St Johnstone

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari batted away reports linking him with the vacant Hibernian job, saying: "Every time there is some vacancy somewhere, all the coaches will be thrown in."

David Gray was sacked by Hibs on Wednesday, becoming the Scottish Premiership's first managerial casualty of the season in the wake of a 1-0 home defeat by Kilmarnock that leaves them ninth in the table on six points after six games.

Finn Valakari, who joined Saints in 2024 and oversaw promotion from the Championship earlier this year, is among the early names who have been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Easter Road job.

Speaking before Saturday's league visit of Falkirk, Valakari said: "I have lived most of my football life in the UK and even when I have been outside the UK coaching, every time there is some vacancy somewhere, all the coaches will be thrown in, that is how you guys work it.

"We have a game on Saturday, the full focus is for that."

Asked if being linked with the Hibs job was testament to the good work he is continuing to do in Perth, Valakari said: "No, my players are doing the good job, my club is doing the good job and that is the only reason as a coach you will be linked.

"It is credit to my club, credit to my players that maybe you get mentioned somewhere but, as I said, I lived all my life in football and I know how it works."

Valakari believes the sacking of Gray simply serves to highlight the harsh nature of football management.

"He is my colleague and of course I feel for my colleague," he added. "It tells you the ruthlessness of this business.

"I know with the picture it has happened to me, it will happen to me in the future when you are in this business, unfortunately, so that is how it is but it is always a sad moment but that is football.

"I can use the experience of us last season when we were in the Championship, we were leading from the first day until the last day and when we had a draw and we lost some matches I was the worst manager. There can be, 'we need to do some changes' - that is how football goes."

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Image source, SNS

St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari has been speaking to the media before Saturday's Scottish Premiership visit of Falkirk.

Here are the main points:

• On Hibs head coach David Gray becoming the first Premiership managerial casualty of the season, Valakari says: "He is my colleague and of course I feel for my colleague", adding it shows "the ruthlessness of this business".

• When asked about being among the early names linked with the Easter Road job, the Saints boss says when there is a vacancy somewhere, "all the coaches will be thrown in", and his "full focus" is on Saturday's game.

• Valakari adds: "My players are doing the good job, my club is doing the good job and that is the only reason as a coach you will be linked."

• With his team seventh in the table, with seven points from six games, the Perth manager is not "surprised where we are" because he has "seen these players now for one year, I am very happy with the players we have brought in".

• Valakari believes there is a "lot of room for improvement as well".

• On Falkirk, the Finn is "very, very impressed with how they play football", saying John McGlynn's side really showed what they can do in their midweek win over Hearts.

• Valakari insists Saints are just taking it one game at a time and the midweek results show what can happen when you are off it.

• Team news - the squad is "all good".

St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari has revealed that Taylor Steven explored his options away from McDiarmid Park this summer before the 21-year-old winger earned a starting place for the last three matches. (The Courier, external)

St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari has admitted that he felt the need to have a "strong conversation" with Daniel Finlayson after leaving the 25-year-old defender out his side for three games before his return against Celtic. (The Courier, external)

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari expects Jamie Gullan, Bozo Mikulic and Zach Mitchell to return at home to Falkirk on Saturday. (Courier - subscription required, external)

Wednesday's Scottish gossip

We asked for your views after St Johnstone were beaten 1-0 at home by Premiership leaders Celtic.

Here are some of your comments:

Burnie: Despite a 1-0 defeat I can't help but admire a lot of how we are going about our play this season. Facing the league leaders was always going to be a free hit and the team played with a tempo and energy that was refreshing. The passing interplay, movement and pressing off the ball is definitely better than has been seen for a few years at McDiarmid Park. In the relegation season we played pretty but lacked firepower, whereas this time we look a sharper and more refined beast.

Brydo: Another game, another good Saints performance. Poor from Cheick Diabate for the goal, no idea what he was trying to do, but Joel Cotterill looks a player, Enes Alic was superb down the left again and Toby Steward outstanding in goals. No team is coming to McDiarmid park and expecting a victory from now on.

