Defender on song in Perth

May 15 2009 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

ST JOHNSTONE skipper Kevin Rutkiewicz has gone walkabout.

The popular Perth defender is heading for Australia for five weeks with the ink drying on a 12-month contract extension committing him to the club for the next two years.

And fans will also be delighted with news that manager Derek McInnes remains confident full-back Gary Irvine will commit himself to the club on his return from an end of season trip to Magaluf with a clutch of Saints players.

Rutkiewicz admitted: “There were a few times when I didn’t think I’d be at St Johnstone. But now I have a real affinity with the club. I know the club inside out. Everyone is on first name terms.

“I even recognised a lot of the faces on the victory parade this week.

“I think some of them have given me stick along the way! But seriously, the fans really deserve this success.

“I feel part of the St Johnstone fabric now. Everyone bangs on about how the club is a well-run business but it is also a real family club.”

Keen singer songwriter Rutkiewicz said: “I’m delighted with this contract extension.

“I’m off to Australia for five weeks now and I’ll be taking my guitar along and looking for a few gigs along the way. I love travelling. I’m starting and finishing in Sydney, taking in the Gold Coast and the Barrier Reef.

“But the penny will drop soon and I’ll realise what I have achieved personally and as part of the team this season.”

Rutkiewicz insists Saints will prove the doubters wrong in the SPL.

“Trophies might be a tad harder to come by but I said to Tony Docherty that there’s always an over-achiever and a team that comes out of the pack to have a great season.

“Hopefully we can surprise a few people. There’s no reason why we can’t push on after this success.

“I’m basking in the glory and lapping it all up but the bigger picture is the SPL and I’m already looking forward to next season.”

Boss McInnes, who has been chasing-up several potential recruits, was pleased to extend his captain’s stay at McDiarmid.

He said: “Kevin deserves the contract extension on the back of a really strong season.

“He has picked up a lot of player of the year awards but he’s the first to acknowledge the part played by his team-mates.

“Like myself and the players Kevin now faces the challenge of the SPL. We all have points to prove and it’s a challenge we will meet head on.

“We are also very close to agreeing a deal with Gary Irvine and I don’t envisage any problems.”

SAINTS were yesterday locked in talks with Livingston duo Dave Mackay and Murray Davidson.

The Perth club were confident that pre-contract deals would be agreed before the end of the day, beating off competition from rivals Dundee, who had also matched the fee Livi were looking for.

Right-back Mackay (29) spent five years at Dens Park, making more than 100 first-team appearances before quitting in the summer of 2004 for a stint at Oxford Utd.

Midfielder Davidson (21) is a product of the youth system at Almondvale.

Meanwhile, Saints striker Derek Holmes has turned down the club’s offer of a new one year contract and signed a pre-contract agreement with Queen of the South.

The former Hearts hitman has opted for the security of a longer two year deal at Palmerston over the possibility of being a bit part player for the McDiarmid men in the SPL.