Aberdeen intend to activate 26-year-old striker Adama Sidibeh’s £500,000 release clause with St Johnstone before the Perth side's Scottish League Cup last 16 meeting with Rangers this weekend. (Football Insider), external
There have been no bids for St Johnstone forward Sidibeh. (Courier - subscription), external
Sam Miller
Fan writer
After what was a turbulent week off-field for the Saints, it was brilliant to see an untested team brimming with confidence.
Where Craig Levien gets stick for tactics and formations, he has certainly made up for in unearthing some absolute diamonds.
Mackenzie Kirk, Aaron Essel, Andre Raymond and most importantly Adama Sidibeh, to name a few.
With just over two weeks of the transfer window left, St Johnstone's new American owners are going to have their mettle tested as cash rich English teams try and pick our pockets with low ball offers for star Sidibeh.
He's already a fan favourite and having him a St Johnstone player on 1 September could make or break the season...
Image source, SNSSt Johnstone goalkeeper Josh Rae believes the squad Craig Levein has assembled is capable of a top-half finish in the Premiership this season.
Rae is one of several arrivals at the club this summer, and started as the Perth Saints beat Kilmarnock 3-0 at Rugby Park on Sunday.
"We’ve got to push for the top six definitely," Rae said.
"With the squad we’ve got, with the pace, we’re all powerful, young and hungry so I’m really confident we can push for that top six.
"We were solid right from the first minute [against Kilmarnock]. It was a solid performance.
"I thought we could have controlled the second half slightly better because they had a few chances but overall, a brilliant result.”
"It’s a lot slower than Championship football but obviously more quality.
"You need to be concentrated the full 90 minutes because it can just happen in the blink of an eye that someone with quality can hurt you."
Saints fans, we asked for your views on Saturday's 3-0 win over Kilmarnock.
Here's what some of you had to say:
Rooney: An excellent result and a better performance. Still worries defensively that we are lacking experience and set-pieces are a major concern.
Chris: Some great signings and we look a threat going forward. After so many years of a lack of goals I'm looking forward to entertaining football from the Saints again.
Gordon: The fact we have two pacey strikers up top now and causing havoc to defenders is good to see and both scored.
Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter
Jack Sanders was key in a superb St Johnstone performance that saw them earn three points and a clean sheet at Rugby Park, and is one of three Saints players in my Team of the Week.
His team-mate Andre Raymond played his part at both ends of the park, providing the assist for the second goal, and Adama Sidibeh was a certain pick after his superb double. What an inspired signing he has been by Craig Levein. A constant menace and alive to every opportunity.
Watch highlights as St Johnstone put three past Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership.
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Kilmarnock 0-3 St Johnstone | Watch Craig Levein's post-match thoughts.
An Adama Sidibeh double helped St Johnstone coast past 10-man Kilmarnock at Rugby Park to pick up their first win of the new Premiership season.
Sidibeh's strikes sandwiched Joe Wright's red card, as the defender was sent off after two yellows in the opening 16 minutes.
It got worse for Kilmarnock in the second-half when they were denied a penalty before conceding one two minutes later, with Benjamin Kimpioka converting.
What did you think of the match? Was it the best St Johnstone performance of the season?
How impressed are you by Adama Sidibeh and Benjamin Kimpioka?
Andrew Petrie
BBC Sport Scotland
Despite the loss to Aberdeen last Monday, Kimpioka and Sidibeh were singled out as St Johnstone's main threats. They were at it again today.
Helped by marauding left-back Andre Raymond, Sidibeh could have a few more and Kimpioka was a constant thorn in the side of the Kilmarnock defence. They tore apart a back-four bereft of confidence and seemed to feed on their energy.
Behind them, there are still improvements to be made. Despite being down to 10 men, Kilmarnock did go close a few times and hit the post right at the end.
Ultimately though, the game was managed in the second-half, allowing St Johnstone to pick up their first win on the road this season. Last year, they had to wait until February for that.
Image source, SNSSt Johnstone manager Craig Levein told BBC Scotland: "There was some really good stuff, but the points are the most important thing after playing reasonably well last week and not getting any.
"Kilmarnock is a hard place to come to. I know they've had a tough game in Europe and that's taken a toll, but all credit to our guys. We played really well for long spells.
"We did too many things I think we can do better. Our defending could be better, we survived by the width of the post on a couple of occasions. Saying that, the clean sheet argues against that."
Image source, SNSAdama Sidibeh. Since turning up from Warrington Rylands in England's Northern Premier league, the Gambian striker has gone from strength to strength.
Craig Levein was worried he'd struggle to hold onto his little diamond and there's still a few weeks for someone left to pinch him.
He could have had even more today, but he'll take a brace - a brace that showed off his strength and his finishing ability.
Kilmarnock: McCrorie, Wright, Deas, Findlay, Armstrong, McKenzie, Watson, Lyons, Murray, Vassell, Cameron.
Substitutes: O'Hara, Mayo, Kennedy, Mackay-Steven, Anderson, Watkins, Wales, Polworth, Bainbridge.
St Johnstone: Rae, Neilson, Sanders, Cameron, Raymond, Wright, MacPherson, Essel, M Smith, Sidibeh, Kimpioka.
Substitutes: Sinclair, Clark, Carey, C Smith, Sprangler, McPake, Kirk, Olufunwa, Franczak.
Image source, SNSMarley Watkins remains a doubt for Kilmarnock with a groin problem while Kyle Magennis and Corrie Ndaba are just off featuring.
St Johnstone defender Sam McClelland is facing a lengthy lay-off after rupturing his Achilles against Aberdeen on Monday.
