Tommy Wright took charge of 309 games during his tenure in Perth, so to narrow it down to the best 10 is very challenging, but here goes nothing.
10. Motherwell 1-5 St. Johnstone, Scottish Premiership, 5th May 2018
In what would prove to be Steven MacLean's final game in a St. Johnstone shirt, he went out with a bang. Scoring a hattrick in a cruising victory over the Steelmen. The scoring opening when Richard Foster looped a ball onto the head of MacLean just after the hour mark. Saints would pick up the scoring pace adding another two before half-time, Steven Anderson volleyed home after Trevor Carson parried a shot. The third would be MacLean's as he slid to meet Matty Willock's low cross. MacLean secured the matchball just 10 minutes into the second half when he turned home a shot come cross from David Wotherspoon. Gael Bigirimana would score a consolation goal from the hosts as he headed home into an open net after the ball came off the post. David McMillan's first goal in Saints colours would complete the scoring.
9. St. Johnstone 3-3 Celtic, Scottish Premiership, 7th May 2014
Neil Lennon's side were looking to break the 100 point barrier, needing to win both of their final games to get to the mark. Celtic had won the three matchups between the sides so far that season and were looking to complete the sweep. However, St. Johnstone didn't read that script, Tim Clancy flicked home to open the scoring, giving him his second career goal, both coming against Celtic. Saints had the opportunity to double their lead when Michael O'Halloran was brought down in the box by Beram Kayal. Stevie May stepped up to take the spot kick but squandered his chance to net against all 11 premiership teams that season when Lukasz Zaluska guessed the right way. The second half saw Celtic hit another gear when Scott Brown came off the bench to win a penalty, Kris Commons stepped up and converted it. They took the lead back when Charlie Mulgrew's cross was met by Teemu Pukki. It would get worse for Saints minutes later when Virgil Van Dijk volleyed home scoring his second goal in two visits to Perth. St. Johnstone were given a lifeline when Scott Brown, not the one previously mentioned, drilled home a low shot from the edge of the box, there was now 6 minutes for Saints to find a goal. They would only need 70 seconds, David Wotherspoon set himself for the cross and delivered a good ball the O'Halloran met and nodded beyond the flapping Zaluska.
8. Dundee 0-4 St. Johnstone, Scottish Premiership, 10th March 2018
A derby win is always sweet but they don't get any sweeter than this game. The rain was pelting down as the teams emerged from the Dens park tunnel, but the way the game would go Dundee would have been better staying inside. The scoring got started in the 24th minute when Murray Davidson met Jason Kerr's cross and with a touch from Dundee defender Jordan Piggott it was in the net. It was almost two when Scott Tanser rattled the post from a free-kick. The second would come shortly after when Chris Kane rolled home a Blair Alston cutback. Kane could've had his second when Steven MacLean sent him through just after then hour mark but he dribbled the ball straight at future Saint Elliot Parish, thankfully for the travelling fans Alston was on hand to slot the ball into the net on the rebound. The rout was complete just two minutes later when Kane finally got his second unleashing a strike into the roof of the net after shrugging off Josh Meekings. When Craig Thomson blew his whistle to indicate full-time and put those few home fans still there out their misery, Neil McCann was so angry at his teams dismal display he got into it with Zander Clark.
7. Rangers 1-3 St. Johnstone, Scottish Premiership, 16th December 2017
St. Johnstone hadn't won a league game at Ibrox since 1971 coming into the game and it looked to continue when Morelos rolled home the first goal inside five minutes after a heavy touch by skipper Joe Shaughnessy. Blair Alston would soon have Saints on level pegging when he struck a volley from 20 yards into Foderingham's bottom corner. It stayed tied at one until Liam Craig found the head of Denny Johnstone just after the hour mark. Josh Windass would try his best to get Rangers back on level terms, firing one shot into the side-netting and going over the bar with a header. The game would be over ten minutes later when the ball broke back to Graham Cummins on the angle, and the Irishman arrowed at shot below the diving Foderingham. Rangers couldn't muster a comeback as Saints recreated their league cup win from 2 years prior, in the process picking up their first league win at Ibrox in 46 years.
6. Aberdeen 1-5 St. Johnstone, Scottish Premiership, 3rd October 2015
Saints travelled to Pittodrie to face a league leading Aberdeen side that were looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the season. Former Dons player Joe Shaughnessy took a long throw-in that Ryan Jack thought he had cleared away from danger, Brian Easton fancied his luck however, launching a 30 odd yard volley that the camera barely caught into the top corner, scoring what would be his only Saints goal. Shaughnessy showed his reactions when he was the first to a ball that came off the post, poking home to double the lead. Aberdeen would be gifted a way back into the game when Zander Clark failed to catch the ball, giving the hosts a corner, Ash Taylor rose highest to head home, but it would prove to be nothing more than a consolation. Danny Ward would gift Saints their third on the half hour mark, when he let Liam Craig's effort go right through his hands. Saints would come flying out the traps in the second half when Steven MacLean headed home Simon Lappin's corner, seemingly putting the game out of Aberdeen's reach. It would definitley be out of their reach four minutes later when MacLean would score again, this time at the back post from a Graham Cummins cross after a poor clearance by Ward. Despite the away fans wanting more, they never got it, having a scoreless last 40 minutes, but still coming away the resounding victors.
