St Johnstone: Callum Davidson could be club's finest boss - McFadden

Callum Davidson is on course to become St Johnstone's most successful manager in his first season, former Scotland forward James McFadden suggests.

The Perth side defeated St Mirren 2-1 on Sunday to reach the Scottish Cup final just over two months on from lifting their first-ever League Cup.

Prior to this season, their only major honour came under Tommy Wright, when they won the Scottish Cup in 2014.

"How much higher can his stock get?" asked McFadden on BBC Sportsound.

"Tommy Wright is seen as being the most successful manager in St Johnstone's history. The next guy that goes in [Davidson] has got a chance to top that in one year - one season. It is a phenomenal job that Callum Davidson has done."

• St Johnstone reach second cup final of season

Wright spent seven years at McDiarmid Park, bringing success and stability.

The club never finished below eighth under the Northern Irishman, recording three consecutive fourth-placed finishes in the process. Add that to the historic Scottish Cup haul seven years ago and it made him a hard act to follow.

But, after seeing his side struggle for goals early in the season, rookie boss Davidson, who started and ended his playing career across two spells at the Perth side, is on the brink of something truly special if Hibernian can be overcome on 22 May, with a top-six finish also in the bag.

"At the start of the season, it wasn't straightforward," former St Johnstone and Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes told BBC Scotland.

"A lot of people were questioning his system, a lot of people questioning if there was enough goals in the team.

"But he stuck to his guns and they've got their rewards. There's good work being done there."

It is a stunning start to a managerial campaign and one that McFadden, the former St Johnstone man who played alongside Davidson for Scotland, believes will be getting noticed.

"He could challenge for the third or fourth spot next season, but sometimes you've got to take an opportunity - that's if an opportunity were to come up," McFadden said.

"There will be clubs saying we want a young manager. He gets the best out of his players, he can cope with adversity."

McFadden pointed out that four players were absent from the St Johnstone squad at Hampden after two players tested positive for Covid-19 and the others were advised to isolate.

"St Johnstone had four players missing at Hampden, seven changes last week against Hibs, and they go and win the game," he added. "He can switch the system in a game - anybody looking at him will think he's the type of manager that we want, let's bring him on."