Ali Crawford seals permanent move to St Johnstone after loan spell

St Johnstone have confirmed Ali Crawford has signed a long-term contract at McDiarmid Park.

The Perthshire club announced on Monday afternoon that they had taken up the option to sign the former Hamilton Accies midfielder after he spent the first half of the season on loan from Bolton Wanderers.

Crawford, who has scored twice in 16 appearances so far this season, has signed a contract with St Johnstone until the summer of 2024.

The 30-year-old told St Johnstone’s website: “From the moment I joined St Johnstone I had a really good feeling about the Football Club.

“The lads in the dressing-room all made me feel welcome and that was very important.

“From early on I always hoped to stay here beyond the initial loan deal and to now be signed until 2024 is great for myself and my family to have that stability.

“On a personal level, I know there is hard work ahead and I’m ready to roll my sleeves up. I want to help the team win games of football.

“We find ourselves in a position in the Premiership table that we do not want to be in. It’s up to us, the players, to get us out of it and climb up the table.

“I know we are all ready to face this challenge. We owe it to the manager, the staff and the supporters to start getting points on the board.”

It is St Johnstone’s second January signing after the club confirmed the arrival of defender Dan Cleary from Dundalk yesterday.