A few high-profile figures coming back to Perth may have made the headlines pre-match, but it was a less publicised return which took the McDiarmid Park limelight.
There was always going to be a buzz about Saturday’s fixture, with ex-Saints boss Derek McInnes now in the opposing dugout although the presence of Sir Alex Ferguson, a guest of honour to mark the 50th anniversary of his hat-trick for Saints against Rangers at Ibrox, perhaps even overshadowed that.
On the pitch however, Peter Pawlett was always going to have a point to prove on his own personal crusade back in the Fair City and it was the winger who stole the show in Aberdeen’s win over St Johnstone.
The 22-year-old had a largely successful, albeit injury-plagued, spell on loan with Saints under Steve Lomas last season, so it was almost written in the stars that he would return to haunt the Perth club at the weekend.
“There was a good chance it was going to be him these things normally come back and get you,” Saints defender Frazer Wright admitted. “He’s quick and he’s bulked up quite a bit since his time here.
“I think his goal took a wee deflection which took it into the bottom corner. I think big Al (Mannus) would have got it otherwise but we shot ourselves in the foot with mistakes.
“It’s not the best but we just need to pick ourselves up and go again.
“It’s always disappointing to lose at home but Aberdeen took their chances and we didn’t really create anything to get a chance.
“We’ll need to sit down and look at what we did wrong we kept giving the ball away and there were a few enforced errors in the first half especially.”
Despite the result, Wright was delighted to be back involved at the heart of the Saints defence and revealed he had put his recent disciplinary problems he was given a three-match ban for swearing at match officials, including Saturday’s referee Willie Collum behind him.
“I said to Willie before the game: ‘I’d have got less if I’d grabbed you by the throat rather than swearing at you’,” he joked. “He was alright and laughed about it, and he goes: ‘I thought you were going to grab me by the throat!’ So he was fine about it.
“When I saw it was Willie who was the ref, I wasn’t too sure how it was going to be with him, but I had a bit of banter with him and got it out of the way.
“The gaffer said to me on Thursday that I was coming back so it was good to get back in and playing again, although the result could have been better.”
The win moved the Dons five points clear of Saints in the Premiership table and boss McInnes was delighted with the result.
“Not many teams come here and win,” he said. “St Johnstone have got a fantastic home record and they had only lost four goals in the league this season at home, and they are always a tough opposition.
“I thought it was two teams who were determined not to give an inch and they fought toe to toe with each other there.
“The two bits of quality for the goals were outstanding but that alone didn’t win the game.
“It was all the fundamentals the first headers, the second balls, winning individual battles and doing all the basics that needed to be done.
“I think we were worthy winners and the sending off took the wind out of St Johnstone a wee bit and helped us get over the line.”
McInnes also hoped the peformance had sent Sir Alex home happy.
“You need to ask him that,” he said. “Obviously, he’s got more allegiance to Aberdeen than St Johnstone in terms of his history.
“It was good to do it in front of him, but the last time he spoke highly of us doing the Scottish Cup draw we didn’t win for two games so it was good to see us winning.”
Saints boss Tommy Wright did not think there was much between the teams.
“We’re disappointed with how we passed it and a misplaced pass gives them the opportunity to score the first goal,” he said.
“I didn’t think there was a lot between either side in the first half and it was a good strike from Peter, but it takes a deflection.
“We had a great chance to get back in the game and Langfield makes a super save, and the second half was pretty even.
“We were ready to push on in the last 20 minutes and then we get a sending off, so obviously, with 10 men and we’re pushing to try and get back in the game we’re going to leave ourselves exposed a little bit.
“But I think we put a lot into the game and probably should have got more out of it, particularly first half.”