2025–26 St Johnstone F.C. season
St Johnstone 2025–26 football season
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The 2025–26 season is St Johnstone's first season in the Scottish Championship and their first season back in the second tier of Scottish football following their relegation from the Scottish Premiership at the end of the 2024–25 season. Saints will also compete in the League Cup, Scottish Cup, and for the first time in 16 years, the Challenge Cup.
| 2025–26 season | |
|---|---|
| Chief executive | Francis Smith |
| Manager | Simo Valakari |
| Stadium | McDiarmid Park |
| Scottish Championship | Winners |
| Scottish Cup | Third round |
| League Cup | Second round |
| Challenge Cup | Quarter-finals |
| Top goalscorer | League: Josh McPake (16) All: Josh McPake (19) |
| Highest home attendance | 8,347 vs. Dunfermline Athletic, Championship, 24 January 2026 |
| Lowest home attendance | 999 vs. Ayr United, Challenge Cup, 17 February 2026 |
| Average home league attendance | 4,658 |
Competitions
Win Draw Loss Postponed
Pre-season and friendlies
| 5 July 2025 | Forfar Athletic | 1–1 | St Johnstone | Forfar |
| 14:00 BST | Morrison  33' |
Report | Gullan 9 pen.' |
Stadium: Station Park Attendance: 992 Referee: Duncan Nicolson |
| 8 July 2025 | St Johnstone | 0–1 | Falkirk | Perth |
| 19:30 BST | Report | Arfield 9' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 2,004 Referee: Greg Soutar |
| 15 July 2025 | St Johnstone | 1–1 | Dundee United | Perth |
| 19:45 BST | Kirk 86' |
Report | Esselink 18' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Referee: Nick Walsh |
Scottish Championship
| 2 August 2025 1 | St Johnstone | 5–1 | Partick Thistle | Perth |
| 15:00 | Gullan 17' McPake 28', 37', 48'Mallan 82' |
Report | Reading 15' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 4,991 Referee: Ross Hardie |
| 8 August 2025 2 | Ross County | 0–1 | St Johnstone | Dingwall |
| 19:45 | Report | Ikpeazu 82' |
Stadium: Victoria Park Attendance: 3,185 Referee: Dan McFarlane |
| 23 August 2025 3 | St Johnstone | 3–0 | Arbroath | Perth |
| 15:00 | Baird 31' Holt 60'Mallan 71 pen.' |
Report | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 4,013 Referee: Peter Stuart |
| 30 August 2025 4 | St Johnstone | 1–1 | Greenock Morton | Perth |
| 15:00 | McPake 83' |
Report | Brophy 22' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 3,548 Referee: Grant Irvine |
| 13 September 2025 5 | Raith Rovers | 0–2 | St Johnstone | Kirkcaldy |
| 15:00 | Report | Sidibeh 29' McPake 88' |
Stadium: Stark's Park Attendance: 5,163 Referee: Chris Graham |
| 19 September 2025 6 | St Johnstone | 2–1 | Dunfermline Athletic | Perth |
| 19:45 | Fotheringham 51' McPake 83' |
Report | MacLeod 83' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 6,232 Referee: Matthew Macdermid |
| 23 September 2025 7 | Airdrieonians | 1–2 | St Johnstone | Airdrie |
| 19:45 | Cooper 74' Reid  90+7' |
Report | Gullan 9' Diabate 19' 90+6' |
Stadium: Excelsior Stadium Attendance: 1,874 Referee: Lloyd Wilson |
| 27 September 2025 8 | Queen's Park | 1–2 | St Johnstone | Glasgow |
| 15:00 | Fowler 43' |
Report | Fotheringham 37' McPake 89' |
Stadium: Lesser Hampden Attendance: 893 Referee: Peter Stuart |
