Callum Davidson: Andy Considine brining much more to St Johnstone than experience

Andy Considine has brought so much more to St Johnstone than purely his experience.

That was the message this week from Perth boss Callum Davidson as the defender prepares for tomorrow’s trip to Kilmarnock.

Considine (35) arrived at McDiarmid Park earlier this summer following a lengthy and successful 18-year spell with Aberdeen.

He has cemented an early-season spot in Davidson’s side, who are off the back of a confidence-boosting 3-0 triumph against St Mirren.

“We’ve got guys who want to defend," Davidson said.

“Andy had been out for a long time, came back and has had to play a lot of games.

“Now we see the benefits of the way he plays, defends and leads the defence.

“Andy is a really experienced player, he knows how to cajole the boys, get into them in training.

“It’s really good and I think it’s helped young Alex Mitchell beside him who’s a young man.

“And he’s got young Adam Montgomery the other side of him so there’s two guys who can run beside him. It’s a really good balance.”

Davidson added: “It’s up to every player to prove themselves at the start. We’ve got Liam Gordon and James Brown sitting there desperate to get in.

“As a back line, you need to be patient. If the team are defending well as a group then it’s harder for players to get in. But I’d rather have that problem than us leaking too many goals from open play.

“I think we can do better from set plays. But from open play we’ve been quite solid.”

Considine will be up against one of his former managers in Derek McInnes, now in the hot-seat at Rugby Park, when Saints head for Ayrshire.

Davidson said: “Derek is a fantastic manager, a proven manager at this level. He’s made some very good signings and his Kilmarnock team works very hard.

“It’s going to be a