St Johnstone’s relegation from the Scottish Premiership has been confirmed, ending their 16-year stay in the top flight.
A 2-1 loss to Hearts ended their slim hopes of survival as they fell to their fourth straight league defeat, their 21st of the season.
The Perth side have been a constant in the top flight since former boss Derek McInnes led them to promotion in season 2008/09.
Simo Valakari took charge at Saints last October, replacing Craig Levein who was sacked with the club sitting 10th in the table.
How was St Johnstone’s relegation confirmed?
Valakari’s side have been bottom ever since losing at Tynecastle the weekend before Christmas and, despite a valiant effort to improve their predicament in recent months, they were unable to take their fight to the final day.
An early own goal from Saints defender Barry Douglas followed by Alan Forrest’s strike left the Perth men up against it at the break. Despite pulling one back through substitute Graham Carey, their fate was confirmed when Ross County – the team directly above them – secured a point away to Dundee with an equaliser several minutes after the match at Tynecastle had finished.
Hearts’ Harry Milne celebrates after his cross is turned in for an own goal to make it 1-0 vs St Johnstone
Hearts, who are set to seal the appointment of Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes as their new boss in the coming days, were able to enjoy a third win in a row since caretaker Liam Fox took the reins following the sacking of Neil Critchley last month.
Saints had a chance to pull one back just before the break when McPake dispossessed Frankie Kent and burst clear but goalkeeper Fulton spread himself to make an impressive save.
The visitors were booed off by their supporters at the break and Valakari responded with a double substitution for the start of the second half as Griffith and Sam Curtis were replaced by Graham Carey and Sprangler.
Hearts captain Shankland – out of contract this summer and potentially playing his last game at Tynecastle – went agonisingly close to finding the net with an audacious attempt from the halfway line on the hour mark.
Alan Forrest scores to make it 2-0 to Hearts
Saints gave themselves a glimmer of hope in the 74th minute when Carey curled home a free-kick from 20 yards out. Despite a narrow defeat, it looked like they might at least get to take their fight to the final day until County’s stoppage-time goal at Dens Park consigned them to the Championship for the first time since 2009 after the Saints players had already gone up the tunnel.
What the managers said
St Johnstone boss Simo Valakari: “I see it this way – we could not get the result in our game so it was out of our hands what happened elsewhere.
“We cry tonight, we cry tomorrow and then on Friday we turn our heads to changing this club back to winning ways. That starts on Sunday.
“We respect the table. We weren’t good enough or clinical enough in key moments. We put ourselves in a difficult place. When you need a favour you’re relying on luck but it wasn’t to be.
“When you look at the history of this club it has been difficult for a few years. We’ve been fighting relegation for a while. Now it has happened and it hurts.
“I’ve already told my players it was hard to play in this relegation battle, but if this was pressure, it will be even more pressure next year,” he said.
“Pushing for promotion you need to be at your best every day and even when you are not at your best you still need to get results.”
Hearts caretaker manager Liam Fox on his team winning three successive games for the first time since February 2024: “I think that stat probably backs it up, I get people will pour cold water on it and say you’re in the bottom six. Yes, you’re right, but it’s still difficult to win three games back to back in the Scottish Premiership. It’s tough.
“As you can see tonight, we had to work really, really hard for it. So I’m delighted. Let’s see if we can make it four on Sunday.”
