St Johnstone Community Trust continuing to better and save lives as deserved shot at European awards glory comes into focus

There is often little time available for the St Johnstone Community Trust team to sit back and seriously reflect on the journey to this point.

That is to be expected when running 44 projects across the region while being so utterly focused, determined and driven on bettering the lives of others.

Self-praise and self-recognition is not the name of the game for the 10 staff members and volunteers who continuously use football as a vehicle for positive change.

But the spotlight will deservedly be turned in their direction next week when chief executive Fran Smith and Josh Henderson, football and project delivery officer, board a plane bound for the Greek capital Athens.

The St Johnstone Community Trust is in the running for a prestigious More Than Football Award at the European Football for Development Network (EFDN) conference.

Their Saints Academy INclusion Through Sport (SAINTS) project is up against FCM Samfund (Denmark), KRC Genk FRZA! (Belgium) and Legia Foundation (Poland).

The prize on offer is a club-branded mini-pitch and, if successful, the plan is to install this in Tulloch – not much more than a stone’s throw away from McDiarmid Park.

“When we managed to get onto the shortlist, the buzz in the office was amazing,” smiled Fran. “I think the staff all got a fright when I yelled out ‘Yes!’ when we made that shortlist.

“We’ve kept it under wraps and have not shouted about it ourselves too much. But for the community trust – and the club –to be recognised on the European stage is just phenomenal.

“It is massive to be recognised on the European stage. Not just in Perth, not just in Scotland, but the European stage.

“We’re up against clubs from Belgium, Denmark and Poland. It is surreal.

“We’ll be speaking at a