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Callum Davidson: 'St Johnstone season could be my greatest memory'

Callum Davidson: 'St Johnstone season could be my greatest memory'
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The 44-year-old is already looking ahead to pre-season and Europe.

St Johnstone boss Callum Davidson admits he has banked enough memories this year to last a lifetime – but that will not stop him striving for more.

The 44-year-old is still buzzing on the afterglow of his side's sensational Scottish Cup and Betfred Cup double.

But Davidson is now turning his attention to next season as he aims to back up this term's surprise achievements.

"I'll go back again and I'll want to win the next game we play," Davidson told Sky Sports News. "My focus is already shifting towards pre-season and the European ties.

"You just do the best you can do and hopefully you get seasons like this.

"If we don't get another season like this, it will probably be my greatest memory."

Davidson fears Saints will now face a battle to keep hold of the key men who have ensured the club joins an elite list of just four Scottish clubs to have won both domestic cup competitions in the same season.

A watertight three-man backline of Jason Kerr, Liam Gordon and Jamie McCart have played vital roles in the double run to Hampden.

Midfielder Ali McCann is also attracting attention having broken into the Northern Ireland squad while wing-back Shaun Rooney is now a Perth hero after scoring the winner in both finals.

Davidson remembers predecessor Tommy Wright having to stare down interest in the likes of Stevie May and Michael O'Halloran after the club won the Scottish Cup for the first time back in 2014.

And he is ready to do the same.

"That's the biggest concern," he confessed. "In the summer of 2014 we got quite a lot of interest in players and rightly so, they deserved it – all the praise, all the plaudits, all the interest.

"So probably the biggest challenge next season is getting a squad together again, we might lose a few. We'll need to work really hard.

"Players like Glenn Middleton (on loan from Rangers) have really enjoyed coming in and being part of a success story. That shows the younger players, the ones who want to come and achieve and play games of football, this is a great place to play."

Davidson made sure to drink in his team's incredible achievement.

But it was not a hangover which has left him nursing a sore head after admitting his hilarious slide across the Hampden dressing room floor – which has now been viewed more than one million times on social media – did not go as planned, with the McDiarmid boss colliding head first with a closed door.

"I like to call it the champagne slide rather than the belly flop!" he joked. "I blame (coach) Steven MacLean, he egged me on to do it, although I didn't take much persuasion.

"The only thing is, I thought the door at the end was going to open, so my head went smashing into it.

"It actually hurt, it really hurt but I had to get up and pretend I was alright. I'd have looked a bit of a fool if I'd have lay down on the floor for five minutes. It was just part of the enjoyment of it."

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St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson celebrates winning the Scottish League Cup in February 2021
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CountryGold medalSilver MedalBronze MedalT
ChinaChina36261779
United StatesUnited States31363198
JapanJapan24111651
Great BritainGreat Britain18202058
Olympics flagRussian Olympic Committee17232262
Today's Olympic highlights header

Saturday's key events


ATHLETICS
· Team GB have three contenders in the women's marathon - Stephanie Davis, Jess Piasecki and Stephanie Twell (10pm)
· The women's high jump final includes Great Britain's Morgan Lake (11.35am)
· Jessica Judd and Eilish McColgan compete in the women's 10,000m final, but most eyes will be on world record holder Letesenbet Gidey of Ethiopia (11.45am)
· There is more British representation in the men's 1500m final as Jake Heyward, Josh Kerr and Jake Wightman bid for a place on the podium. New Olympic record holder Abel Kipsang of Kenya is among the favourites for gold (2.40pm)
· The women's 4x400m relay promises to be a thrilling affair, with USA favourites and Great Britain involved (1.30pm)
· After the women's it is the men's 4x400m relay final, with USA also among the front-runners for gold in that (1.50pm)

GOLF
· The women's golf tournament comes to a head, with USA's Nelly Korda holding a three-shot leading going into the final round (10.30pm)

DIVING
· Tom Daley overcame a slow start to qualify for the men's 10m platform semi-final (2am), and will hope to be part of the final as he bids for a second Olympic gold at Tokyo (7am)

BASKETBALL
· USA's domination of the basketball could continue in the men's gold medal match as they take on France (3.30am)

BEACH VOLLEYBALL
· Gold is up for grabs in the men's final as Norway take on the Olympic athletes from Russia (3.30am)

BOXING
· Gal Yafai has a date with destiny in the men's flyweight gold medal bout against Carlo Paalam of the Philippines (6am)

WATER POLO
· Spain and USA go head to head in the women's gold medal match (8.30am)

CYCLING
· After a masterful gold medal-winning display by Team GB's women on Friday, the men look to emulate their teammates in the madison final (8.55am)

BASEBALL
· The day of gold medal games continues in baseball as hosts Japan look to beat USA to the top prize (11am)

EQUESTRIAN
· Team GB will be gunning for more glory in equestrian when they take part in the jumping team final (11am)

HANDBALL
· A gold-laden Saturday also includes the men's handball gold medal match, with France facing Denmark (1pm)

VOLLEYBALL
· France are also involved in the gold medal match in the volleyball, taking on the Russian Olympic Committee in a bid for top spot on the podium (1.15pm)

FOOTBALL
· Two football giants compete for the gold medal in the men's final as defending champions Brazil take on Spain (2.30pm)

> Today's schedule in full
Todays Game Header Right
Championship
Community Shield
Olympic Games Men's Football
Scottish Premiership
Ligue 1
Primeira Liga
Coppa Italia
DFB-Pokal
League One
League Two
Scottish Championship
Scottish League One
Scottish League Two
Pre-Season Friendlies
Belgian Pro League
Swiss Super League
Russian Premier League
Ukrainian Premier League
Swedish Allsvenskan
Finnish Veikkausliiga
League of Ireland Premier
Ligue 2
Eerste Divisie
Brasileiro
Copa Diego Maradona
Uruguayan Primera Division
Liga MX
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1RangersRangers11003033
2Aberdeen11002023
3Hibernian11003213
4Hearts11002113
5Dundee10102201
6St Mirren10102201
7Ross County10100001
8St Johnstone10100001
9Motherwell100123-10
10Celtic100112-10
11Dundee UnitedDundee Utd100102-20
12Livingston100103-30

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