| 4 October 2025 9 | St Johnstone | 0–0 | Ayr United | Perth |
| 15:00 | Report | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 4,277 Referee: Ryan Lee |
| 11 October 2025 10 | St Johnstone | 0–0 | Ross County | Perth |
| 15:00 | Report | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 3,750 Referee: David Dickinson |
| 18 October 2025 11 | Arbroath | 3–1 | St Johnstone | Arbroath |
| 15:00 | Marshall 51', 62' Reilly 57' |
Report | McPake 5' |
Stadium: Gayfield Park Attendance: 2,788 Referee: Duncan Nicolson |
| 25 October 2025 12 | Greenock Morton | 0–4 | St Johnstone | Greenock |
| 15:00 | Report | Diabate 5' Gullan 12', 34'McPake 26' |
Stadium: Cappielow Attendance: 2,068 Referee: Euan Anderson |
| 1 November 2025 13 | St Johnstone | 3–0 | Airdrieonians | Perth |
| 15:00 | Sidibeh 25', 53', 73' |
Report | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 4,607 Referee: Greg Soutar |
| 8 November 2025 14 | Dunfermline Athletic | 2–2 | St Johnstone | Dunfermline |
| 15:00 | Stewart 8' A.Tod 90+1' |
Report | McAlear 30' Smith 66' |
Stadium: East End Park Attendance: 6,894 Referee: Ross Hardie |
| 15 November 2025 15 | St Johnstone | 4–3 | Queen's Park | Perth |
| 15:00 | Gullan 16', 30 pen.' Stanton 18'Baird 84' |
Report | Drozd 59' Fowler 62 pen.'Friel 90+2' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 4,012 Referee: Alastair Grieve |
| 22 November 2025 16 | Partick Thistle | 2–1 | St Johnstone | Glasgow |
| 15:00 | O'Reilly 6' Watt 45+2' |
Report | McPake 71' |
Stadium: Firhill Stadium Attendance: 5,461 Referee: Don Robertson |
| 6 December 2025 17 | St Johnstone | 0–0 | Raith Rovers | Perth |
| 15:00 | Report | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 4,113 Referee: Lloyd Wilson |
| 12 December 2025 18 | Ayr United | 2–4 | St Johnstone | Ayr |
| 19:45 | McKenzie 8' Murphy 14' |
Report | Foulds 47' McPake 77', 88'Fotheringham 90+2' |
Stadium: Somerset Park Attendance: 1,946 Referee: Colin Steven |
| 20 December 2025 19 | St Johnstone | 5–0 | Greenock Morton | Perth |
| 15:00 | McPake 12' Stanton 24'Gullan 39', 70'Sidibeh 76' |
Report | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 4,363 Referee: Colin Steven |
| 27 December 2025 20 | Ross County | 0–0 | St Johnstone | Dingwall |
| 15:00 | Report | Stadium: Victoria Park Attendance: 3,433 Referee: Sean Murdoch |
| 3 January 2026 21 | St Johnstone | 1–0 | Arbroath | Perth |
| 15:00 | Sidibeh 25' |
Report | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 4,462 Referee: Iain Snedden |
| 24 January 2026 22 | St Johnstone | 0–1 | Dunfermline Athletic | Perth |
| 15:00 | Report | Fraser 50' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 8,347 Referee: David Dickinson |
| 30 January 2026 23 | St Johnstone | 2–2 | Partick Thistle | Perth |
| 19:45 | Agyeman 48' McPake 66' |
Report | Smyth 42', 90+6 pen.' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 5,949 Referee: Sean Murdoch |
| 13 February 2026 24 | Airdrieonians | 0–1 | St Johnstone | Airdrie |
| 19:45 | Report | Paton 22' |
Stadium: Excelsior Stadium Attendance: 1,641 Referee: Colin Steven |
| 20 February 2026 25 | Raith Rovers | 0–0 | St Johnstone | Kirkcaldy |
| 19:45 | Report | Stadium: Stark's Park Attendance: 4,121 Referee: Ross Hardie |
