St Johnstone Football Club: Introduction

St Johnstone Football Club, commonly referred to as Saints, is a professional football club based in Perth, Scotland. Currently, St Johnstone plays football in the Scottish Premiership.

Staff at the Fanbase here hope that the club and supporters enjoy much success. So, here’s a detailed look at the club.

Before we continue, here’s a link to the club’s official website.

Club Overview

• Full Name: St Johnstone Football Club
• Founded: 1884
• Nickname: The Saints
• Stadium: McDiarmid Park (Opened in 1989, capacity: 10,696)
• Location: Perth, Scotland
• Club Colours: Blue and white (home kit traditionally features a blue shirt with white trim)
• Current League: Scottish Premiership (top tier of Scottish football)

St Johnstone Football Club: History

St Johnstone was formed in 1884 by members of the local cricket team and is named after St John the Baptist, the patron saint of Perth. The club’s first home was the Recreation Grounds, and they later moved to Muirton Park in 1924 before settling at their modern stadium, McDiarmid Park.

• Early Years: St Johnstone spent many of its early years playing in the lower divisions of Scottish football. However, they were elected to the Scottish Football League in 1911.
• Rise to Prominence: The club’s fortunes improved in the post-World War II era. In 1969, under manager Willie Ormond, they finished third in the top tier, which remains one of their best-ever league finishes. During the late 1990s and early 2000s, the club enjoyed a successful spell in the Scottish Premier League under manager Sandy Clark and later Paul Sturrock.

McDiarmid Park

McDiarmid Park was a significant development for the club. Opened in 1989, it was the first purpose-built, all-seater football stadium in the UK, setting the stage for the modernisation of football stadiums across the country.

• Named after Bruce McDiarmid, a local farmer who donated the land for the stadium.
• The stadium is also used for events beyond football, such as rugby and concerts.

St Johnstone Football Club: Major Achievements

St Johnstone is a relatively small club in comparison to giants like Celtic and Rangers, but they have had moments of glory:

• Scottish Cup:
  • Winners: 2013–14, 2020–21
  • Their first-ever Scottish Cup win came in 2014, a 2–0 victory over Dundee United at Hampden Park, a historic moment for the club.
  • In 2021, they won it again, defeating Hibernian in the final.
• Scottish League Cup:
  • Winners: 2020–21
  • In the same season as their second Scottish Cup triumph, St Johnstone also lifted the League Cup, defeating Livingston 1–0, securing a historic domestic cup double.
• European Competition:
  • St Johnstone have qualified for European competition multiple times, often through high league finishes or cup success.
  • They have competed in the UEFA Cup/Europa League and the UEFA Europa Conference League, though without making it past the early rounds.

Apart from winning the second tier and the Scottish Cup, St Johnstone has very few honours. Hopefully soon, this will all change and success is waiting around the corner? Let us know what you think!

Recent Success

The 2020–21 season is regarded as the greatest in the club’s history. Under the management of Callum Davidson, St Johnstone achieved the remarkable feat of winning both the Scottish Cup and the Scottish League Cup, becoming only the fourth Scottish team to win a domestic double (following Celtic, Rangers, and Aberdeen).

St Johnstone Football Club: Rivalries

• Dundee United: One of their biggest rivalries is with Dundee United, known as the Tayside derby due to the geographical proximity between Perth and Dundee.
• Dundee FC: They also share a rivalry with Dundee FC, with matches between the two sometimes referred to as the Perth-Dundee derby.
• St Johnstone’s relative isolation in Perth means that they do not have a close, traditional local rival.

Notable Managers

• Willie Ormond: Managed St Johnstone from 1967 to 1973, leading the team to one of their best-ever league finishes (third) and their first foray into European football.
• Paul Sturrock: Managed the team in the late 1990s and early 2000s, leading them to cup semi-finals and the UEFA Cup.
• Tommy Wright: Wright managed St Johnstone from 2013 to 2020, delivering their first-ever Scottish Cup in 2014.
• Callum Davidson: As a former player and later manager, Davidson led the club to a historic domestic cup double in 2021.

Famous Players

St Johnstone have produced and featured several notable players throughout their history:

• Willie Ormond: Later became a highly successful manager for Scotland and St Johnstone.
• Henry Hall: A club legend in the 1960s and 1970s.
• Steven Anderson: Defender and the club’s record appearance holder.
• Michael O’Halloran: Winger who has had several spells with the club and played a role in their cup successes.

St Johnstone Football Club: Culture and Support

• St Johnstone has a modest but loyal fan base, with McDiarmid Park regularly attracting home crowds, particularly during successful seasons.
• The club’s mascot is named SuperSaint, representing the iconic St John figure.
• Their main rivals, both Dundee clubs, draw in passionate derby atmospheres during matches.
• The club’s ethos and history have made it a family-oriented, community-focused club, often seen as an underdog in Scottish football.
• The club has passionate supporters and the atmosphere can become intense when the stadium is full. However, St Johnston has a reputation for being a yo-yo team.

Current Status and Ambitions

St Johnstone continues to compete in the Scottish Premiership, aiming to maintain a strong presence in the top flight. Despite financial limitations compared to the bigger clubs, they have shown remarkable resilience and overachievement in recent seasons.

Fun Facts

• St Johnstone is the only professional football club in the UK with a name that doesn’t contain any of the letters from the word “football.”
• McDiarmid Park, despite being relatively small, is known for its pristine playing surface and modern facilities.

St Johnstone’s history and achievements, particularly their recent domestic success, have cemented their status as one of Scotland’s most successful small clubs.

Promote St Johnstone Football Club

The Football Fan Base is the ideal platform with which to promote St Johnstone FC. This is because we are just as passionate about football as you, the grassroots supporter. Indeed, we would love for you to brag and boast about St Johnstone.

Our Football Forums are the biggest of their type on the internet. So, now there are no excuses. Join in and tell the world about your favourite football team.

After all, St Johnstone is the greatest team the world has ever seen, right?

**Information updated on September 10, 2024.