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St. Johnstone F.C. is a professional football club based in Perth, Scotland. Until 1924 the committee of St Johnstone picked the team but with the club gaining promotion out of the second division it was decided to begin the search for a dedicated manager. The club would now be up against the country's bigger teams and it was deemed necessary to appoint one man to manage the team full time. Since that date the position has been held by 21 different managers excluding any caretaker managers who may have stepped in on a temporary basis. All but two to date have been Scottish. Two have also left to take over the Scottish national team. Each manager's period in office is also indicated.

David Taylor
May 1924 – April 1931

St Johnstone began their search for their first manager by advertising the position nationally although John Hart, the club captain at the time, was the most popular suggestion locally. Taylor was lured north from Burnley where he played in defence. He came with a succesful record in England, during his time at Bradford City and later Burnley, he won F.A. Cup winners' medals and also League Championships. He was to serve at Perth for seven years but couldn't take the club any higher than ninth place, his record in cup competitions was also poor. His services were dispensed with in April 1931 after he failed to take St Johnstone back up after suffering relegation in the 1929/30 season. After leaving St Johnstone, Taylor later managed Dunfermline in Scotland and Carlisle United in England.

Tommy Muirhead
June 1931 – April 1936

It was a man with an impressive playing career who was hired next. Tommy Muirhead had a very successful record with Glasgow Rangers and Scotland, and also played and managed in the United States. He also had a brief spell as a sports journalist before taking up the post at Perth. Muirhead got his Saints career off to a great start, winning promotion to the first division then reaching a very creditable fifth place twice and also reached the last four of the Scottish Cup. Clubs in England began to take notice and Saints did turn down an offer from Sheffield Wednesday but with such an impressive record it wasn't long before Preston North End were able to persuade the club to part with him. Muirhead only spent one season at Preston though.

David Rutherford
April 1936 – April 1947

Saints appointed their next manager from within the club. David Rutherford had joined the club in the summer of 1932, one of scores of applicants for the trainer's job. As well as a footballing background he was also a fine athlete. Although at eleven years his spell in charge is the longest to date, that tenure was interrupted by the Second World War. To Rutherford's—and everyone else's—dismay, St Johnstone were "relegated" when the football leagues began again after the war. They had finished the last league season before the outbreak of war in eighth position, a level normally well clear of the relegation places. In the seasons Rutherford did manage the club they usually finished in the top ten of Division One. However, Rutherford's time in charge of the team was to come to a tragic end. Rutherford lived in the shadow of Muirton Park, across the Dunkeld Road in Stanley Crescent. It was in the garden of his home that he collapsed and died at the age of 62. The final home game of the 46/47 season was due to be played the following day.

Jimmy Crapnell
May 1947 – January 1953

Crapnell was the next man to hold the position, but it was to be considerably shorter than his predecessor. In Crapnell's six year spell at St Johnstone he neither won the club promotion out of the ′B′ Division nor did he make much impact in the cups. For a man whose playing career brought him nine full international caps whilst playing for Airdrie, and almost winning the Scottish Cup with Motherwell, he himself must have known he'd fallen short of his own standard at Perth for he resigned from his post at the start of 1953. It was noted that the club accepted his decision "with some reluctance".

Johnny Pattillo
February 1953 – May 1958

No one at Muirton could foresee the success which was to come after Johnny Pattillo, but the man from Aberdeen, chosen from a couple of dozen applicants, was another to have little success in the St Johnstone manager's job. Pattillo was given a house in Perth (bought by the club a few years earlier) along with the job but his on-field results didn't repay the club's off-field faith in him. Pattillo's team had only managed 12th in his 4th season in charge, his cup campaigns were poor, and with things looking no better towards the end of the 1957/58 season, the club decided to act. The club chairman informed Pattillo that they were getting rid of him at the close of the season and the position of full-time manager was being axed as well. The club's poor financial state had forced them to dispense with a full-time manager. A cleary disappointed Pattillo is quoted as saying, "It has been a thankless job and a real source of worry but I have no axe to grind."