| 24 February 2026 26 | Queen's Park | 1–1 | St Johnstone | Glasgow |
| 19:45 | Murray 90' |
Report | Fowler 55' Boyes 90+1' |
Stadium: Lesser Hampden Attendance: 805 Referee: Calum Scott |
| 28 February 2026 27 | St Johnstone | 3–1 | Ayr United | Perth |
| 15:00 | McAlear 16' Diabate 42'Paton 86' |
Report | Dick 18' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 3,961 Referee: Dan McFarlane |
| 7 March 2026 28 | Greenock Morton | 0–2 | St Johnstone | Greenock |
| 15:00 | Report | McAlear 79' Smith 88' |
Stadium: Cappielow Attendance: 1,798 Referee: Duncan Nicolson |
| 14 March 2026 29 | St Johnstone | 1–0 | Ross County | Perth |
| 15:00 | McAlear 25' |
Report | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 4,223 Referee: Colin Steven |
| 20 March 2026 30 | Partick Thistle | 0–0 | St Johnstone | Glasgow |
| 19:45 | Report | Stadium: Firhill Stadium Attendance: 6,137 Referee: Duncan Nicolson |
| 28 March 2026 31 | St Johnstone | 1–1 | Queen's Park | Perth |
| 15:00 | McPake 48' |
Report | Murray 32' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 3,798 Referee: Kevin Clancy |
| 4 April 2026 32 | Arbroath | 2–4 | St Johnstone | Arbroath |
| 15:00 | Dow 34' O'Brien 58' |
Report | Gullan 41' Smith 56'Fowler 66'Baird 74' |
Stadium: Gayfield Park Attendance: 2,525 Referee: Lloyd Wilson |
| 11 April 2026 33 | St Johnstone | 4–0 | Airdrieonians | Perth |
| 15:00 | Paton 16', 35' Boyes 34'McPake 81 pen.' |
Report | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 3,682 Referee: Grant Irvine |
| 21 April 2026 34 | Dunfermline Athletic | 0–2 | St Johnstone | Dunfermline |
| 19:45 | Report | McAlear 56' Paton 73' |
Stadium: East End Park Attendance: 7,691 Referee: Don Robertson |
| 24 April 2026 35 | St Johnstone | 2–0 | Raith Rovers | Perth |
| 19:45 | Gullan 21 pen.', 41' |
Report | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Referee: Dan McFarlane |
| 1 May 2026 36 | Ayr United | 0–1 | St Johnstone | Ayr |
| 19:45 | Report | Fotheringham 37' |
Stadium: Somerset Park Referee: Josh Hay |
Scottish League Cup
Group stage
| 12 July 2025 Group stage | East Kilbride | 1–3 | St Johnstone | East Kilbride |
| 15:00 | Robertson 7' |
Report | Gullan 52' Sidibeh 60'Kirk 81' |
Stadium: K-Park Training Academy Attendance: 690 Referee: Daniel Graves |
| 19 July 2025 Group stage | Inverness CT | 0–1 | St Johnstone | Inverness |
| 15:00 | Report | Ikpeazu 90' |
Stadium: Caledonian Stadium Attendance: 1,585 Referee: Graham Grainger |
| 22 July 2025 Group stage | St Johnstone | 3–1 | Raith Rovers | Perth |
| 19:45 | Gullan 27' McPake 51'Kirk 80' |
Report | Hamilton 57' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 3,358 Referee: Greg Soutar |
| 26 July 2025 Group stage | St Johnstone | 8–0 | Elgin City | Perth |
| 15:00 | Tumilty 3' Kirk 20', 79'Gullan 42', 45+1'Stanton 65'Ikpeazu 78'Sprangler 84' |
Report | Ritchie 7' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 2,398 Referee: Peter Stuart |
Knockout phase
| 16 August 2025 Second round | St Johnstone | 0–1 (a.e.t.) | Motherwell | Perth |
| 15:00 | Report | Fadinger 109' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 4,330 Referee: David Dickinson |
Scottish Challenge Cup
| 16 December 2025 Second round | Heart of Midlothian B | 0–1 | St Johnstone | Edinburgh |