David Keltjens has a chance of returning after missing the Dons game with an ankle knock but Uche Ikpeazu (knee) is still out.
Image source, SNSNicky Clark has challenged St Johnstone to get points on the board early as they seek to avoid another Premiership relegation battle.
Craig Levein's Saints narrowly stayed up last season after a slow start, with only goal difference keeping them above Ross County in the play-off spot.
There has been a large turnover of players at McDiarmid Park this summer under new owner Adam Webb, and Clark believes the new faces can help push St Johnstone up the table.
"There's been a lot of changes, I think 19 boys left and a lot of boys came in, so it will take time to gel but all the lads that have come in have been great," he said.
"The new owner has come in and is doing a lot of things around the place that the boys are noticing, which is great. It’s an exciting time to be at the club.
"We didn’t have a great start last year, we were down there scrapping away. Thankfully we got out of that, which was great, but it’s important we pick up results quick this year.
"We don’t want to be down there chasing everybody, we want to be up there with teams chasing us. Hopefully starting on Sunday we can get three points and then push on from there."
Image source, SNSCraig Levein has had one of those weeks again as St Johnstone manager.
As if losing their opening Premiership game at home to Aberdeen wasn't bad enough, the 59-year-old lost defender Sam McClelland for a couple of months following an injury picked up during the game.
Then came the fan furore after midfielder Cammy MacPherson shared a post on social media by far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
The 25-year-old apologised on Friday evening, with the club confirming the player would now face disciplinary action.
Levein blanked questions about the matter during his pre-match media conference and would not say whether MacPherson would be in his squad to visit Kilmarnock on Sunday.
However, the affair will have been an unwelcome distraction for Levein, who has already admitted that he is having to operate with a playing budget smaller than most of his rivals despite the arrival of the club's new American owners.
St Johnstone recovered from a shock defeat by League 1 side Alloa Athletic to qualify from the League Cup group stage, with strikers Adama Sidibeh, Benjamin Kimpioka and summer arrival Makenzie Kirk proving a potent strike force.
The good news for Levein as he looks for positives again is that Saints are visiting a side yet to win in their four outings this season after Thursday's 2-2 draw at home to Tromso. Albeit three of those were in European competition and the other was against the reigning champions.
Image source, SNSSt Johnstone manager Craig Levein offered his support to Sam McClelland after the defender suffered a serious injury in their Premiership defeat against Aberdeen.
McClelland, 22, was taken off on a stretcher having ruptured his Achilles in Saints' league opener will be out for several months.
"It's disappointing for me, but having had loads of injuries in my own career, I know just how devastating it can be to be out for a lengthy period of time," Levein said.
"Knowing what Sam faces, I feel sorry for him. I just hope his recovery is good and he can get back playing in the fullness of time. It's a really difficult situation for him.
"He's snapped his Achilles. Some players recover quicker than others for some reason – I don't know why – so it's difficult to guess how long he’s going to be out."
Image source, SNSKilmarnock have won both of their last two league meetings with St Johnstone, last winning three in a row versus the Saints in August 2018.
St Johnstone have only lost two of their last seven league trips to Kilmarnock (W3 D2), although one of those was their most recent, a 2-1 defeat in December 2023.
Kilmarnock have only won their opening home game in two of their last 13 top-flight league campaigns (D5 L6), although one of those was last season, beating Rangers 1-0.
St Johnstone have won their first away league match in just one of the last six seasons (D2 L3), beating Motherwell 2-1 in 2022-23.
St Johnstone boss Craig Levein has lost his last four Scottish Premiership matches against Kilmarnock. However, his last four top-flight wins as a manager against Killie have all come at Rugby Park, most recently with Hearts in February 2019 (2-1).
Image source, SNSLewis Neilson, right, aims to become a St Johnstone mainstay this season
Lewis Neilson has declared himself ready to make his mark in the top flight following his St Johnstone debut.
The 21-year-old defender started Monday's 2-1 defeat to Aberdeen after signing on loan from Hearts.
The former Dundee United defender made 43 appearances on loan with Partick Thistle last season and now aims to utilise that experience at a higher level.
"The idea with the loan was I needed to make a step up," said Neilson.
"I didn't want to go back on loan to the Championship. So I'm ready to make my mark in the Premiership this season.
"I came here to play. That's my idea. I want to play as many games as possible, so hopefully I've shown him enough to stay in the team and I'll just keep playing.
"I started the game at right-back, which I'm not too familiar with, but obviously if I'm on the pitch, I'm happy. I'll play wherever I get told to."
Hearts manager Steven Naismith gave Neilson words of encouragement before his move to Perth.
"He said it was a really good pre-season," added Neilson.
“He was really impressed with me and it was a difficult choice to send me on loan and he just felt at the age I'm at, I need to be playing week in, week out and I probably wasn't going to be doing that quite yet at Hearts.
"So to get a Premiership loan was going to be the best option."
Image source, SNSSam McClelland ruptured his Achilles during Monday night's 2-1 defeat by Aberdeen
St Johnstone have confirmed Sam McClelland will be out for "several months" after rupturing his Achilles.
The 22-year-old defender was taken off on a stretcher in the second half of his side's Premiership opener against Aberdeen on Monday.
The Northern Ireland international joined the Perth club from Barrow in 2023 and spent the second half of last season on loan at Dundee United.
McClelland played all four of St Johnstone's League Cup group games this term and appeared to be a major part of Craig Levein's defensive plans.
"Sam had started the season well for us and for this to now happen is terribly unfair," Levein said.
"Sam has the support of everyone at the club and we all wish him a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back on the pitch."