Mike: I thought we were disciplined and kept our shape well. We made Celtic look very ordinary at times. We countered very well, had some decent periods of pressure and, with a bit of fortune, might've got something out of the game.

John: Encouraging performance from the Saints. Wee bit of luck and might have got a draw. A lot made of Celtic's changes! We also made four from the weekend.

Roy: Simo Valakari has crafted a talented, disciplined and united squad of ball players who play attractive football, work their socks off and don't fear any side. The way those who are new to the club or haven't featured regularly fitted seamlessly into the team was a testament to the way they train and prepare for matches. Lots to like and some big results to come this season.

Mika Baur's first Celtic goal earns a 1-0 victory at St Johnstone to continue the defending champions' winning Premiership start. (Available to UK users only)

Mika Baur's first Celtic goal was enough for the champions to maintain their perfect start in the Scottish Premiership - but they made hard work of inflicting a first home defeat of the season on impressive St Johnstone.

MATCH REPORT

HAVE YOUR SAY

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St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari: "You play against the champions and big credit to them. That's why they are the champions - they find their way to win these matches, even when it's an even game.

"We created enough chances to get something. That's the disappointment of the evening, that we could not score those. We were in the match the whole match.

"It is a performance, not a result. When we keep performing, just taking care of our performances, the results, they will come."

Cal Gilkison
BBC Sport Scotland

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Josh Fowler has had an impressive start to life in the Premiership, with the 24-year-old St Johnstone striker currently topping the scoring charts.

However, it's been a long journey to the top for Fowler - from Beith juniors to Perth via Dubai and Australia.

After being released by Johnstone Burgh, Fowler's rise began in Scottish football's sixth tier when a chance to join Beith arose because his college lecturer was the club's president.

The striker's desire for full-time football then led him to Dubai, after unsuccessful trials with Kilmarnock and Motherwell. He spent two years at Gulf United, an experience he describes as "surreal".

Fowler, having also spent a few months in Australia with St Albans, was tempted back to Scotland last summer when Queen's Park made him an offer he couldn't refuse.

His signing raised eyebrows but he wasted no time in proving his doubters wrong, scoring five goals in his first four games. Fowler has never had issues with self-belief - "I've always backed my ability" - and his fine form attracted St Johnstone, who signed him for an undisclosed fee in January.

He had a tough start to life in Perth, with his minutes mainly limited to substitute appearances in the second half of the Saints' Championship-winning season.

"The second half of last season I struggled a wee bit on the goal front, but I'm really happy that I've kicked off really well," he said.

Fowler has shown his ability already this season with four goals in five games making him the Premiership top scorer, but he doesn't plan to stop there.

"I want to compete at the highest level I can and I'm at the top level in the country now," he said.

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St Johnstone could hand a debut to on-loan Hibernian midfielder Josh Campbell but attacker Jamie Gullan is out with a minor groin issue.

Celtic will assess Kasper Hogh and Kieran Tierney after their return to training. Yang Hyun-jun has left for the Asian Games, while Callum Osmand (ankle) remains out and Jota is building up his fitness after a long-term knee injury.

The injured Landon Emenalo is still to arrive from Chelsea.

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Manager Simo Valakari believes St Johnstone will have to "earn our luck" against champions Celtic on Wednesday.

The newly-promoted Perth side have picked up seven points from their opening five Premiership fixtures.

"We need to do our football things so well, then at the same time, we need to earn our luck, because against Celtic, if you want to beat them, you need to be a little bit lucky in some moments," Valakari said.

"You need to do your things so well that the luck favours you and that's kind of the thing that we tried."

Valakari's Saints defeated Brendan Rodgers' Celtic 1-0 at McDiarmid Park in their previous league meeting in April 2025, only to lose 5-0 in the Scottish Cup soon after.

"We have done it but of course at the same time, we are realistic, humble, we know what's in front of us," said the Finn.

"We worked so hard last year to get our promotion, to play in these matches, to be here, to play against Celtic, to play against these top teams and we need to be our best. We deserve to be here.

"One of our main things for this season, we want to compete, so it doesn't matter who we play.