| 19:45 | Report | Gullan 76' |
Stadium: Ainslie Park Referee: Josh Hay | |
| Note: Match postponed due to Storm Bram. | ||||
| 13 January 2026 Third round | St Johnstone | 2–0 | Ross County | Perth |
| 19:45 | McPake 18' Lloyd 48' |
Report | Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 1,815 Referee: Grant Irvine |
| 17 February 2026 Quarter-finals | St Johnstone | 3–3 (4–5 p) | Ayr United | Falkirk |
| 19:45 | McPake 30 pen.' Smith 89'Gullan 90+4' |
Report | Oakley 15', 29' Holt 47' |
Stadium: Falkirk Stadium Attendance: 999 Referee: Lloyd Wilson |
Scottish Cup
| 29 November 2025 Third round | St Johnstone | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Cove Rangers | Perth |
| 15:00 | Ikpeazu 24' |
Report | Megginson 73' Emslie 100' |
Stadium: McDiarmid Park Attendance: 2,024 Referee: Chris Graham |
Squad statistics
Appearances and goals
- As of 1 May 2026
No. Pos Nat Player Total Championship League Cup Challenge Cup Scottish Cup Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals[1] 1 GK 
ENGToby Steward 45 0 36 0 5 0 3 0 1 0 2 DF 
SCOReghan Tumilty 14 1 3+5 0 3+1 1 1 0 1 0 3 DF ENGCheick Diabate 42 3 34 3 3+2 0 2 0 1 0 4 DF 
WALMorgan Boyes 39 1 26+5 1 5 0 2+1 0 0 0 5 DF 
CROBožo Mikulić 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 6 MF 
PANVíctor Griffith 6 0 0+4 0 0 0 1+1 0 0 0 7 MF SCOJason Holt 42 1 35 1 5 0 2 0 0 0 8 MF 
SWEJonathan Svedberg 16 0 8+3 0 1+2 0 1+1 0 0 0 9 FW ENGJosh Fowler 12 2 5+7 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 FW SCOJamie Gullan 41 17 30+3 11 5 4 0+2 2 1 0 11 MF SCOSam Stanton 30 3 16+9 2 0+2 1 3 0 0 0 14 DF ENGMatty Foulds 29 1 16+5 1 4 0 3 0 0+1 0 15 DF SCOJack Baird 33 3 24+2 3 3+1 0 2+1 0 0 0 17 FW WALLouis Lloyd 8 1 1+4 0 0 0 1+1 1 0+1 0 18 FW 
IRLRuari Paton 14 5 10+3 5 0 0 1 0 0 0 19 FW SCOTaylor Steven 14 0 1+8 0 1+3 0 1 0 0 0 20 GK SCORoss Sinclair 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 FW SCOKai Fotheringham 25 4 12+10 4 0 0 0+2 0 0+1 0 22 MF SCOStevie Mallan 19 1 7+6 1 2+1 0 2 0 1 0 24 MF SCOJosh McPake 41 19 33 16 4+1 1 2 2 1 0 27 FW 
GHAAlfredo Agyeman 10 1 2+7 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 33 DF SCOLiam Smith 28 4 24+1 3 0 0 1+1 1 1 0 35 DF SCOAdam Forrester 19 0 17+2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 39 GK SCOKyle Thomson 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 42 MF SCOReece McAlear 41 5 34+1 5 3+1 0 1 0 1 0 46 MF 
POLFran Franczak 8 0 0+4 0 1+1 0 1 0 0+1 0 49 MF SCOJack Robetson 1 0 0+1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 52 DF SCOArran Brookfield 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Departures 9 FW 
GAMAdama Sidibeh 26 7 18+1 6 5 1 0+1 0 0+1 0 15 MF GHAAaron Essel 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 18 FW 
UGAUche Ikpeazu 18 4 0+12 1 0+4 2 0+1 0 1 1 23 MF 
AUTSven Sprangler 20 1 3+10 0 3+2 1 1 0 1 0 27 FW 
NIRMakenzie Kirk 7 4 0+2 0 2+3 4 0 0 0 0 31 GK SCOCraig Hepburn 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 37 FW 
GERJannik Wanner 8 0 0+7 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 38 MF SCOScott Bright 3 0 0+2 0 0+1 0 0 0 0 0 45 FW SCOJackson Mylchreest 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 51 FW SCOMurray Binnie 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Team statistics
