St Johnstone deal in dynamic duo

May 2 2008 by Gordon Bannerman

DESPITE late bids from desperate rival clubs, St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes yesterday paraded new recruits Gavin Swankie and Chris Millar.

Left winger Swankie angered Dundee by moving to Perth three years after previous boss Owen Coyle made him a signing target, while midfielder Millar put personal ambition before hard cash to turn down a significantly more lucrative cash offer to stay at Morton, and renege on the pre-contract he signed back in January.

Saints also tied-up veteran Paul Sheerin for another 12-months and Jody Morris could be next to commit himself.

The double signing will be followed by further arrivals over the summer, with three additional players on the McInnes radar as he constructs a squad which will be the envy of the First Division.

Both new recruits, in their mid-20s, rejected ambitious bids by their previous clubs to move to Perth, while Swankie was also a last-gasp target for Morton, when fans’ favourite Millar indicated he was leaving Cappielow despite the financial carrots being dangled to keep him in Greenock.

McInnes said: “I’m delighted to get both players. There has been plenty of speculation about them both recently but they will be great additions to our squad. They are talented boys at a good age.”

McInnes admitted he’d be delighted if both went on to play on bigger stages by benefiting the Perth cause during the course of their two-year contracts.

He said: “They should be pushing themselves as much as they can and get us to the Premier League. They have to maximise their potential.

“Gavin will give us natural width while I’ve watched Chris for a few seasons now. He has real energy and averages around seven goals. He is a fit and driven lad. His attitude to football is great and the type I want at the club.

“I think it says a lot for Chris that he was determined to come here. Morton made a fantastic offer to keep him. If they are offering deals like that they will be serious contenders next season. It speaks volumes for the boy that he stuck with us. He lives five minutes from Morton’s ground and he had emotional ties there.”

Millar admitted it had been a tortuous spell, having been denied a chance to join Saints in January when it emerged he had agreed a pre-contract. That news infuriated the Greenock club but new boss Davie Irons sought to make Millar a key man in his rebuilding plans.

With a 10-month baby and marriage looming over the summer, many players in his position would have backed out of the deal to come to McDiarmid.

Millar said: “It could have been Chris Millar and Luis Figo in the same breath if I’d broken the pre-contract! It has been a real saga and it’s a relief to get everything sorted out. I always wanted to come here to play my football but Morton made me a fantastic offer to stay. They pulled out all the stops and some of my family thought I should be taking the money. The money would have ben nice but I feel I’ve made the right decision from a football point of view. It’s not always about money.This is about trying to better my career and help take Saints into the Premier League.

“Morton did tug at the heart strings because I have a lot of history there. But from the football perspective it was an easy decision. My heart was set on coming here, with Derek McInnes and Tony Docherty taking this club places. They have been brilliant to me from start to finish.”

Swankie follows a line of players to leave rivals Dundee and make the trip to Perth.

Stunned Dundee manager Alex Rae is promising “a special welcome” for the winger when he returns to Dens!

The Dens club are fuming at losing the winger to their local rivals, but Swankie said: “I was approached a month ago but things moved along in the past few days.

“I did have a new offer to stay at Dens and there was talk of Morton on the grapevine. But after speaking to the manager I know everything here was very positive and we will be fighting for promotion.

“I had friends at Dundee and it was hard to leave. But I think this is the right decision for me. I’m excited to be at St Johnstone. It will be a new season and a new start.

“I’ve scored a few goals against Saints in the past so hopefully I be scoring for them over the next two years.”