St Johnstone have bolstered their squad with the signing of veteran full-back Barry Douglas, who has agreed to a contract until the summer of 2025, pending Scottish FA clearance.
The 35-year-old returns to Scottish football after a successful career across multiple leagues and countries, eager to contribute his experience to the Perth-based outfit under the guidance of newly appointed manager Simo Valakari.
Douglas, who began his professional journey with Queen’s Park, has built an impressive resume that has taken him to clubs such as Dundee United, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Leeds United, and Blackburn Rovers. Most recently, he was part of Polish giants Lech Poznań, but has now opted for a return to Scotland.
In his first interview with the club, Douglas spoke of his excitement at joining St Johnstone and how he thinks he can benefit their promising young squad led by a well-thought-of head coach.
“It is an exciting time,” he said. “I am looking forward to the opportunity to come in and try to help the guys develop.
“There is a project here. It is a bit of a transition period with the new manager coming in.
“I had a look and it is quite a young squad, so I can definitely bring my quality and experience to help everyone develop both on and off the park.
“The hunger is still there, the drive is still there and that is why I am so excited to be here playing my football.”
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Douglas had the opportunity to watch his new team from the stands as St Johnstone secured an emphatic 3-0 home victory over Ross County last weekend. That result means they are just two points off the top six spot despite failing to win their previous six league games.
Impressed by what he saw, Douglas believes they are on the right path and is eager to quickly play his part, starting with the upcoming match against Dundee on Saturday, October 26.
“It was a good and convincing win.
“There is definitely a lot of quality in the squad and I think when we start to work with the new manager and his philosophy, the only way is up really.
“We should have momentum now. The squad will have a lot of belief and positivity.”
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