Bobby Brown
June 1958 – February 1967

The club's next manager, Bobby Brown, proved to be the most successful to date. The thirty-five year old physical education teacher from Alloa was eventually chosen from a short list of four selected from an initial 32 applications for the post. Brown came to Perth with an impressive playing record in the game. In his twelve years as Rangers goalkeeper he won three league titles, three Scottish Cups, and two League Cups. He also notched up three full Scotland international caps in that time.

There then followed eight very successful years at St Johnstone. They won the Second Division in season 1959/60, and although they dropped back down again he quickly took the club back to the First Division. This time they kept their position in the top league and Brown also took the club to a League Cup semi-final in 1961 against his old club Rangers.

Brown was to be the first St Johnstone manager to be lured away to manage the national team, taking up the Scotland job in February 1967. The St Johnstone support were naturally disappointed to lose a successful manager but they could be proud of his advancement and subsequent Scotland results of nine wins, eight draws and eleven losses in 28 full internationals. His first match as Scotland boss was a notable one: a 3–2 victory over World Cup holders England at Wembley Stadium.

Willie Ormond
March 1967 – January 1973

Willie Ormond, a member of Hibernian's Famous Five forward line, was next to take the Muirton job. He'd won three league titles with Hibs and reached three cup finals but lost on each occasion. Ormond also earned six full Scotland international caps to cap a formidable playing career. It was a career in which he broke his leg three times.

Ormond managed probably one of the greatest Saints squads featuring legends such as John Connolly and Henry Hall. Under Ormond's stewardship the club reached the League Cup Final in 1969, had their first ever crack at European competition (doing very well), and had their best ever league finish in the top division, third place in the 1970/71 season.

When Tommy Docherty gave up the Scotland manager's job to go to Old Trafford and manage Manchester United, Ormond became the second St Johnstone manager in succession to boss the national side. He took Scotland to the 1974 World Cup Finals in West Germany and returned undefeated although they still didn't do enough to reach the next stage. Ormond was given an OBE in 1975 and later managed both Edinburgh clubs before retiring from the game. He died in 1984.

Jackie Stewart
January 1973 – February 1976

Ormond's successor was Jackie Stewart and he was the man who would lead St Johnstone into the modern era heralded by the new three league set up, although ultimately he wouldn't survive the club's first season in the new Premier Division. Stewart had played the game professionally for almost twenty years serving just two clubs – Dundee and Airdrie. After a short, but successful, spell in management with Dumbarton he signed up for the manager's post at Perth in January 1973. He was successful in finishing high enough (9th) in the old two-league set up to qualify for the new ten team Premier Division which began in the 1975/76 season. Although the club were operating a full-time squad they had a disastrous season winning just three out of 36 games. Stewart resigned long before the season was over. He then drifted in and out of the game before dying relatively young in his forties.

Jim Storrie
April 1976 – August 1978

Jim Storrie's tenure was almost over within a year. Only the casting vote of the chairman Jack McKinlay was enough to save Storrie after the board of directors took a vote to remove him during his first full season in charge.

With Saints heading for relegation by the time he took over from Jackie Stewart, Storrie focused his attentions on assessing his players for the forthcoming 1976/77 season. That season was almost another disaster and it almost cost Storrie his job as already mentioned. It was only a win at Queen of the South on the last day which saved them from dropping two leagues in successive seasons.

His second season was again disappointing – finishing 8th in the first division (which was by then the 2nd tier in Scottish football).

Storrie didn't last long in the 1978/79 season, he resigned, personally disappointed with his poor start.

Alex Stuart
October 1978 – April 1980

Stuart played for both of St Johnstone's Tayside rivals Dundee and Dundee United before moving into management. He went to Ayr United from Montrose when Ayr's manager Ally MacLeod took the Aberdeen job.

Aberdeen had clearly been watching Stuart's progress because when Ally MacLeod left to manage Scotland, Aberdeen tried to get Stuart as his replacement. They tried again when Billy McNeil left Aberdeen to go to Celtic.

When Stuart did take up the manager's position at St Johnstone he did so without a written contract as he apparently didn't think it was necessary.

"St Johnstone used to be a proud wee club. If I can restore that pride I will be doing well."