5. St. Johnstone 2-1 Celtic, Scottish Premiership, 11th May 2016
Saints came into the game on a run of three straight wins that would surely come to an end against newly crowned champions Celtic when they visited McDiarmid Park on a Wednesday night. Ronny Deila made seven changes to his side coming into the game thinking they could cruise to the end of the season against a bare-bones St. Johnstone side. However, there is no such thing as an easy game against a Tommy Wright side. The first half lacked real clear cut chances, however the game would kick into life in the second. Leigh Griffiths opened the scoring with his 40th goal of the season after working himself some space in the Saints box. The hosts drew level when Stefan Johansen was caught in possession by Steven MacLean who subsequently dinked the ball over the onrushing Logan Bailly. The comeback would be complete when Joe Shaughnessy's cross created panic in the Celtic defence. Efe Ambrose and Bailly both went for the ball, it dropped right in front of Graham Cummins who accepted the gift and tapped home to give Saints the lead. They would make it four wins from four in the split and become the last team to beat Celtic who embarked on a 69 game unbeaten streak domestically which lasted 585 days.
4. Celtic 0-1 St. Johnstone, Scottish Premiership, 4th March 2015
St. Johnstone arrived at Celtic Park having won there once since 1998, so safe to say expectations were low. Ronny Deila's side were also unbeaten in 11 games coming into the fixture, whilst Craig Gordon had not allowed a goal since the two sides met the previous month. The odds were stacked against a Saints side that sat in the bottom six with only six games left before the split.Celtic came out the gate playing slick football that carved apart a Saints defence that had conceded the third fewest goals so far this campaign, Anthony Stokes and Gary Mackay-Steven testing Alan Mannus early on.Saints tried to create chances but nothing clear cut emerged.Stuart Armstrong almost opened the scoring from long-range just before the break, forcing Mannus to tip the effort round the post. In the second half Danny Swanson would do what Armstrong couldn’t sending a 25-yard volley into the top corner leaving Gordon helpless at full stretch.The Celtic attacks kept coming each being repelled by the Saints defence.The longer the game went on the longer the efforts became,none troubling Mannus between the sticks.The full-time whistle would blow,and Saints would beat Celtic at Parkhead for only the fifth time, all being the same 1-0 scoreline.
3. Rosenborg 0-1 St. Johnstone, Europa League 2nd Qualifying Round 1st Leg, 18th July 2013
Tommy Wright’s first game in charge of Saints saw him take them to Norway to face Rosenborg. The Troillongan are a perennial champions league team and had reached the group stage of the Europa League the previous campaign. Saints arrived in Trondheim being written off by everyone. However, the Perth side showed what opponents would be in for over the coming years, soaking up the pressure before finding the game’s first and only goal. Frazer Wright stabbed home Saints debutant David Wotherspoon’s corner to send the travelling fans into raptures.The away side continued to hold firm with Alan Mannus being equal to every chance the Norwegian side created,first denying Jensen then Bernsten and Dockal. The home side kept coming with Dockal and Soderlund both being unable to trouble the Northern Irishman between the sticks as time was running out.Saints held on to pull off a stunning upset. Taking an away goal back to McDiarmid Park for the second leg was crucial in helping them progress win a 1-1 draw the following week.
2. St. Johnstone 2-0 Dundee United, Scottish Cup Final, 17th May 2014
St. Johnstone who were participating in Scottish Football showpiece event for the first time faced Tayside rivals Dundee United who looked to recreate their glory from 4 years earlier, when they beat Ross County 3-0 to win the cup. United came into the game as favourites However, it was the year of the underdog as St. Johnstone triumphed to win their first major trophy thanks to goals from Steven Anderson and Steven MacLean. There will be more on this game on Sunday’s article where we watch the game six years on.
1. St. Johnstone 2-1 Aberdeen, Scottish Cup Semi-Final, 13th April 2014
The Scottish Cup Semi-Final was a hurdle St. Johnstone had reached many times but had yet to clear.Would this be the time that their luck changed?It didn’t seem so;they lost the League Cup Semi-Final months earlier to the same side 4-0. Even as the game kicked off it didn’t seem that way. Peter Pawlett slotted in Niall McGinn who opened the scoring after just 15 minutes, it seemed like Deja vu for the Saints fans in the Broomloan Road end.The Aberdeen pressure did not let up, but when Willie Collum blew the whistle for half-time the scoreline remanded the same. The second half started like the first did with the Dons creating chances and McGinn looking like a threat every time he was on the ball.On the hour mark, David Wotherspoon swung a corner into the box,the initial ball was cleared but James Dunne lofted it back into the box, Stevie May brought it down, took it away from a defender and fired a shot across Jamie Langfield that the keeper could not get to, sending the fans behind the goal into pandemonium, silencing the Aberdeen’s fans chant of “Who the fuck is Stevie May”.The Perth born player wasn’t done there though.A Dave MacKay long ball was flicked on by May into the path of strike partner Steven MacLean, who worked it back to Number 17, two touches would be all he needed, the second of which arrowed a shot past Langfield, erasing years of semi-final anguish for those fans who made the journey from Perth, they lead with only 6 minutes left. And they held on for those six minutes. Changing the course of history for this small club forever and is easily the best game Tommy ever took charge of.
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