s delivery set him apart from the rest of his team-mates.
Stanton is also a playmaker – but a different type.
Positional awareness and alertness to who is in the best position to receive a pass link the two men in the attacking third of the pitch.
But for Saints’ new signing, supporters will see more quick one-twos on the edge of the box and darts away from a marker than they would with Carey.
Stanton is far more than the ‘moments player’ his predecessor was becoming.
Best position
There will be no temptation to use Stanton as a wide forward in a front three, which was the case with Carey.
The 31-year-old is a midfielder, end of story.
He can thrive as a number 10 but when he was at his best two years ago with Raith, giving Dundee United a run for their money in the Championship title race, he was even more effective as a box-to-box eight.
Stanton might not be your archetypal ball-winning midfielder.
He can tackle, though.
Valakari has talked about a 4-3-3 being his favoured formation given the chance to build a new team, which is the case this summer.
Stanton would be a natural fit on either side of a holding six, tasked with covering the ground in both directions.
But he could comfortably operate in a central midfield two or be given a freer role off a centre-forward.
Saints don’t lack players in the middle of the park.
However, Stanton arguably has more strings to his bow than the rest – and will provide more options for his manager.
Type of goals
Picture a Carey open-play goal, certainly in his time at St Johnstone, and you’ll think of getting the ball out of his feet and sending a 25-yarder beyond a despairing goalkeeper like Trevor Carson at Dens Park or Jerome Prior at Almondvale.
If there was one scored when he drove through the middle, ran beyond a striker and escaped a centre-half, I can’t recall it.
Stanton has that goal in his locker, though.
The late winner in a 4-3 live TV thriller against Partick Thistle in December, 2023 can be put in that category.
There are plenty of others.
The timing of Stanton’s movement and ability to find space amongst a crowd will no doubt have been one of the facets of his game that persuaded Valakari to bring him to McDiarmid.
Set-pieces
Carey didn’t score as many direct free-kicks as you might think – the goal at Tynecastle was his only one in a Saints shirt.
And with Stanton, his two came earlier in his career, with Hibs and on loan at Dumbarton.
It will be interesting to see if he gets handed dead-ball duties in Perth.
As it stands, he and Taylor Steven are the only obvious left-footed contenders in the squad, so there’s every chance he will.
The first goal in that 4-3 against Partick came from Stanton choosing a quick short-corner, getting the ball back and delivering it to the back post.
He may find that set-piece responsibilities will be part of his McDiarmid job description.
Influence
Carey is a more vocal character by nature than Stanton – on the training ground, in the dressing room and on the pitch.
Don’t expect the captain’s armband to be thrown in the latter’s direction.
That doesn’t undermine his leadership capabilities, though.
Or his influence.
Had Stanton not been sidelined for a couple of winter months in 2023/24, when Rovers’ form dropped off, there could well have been a trophy lift at Stark’s Park rather than Tannadice.
While he was out of the team between the end of December and mid-February, Rovers only won one game out of seven and lost five in a row.
The manager, Ian Murray, knew that there was a glaring two plus two equals four equation.
“He’s certainly in the top two or three midfielders in the league and we’re lucky to have him,” said Murray, ahead of a clash against United Stanton was pushing to be fit for.
“Since Sam went off against Ayr United our form has dipped a little bit and results have dipped.
“You don’t want to pin your hopes on one player and that doesn’t do other boys justice either.
“But, since Sam has been out, we’ve lost a lot of goals. We always have to look at that and wonder why. Is that part of it? We don’t know yet, it might be coincidence, perhaps.
“We’ll see when Sam comes back if results pick up and the defensive qualities pick up. If they do, then perhaps it was that.”
Rovers beat United with Stanton in their starting line-up, so Murray got his answer.
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