Results said otherwise though. His first season was a disappointment, finishing just clear of relegation. His second season was no better and the club's board acted. Stuart was sacked over the telephone early in the morning on a Saturday when the team were due to travel to Ayr United.

Alex Rennie
April 1980 – May 1985

There were rumours that Willie Ormond would return but it was former player and club captain, Alex Rennie, who returned as manager. He'd played more than 250 times for Saints including being a part of the club's first foray into European competition.

Under Rennie the club began a steady climb back to the top league. His first season (80/81) saw them make 8th place, followed by a promising 5th the next season. Season 82/83 saw Saints win promotion to the Premier Division as champions under Rennie. Hundreds of supporters streamed onto the Muirton Park pitch in celebration that day in May as the final whistle blew against Dunfermline Athletic. They had already guaranteed promotion the week before at Alloa.

Their stay in the highest league was a short one though, they were relegated at the end of the 83/84 season. They then suffered the unenviable feat of being relegated again to Division Two.

Predictably, Rennie was sacked.

Ian Gibson
July 1985 – April 1987

The man chosen for the task of revitalising the club was their own player, Ian Gibson, who stepped up to player/manager. His career before St Johnstone included spells at Partick Thistle and Dundee United before previous manager Alex Rennie brought him to Perth. Gibson and his team could only manage sixth in season 1985/86. Although they did challenge for promotion in periods of season 86/87, Gibson's managerial contract was terminated when it became apparent they would have to spend at least one more season in the bottom league. He did continue as a player for a time but soon left the club completely.

Alex Totten
April 1987 – December 1992

Totten came to St Johnstone with more than twenty years' experience behind him both as a player and a manager. As a player he'd briefly worn the famous red of Liverpool alongside names like Ian St. John and Tommy Smith. He had also played for Dundee then experienced European football with Dunfermline before moving on to Falkirk, Queen of the South and finished his playing career at Alloa.

Still at Alloa after hanging up his boots, he worked his way up from coach to manage Alloa, taking them up a league. He gained further managerial experience at Falkirk before stepping up as assistant manager at Rangers. His final managing position before joining St Johnstone was at Dumbarton.

When he came to Perth in April 1987 it was with a long playing and managing pedigree. He quickly brought in several key players to take St Johnstone back up to the First Division in his first full season in charge. Totten then took the club back to the top league after winning the First Division in season 1989/90. The club were now playing at their new ground McDiarmid Park and in between the two promotions they had taken Rangers to a replay in a Scottish Cup semi-final. The dark days of the mid 1980s were now behind them. Although Totten had the club making good progress in the Premier League and took them to another Scottish Cup semi-final, club chairman Geoff Brown was unhappy at the lack of young talent coming through the ranks and sacked Totten shortly before Christmas 1992.

John McClelland
December 1992 – November 1993

John McClelland spent less than a full year at St Johnstone as player/manager. He'd had a long playing career before St Johnstone, most notably with Mansfield Town, Rangers and Watford. He also gained more than 50 international caps with Northern Ireland. After taking over half way through the 1992/93 season, McClelland's team finished the season in mid table but they would find themselves relegated the following season although McClelland himself didn't see the season out, leaving the club in November 1993. St Johnstone finished tenth out of twelve teams: three clubs were relegated that season to allow the creation of a ten-team Premier Divsion in 1994/95.

Paul Sturrock
November 1993 – September 1998

Sturrock couldn't prevent the club being relegated in the season where he took over from McClelland in November 1993. They then finished mid table in the First Division in his first full season at the helm. Next season saw them move up one place in the final league table but just a couple of points of the play-off place for the Premier Division. Season 1996/97 saw Sturrock take the club back to the Premier Division, winning the First Division championship by a considerable twenty point margin. It was again a mid table finish the next season back in the top league.

In September 1998, Sturrock left St Johnstone to take on the manager's job at Dundee United, the club where he'd made his name as a player.

Sandy Clark
September 1998 – September 2001

Billy Stark
October 2001 – April 2004

John Connolly
May 2004 – April 2005

Owen Coyle
April 2005 – November 2007

Derek McInnes
November 2007 – October 2011

Steve Lomas
November 2011 – 6 June 2013