Simo Valakari ‘ready for challenge’ of winning promotion as Saints suffer drop

Simo Valakari had no complaints after his dejected St Johnstone players learned their 16-year stay in the William Hill Premiership was over when they returned to the dressing room several minutes after their 2-1 defeat at Hearts.

Despite losing at Tynecastle, Saints thought they were going to have one last crack at survival on Sunday as Ross County – the team immediately above them – were trailing 1-0 at Dundee.

However, the Staggies’ last-gasp equaliser, after Valakari’s players had applauded their supporters and headed up the tunnel, left the Perth men four points adrift with just one game to play and consigned them to the Championship for the first time since 2009.

“I see it this way – we could not get the result in our game so it was out of our hands what happened elsewhere,” said Valakari.

“We cry tonight, we cry tomorrow and then on Friday we turn our heads to changing this club back to winning ways. That starts on Sunday.

“We respect the table. We weren’t good enough or clinical enough in key moments.

“We put ourselves in a difficult place. When you need a favour you’re relying on luck but it wasn’t to be.

“When you look at the history of this club it has been difficult for a few years.

“We’ve been fighting relegation for a while. Now it has happened and it hurts.”

Valakari insisted he is up for the challenge of trying to bring Saints straight back up next season.

“I’ve already told my players it was hard to play in this relegation battle, but if this was pressure, it will be even more pressure next year,” he said.

“Pushing for promotion you need to be at your best every day and even when you are not at your best you still need to get results.

“It will be very, very hard and a big job to turn around the culture of the club, but that starts on Friday.

“We need to face it and become the club that can get back to the Premiership.

“I am ready for that challenge. I want to do everything in my power to do it.”

Saints were two down at the break after a Barry Douglas own goal and an Alan Forrest strike before Graham Carey gave them a glimmer of hope with a free-kick but Hearts held on for a third straight win under caretaker boss Liam Fox – the first time they have achieved that feat in the league since February 2024.

“I think that stat probably backs it up, I get people will pour cold water on it and say you’re in the bottom six,” said Fox. “Yes, you’re right, but it’s still difficult to win three games back to back in the Premier League. It’s tough.

“As you can see tonight, we had to work really, really hard for it. So I’m delighted. Let’s see if we can make it four on Sunday.”