"The biggest thing in Celtic is, it doesn't matter if it's 90 minutes, 92nd minute, you might win the games, still you fear that you're going to lose this, because the winning culture is so deep in them and it's not all about the winning culture, it's mostly about the quality of the players as well.

"When you have a quality and you build up this winning culture, it's a dangerous combination."

Brian McLauchlin
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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St Johnstone manager Simo Valakari has been speaking to the media before Wednesday's Scottish Premiership match against Celtic (20:00 BST).

Here are the key points:

• Valakari says his squad go into the game "with confidence" but know they are playing a team who always find ways to win.

• The Saints boss insists playing teams like Celtic is a reward for their promotion last season and believes his team are able to compete with the best on a game-by-game basis.

• The Perth side can take belief from beating Celtic in the past and, although it is now a very different Celtic team, Valakari says this is also a very different St Johnstone team.

• Saints "are realistic, humble" and "need to be our best", with Valakari admitting they "need to earn our luck" against the reigning champions.

• Striker Josh Fowler - currently the Premiership's top scorer - has "every right to be confident" about his ability as he has the personality to succeed.

• Team news: Jamie Gullan will miss the game after picking up an injury on Sunday but Josh Campbell is available after making his loan move from Hibernian.

Sam Miller
Fan writer

​It has been an excellent week to be a St Johnstone supporter, even if the heart rate hasn't quite settled yet.

If you had offered any Saints fan four points from a four-day stretch taking in a trip to Dens Park and a home clash with Hibs, they'd have bitten your hand off, swallowed it whole and asked for seconds.

Let's be honest - if football was performance based, Saints were robbed of all three points against Dundee. A 1-1 draw was solid, but everyone in blue (or yellow) knew we were painfully unlucky not to walk away with a derby victory.

​Thankfully, football moves fast. On Sunday at McDiarmid Park, Josh Fowler was back at it again, bagging a double to seal a thrilling 2-1 win over Hibs.

​That victory highlights just how wildly unpredictable and tight the league table is. There isn't an inch of breathing room between the top half and the bottom.

What makes St Johnstone's campaign so absurdly tense is that every game so far, bar the draw, has been won or lost by exactly one goal.

From the opening 4-3 thriller against Kilmarnock, through 1-0 and 2-1 heartbreakers against St Mirren and Hearts, right up to Sunday's drama - we simply do not do comfortable, stress-free afternoons.

​Naturally, the reward for all this emotional exertion is the small matter of welcoming Celtic to McDiarmid Park on Wednesday night. It's the ultimate litmus test for the squad's new-found confidence, but with momentum on our side, why not go out and give them a proper game?

The upcoming free weekend might come at a good time for the squad to recharge their batteries.

Mind you, it's coming at an even better time for me personally. I'm getting married on Saturday and as a lifelong Saints fan, I was secretly banking on us getting knocked out of the League Cup early so I wouldn't spend my wedding reception frantically checking BBC Sport under the top table!

Sam Miller can be found at Dogger Saints, external

• St Johnstone won their last home league game against Celtic 1-0 in April 2025, ending a 13-game losing run at home to the Hoops in the Scottish Premiership. The Saints last beat Celtic in successive home league matches in April 1999 (run of three).

• Celtic have won 23 of their past 26 meetings with St Johnstone in all competitions (D2 L1), most recently a 5-0 Scottish Cup semi-final victory in 2024-25.

• Newly-promoted sides are winless in 37 Premiership games against reigning champions (D6 L31) since Hibernian beat Celtic 2-1 in April 2018.

• St Johnstone have only won two of their past 12 midweek (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) top-flight games (D5 L5), beating Aberdeen 2-0 in February 2024 and Ross County 1-0 in February 2025.

• Celtic have won 23 of their past 25 league games played on a Wednesday, the exceptions being a 4-2 defeat to Hibs in May 2023 and 2-1 loss to Dundee United in December 2025.

St Johnstone will not go out to be defensive when Celtic visit on Wednesday, says Taylor Steven. (Courier - subscription required, external)

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Scott Bain (Falkirk): Will he be Sebastien Pocognoli's Scotland number one? He did himself no harm against Dundee United.

Dujon Sterling (Rangers): Strong showing from the versatile defender in the weekend win over Motherwell.