League table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion, qualification or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Johnstone (C, P) | 36 | 22 | 11 | 3 | 67 | 25 | +42 | 77 | Promotion to the Premiership |
| 2 | Partick Thistle (Q) | 36 | 17 | 15 | 4 | 53 | 36 | +17 | 66 | Qualification for the Premiership play-off semi-final |
| 3 | Arbroath (Q) | 36 | 13 | 13 | 10 | 43 | 41 | +2 | 52 | Qualification for the Premiership play-off quarter-final |
| 4 | Dunfermline Athletic (Q) | 36 | 14 | 9 | 13 | 52 | 41 | +11 | 51 | |
| 5 | Raith Rovers | 36 | 12 | 9 | 15 | 43 | 42 | +1 | 45 |
League Cup table
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | PW | PL | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | STJ | RAI | ICT | EKB | ELG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Johnstone | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 2 | +13 | 12 | Qualification for the second round | — | 3–1 | — | — | 8–0 | |
| 2 | Raith Rovers | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 9 | +4 | 6 | — | — | 5–1 | 2–4 | — | ||
| 3 | Inverness Caledonian Thistle | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 8 | +1 | 6 | 0–1 | — | — | — | 2–0 | ||
| 4 | East Kilbride | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 12 | −1 | 6 | 1–3 | — | 2–6 | — | — | ||
| 5 | Elgin City | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 19 | −17 | 0 | — | 1–5 | — | 1–4 | — |
Transfers
In
| Date | Player | Transferred from | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 June 2025 |  Jack Baird |
Greenock Morton |
Free | [6] |
 Morgan Boyes |
[7] | |||
| Jamie Gullan |
Raith Rovers |
[8] | ||
| 17 June 2025 | Sam Stanton |
[9] | ||
| Reghan Tumilty |
Hamilton Academical |
[10] | ||
| 3 July 2025 |  Matty Foulds |
Harrogate Town |
[11] | |
| 7 July 2025 | Cheick Diabate |
Exeter City |
[12] | |
| 14 July 2025 | Louis Lloyd |
Caernarfon Town |
Undisclosed | [13] |
| 17 July 2025 | Stevie Mallan |
Unattached | Free | [14] |
| 18 July 2025 | Reece McAlear |
Livingston |
Undisclosed | [15] |
| 25 August 2025 | Kai Fotheringham |
Dundee United |
[16] | |
| 27 August 2025 | Liam Smith |
 Bohemian |
Free | [17] |
| 29 January 2026 | Josh Fowler |
Queen's Park |
Undisclosed | [18] |
Out
Loans in
| Date | Player | Transferred from | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 July 2025 | Toby Steward |
Portsmouth |
[40] |
| 7 August 2025 | Adam Forrester |
Heart of Midlothian |
[41] |
| 9 September 2025 |  Jannik Wanner |
Livingston |
[42] |
| 20 January 2026 |  Alfredo Agyeman |
Falkirk |
[43] |
| 2 February 2026 | Ruari Paton |
Port Vale |
[44] |
Loans out
| Date | Player | Transferred to | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 18 July 2025 | Craig Hepburn |
Brechin City |
[45] |
| 28 July 2025 | Murray Binnie |
Jeanfield Swifts |
[46] |
| 15 August 2025 | Jackson Mylchreest |
Cove Rangers |
[47] |
| 29 August 2025 | Taylor Steven |
Arbroath |
[48] |
| 10 September 2025 | Scott Bright |
Forfar Athletic |
[49] |
| 6 January 2026 | Craig Hepburn |
East Kilbride |
[50] |
| 2 February 2026 |  Sven Sprangler |
Newport County |
[51] |
| 23 April 2026 | Ross Sinclair |
St Mirren |
[52] |