Cameron Carter-Vickers (Celtic): Another impressive display at the back, winning 12 of his 14 duels in the victory at St Mirren.

Michael Forbes (Dundee United): Big goal to earn a point against Falkirk at Tannadice.

Jordi Altena (Hearts): A fine display at Tynecastle. Brave on the ball and at his best getting forward in the comeback win over Dundee.

Dan Neil (Rangers): Maybe his best game for Rangers since joining the club; good on and off the ball.

Jason Holt (St Johnstone): A 95% passing completion rate from the evergreen midfielder against Hibernian.

Yang Hyun-Jun (Celtic): Another goal to underline his growing importance to this Celtic side.

Camilo Duran (Celtic): Perhaps the signing of the season so far - the Colombian always makes things happen and proved his worth again in Paisley.

Josh Fowler (St Johnstone): Both goals to sink Hibs from the former Queen's Park man; on another day he could have had a hat-trick.

Djeidi Gassama (Rangers): A tremendous display overall from a player who might finally be finding consistency at Ibrox.

We asked for your views after Josh Fowler scored a double to help St Johnstone defeat Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership.

Here's what some of you said:

Paul: Solid performance and a great three points. Thought Zach Mitchell was immense at the back and Joel Cotterill looks a find. Just need to stop the silly mistakes as we won't always get away with leaking soft goals.

Brydo: Saints looked good again, full of craft and guile. The midfield pressed well, Josh Fowler was clinical and Toby Steward dependable in goals. Simo Valakari made subs at the right time - a great team effort all round.

Josh Fowler's first-half double made it back-to-back home Scottish Premiership victories for St Johnstone as they leapfrogged a lacklustre Hibernian in Perth, cranking pressure up on head coach David Gray.

Read the full match report here

Have your say on the game via this link

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St Johnstone head coach Simo Valakari: "You have to play to your strengths, we've built up the team to play this way. It would be very stupid and naive to move away from our style because it is our strength to play this way. But at the same time we need to be able to hide our weaknesses.

"Today, in the second half, we didn't want to go that deep and defend our box but we needed to do it to get the result.

"They are a very good Hibs side. We needed something concrete to back up our performances, that's why this feels like a big result.

"We worked so hard last season to come up to the Premiership and play these matches. We want to compete, there's no better place than against the reigning champions [Celtic on Wednesday night]. It's a big task but a task we can go and see what we can do.

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Simo Valakari is "a happy man" after adding midfielders Josh Campbell and Joel Cotterill to his St Johnstone squad this week.

German forward Danny Schmidt has also been recruited and has obtained a work permit in time for Sunday's Scottish Premiership visit of Hibernian (15:00).

However, as Hibs are loan player Campbell's parent club, he will not feature at McDiarmid Park this weekend.

"I'm a happy man," Valakari told Saints TV.

"I was very happy to be able to get those two players. I was very happy with the squad and players we added. Joel and Josh were on our radar at the start of the window. Things don't always happen as fast as you wish but we were not in a rush.

"I was happy with what we had and I knew we would start the season well. We didn't just need to add numbers. We were in a good position to hold our nerve, focus and really go for those players we believed would really add something to our squad.

"I'm so happy they are here, they are both great characters and personalities and have football qualities that will really help our team."

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• Hibernian have only lost two of their last 15 Scottish Premiership games against newly promoted opponents (W8 D5), a 2-3 defeat at Dundee United in October 2024 and 1-4 loss at Falkirk in January last season.

• Hibernian have won each of their last four away league games and could win 5+ in a row on the road in the top-flight for the first time since November 2005 (run of six).

• After their 4-3 win over Kilmarnock, St. Johnstone are looking to win both of their first two home games of a Scottish Premiership season for the first time since 2017-18. The Saints have won five of their last nine home matches overall in the competition (D1 L3).

• Hibernian have only lost two of their last 13 Scottish Premiership visits to St. Johnstone (W6 D5), both 1-0 defeats in March 2021 and December 2023.

• St. Johnstone are winless in four league meetings with Hibernian (D1 L3) since a 2-1 victory in April 2024.