A poster on the AUFC fan site (who I'm pretty sure is Ryan Stevenson's bird) is telling us that Ryan Stevenson has agreed a two year deal with St.Johnstone.

Apparently he gets on well with Geoff Brown and he's brokered a deal. The reason I am taking this seriously is because this girl correctly informed of Ryan originally wanting to come to Ayr, his subsequent new deal at St.Johnstone, his loan deal at Ayr then his permanent move.

Ayr directors were apparently only prepared to let Stevenson go for a six-figure fee as he still has two years left on his contract.

Any St.J fans heard anything, or feel it's likely that this signing will go through?

Nothing official. He is not good enough in comparison with what we have in our squad now. Missed the boat as far as i am concerned.

f**k no.

That is all.

I dunno who this cud have come about? i mean if it is true i think it wud be a wast of transfer money signing a player who will end up sitting on a bench all season, wud rather spend the money on a replacement for quinn or morris (if he goes). i mean i lyked stevenson a lot when he was here last time and was sad to see him go but i doubt he would offer anything to the team next year if he comes.

6 Figures!!!

No thanks, waster with a bad attitude.

Saints 6 figures............Yeah sure......£1,000.56p.
Decent player, had his chance.

Reading the original post is worrying... as it looks like the story might be true! It also appeared on the Saints forum last night. Stevo had five years in Perth and never made the breakthrough and whilst he's maybe benefited from getting a regular game, I'm not sure it would be his best decision to come back.

I know if he'd signed for Ayr in the summer of 2006, Saints would have been looking for compensation and he was allowed to go for nothing (I think) in January, so could it be that there was some sort of clause about him returning to Saints for a set fee or something? There's no danger we will pay £100,000 for him!

Ayr paid five figures for Ryan (£15k I think) in January 2007.

He has definitely improved as a player and the one thing he may bring your midfield, and it's possibly the most important thing, is goals.

Some of his strikes this season have been incredible and if he can manage the step back up there is no reason to suggest he won't be able to strike a ball as well.

The only thing is the fee. Ryan is Ayr's prize asset. He has two years left on his contract and he loves playing for Ayr. He turned down trials at Aberdeen last year because he didn't feel it was appropriate.

Perhaps Saints have some kind of sell-on clause, and maybe we are also getting a player in exchange. Saints also seem to be well covered in midfield. Either way I reckon you'd be looking at at least £30k hard cash.

This could be an interesting one.

I'll tell the jokes. See if I've got to put up with another 5 years of that useless diddy.... I'm not gonna think about it. He is the most frustrating player I've ever seen play for St Johnstone. I'd hope this isn't true. Like, really hope

His valuation has dipped £70K inside a month

Stevenson wasn't far away from the 2nd Division player of the year, Check out AUTV for some of his Goals! He would be welcome in a County shirt anyday!

We let Stephen Dobbie go because we thought he had a bad attitude and he's shown with Queens that all he needed was regular football. One obvious difference between the two is that Stevenson went to a lower level and did well, while Dobbie stayed at this level and has done well. It may well be that Stevenson just found his level.

I'll trust Derek McInnes on any decision he makes.

He was a headless chicken when he was with us before. No idea how to play a position.

Wouldn't be thrilled if he was coming back.

Although true, as a player with his, er.. fitness issues needs regular games, according to an interview with him in the build up to the Semi-Final it was his loan spell at Dumbarton (definitely a level far too low for Dobbs) that gave him his appetite back.

Perhaps the same could've happened to Stevenson?

They do say to never go back though, maybe a good target for a First Division club that isn't Saintees? If Ayr are really after a 6 figure fee then I can't see it happening to be honest.

What fans think a player that plays for their team is worth and what their club will ask/accept for a player are two very different things.

Indeed, as the highly amusing thread about the value of First Division players showed. I think the average total being spouted for the Dundee team was into the tens of millions!

Spot on!

I disagree, I know both the board of Raith Rovers and I would accept 1p for Marvin Andrews.


*edited to say, what the fuck am I doing in the 1st division forum*

from what ive heard he has improved alot since going to ayr but to be honest Weatherston does all he does and looks generally more promising - no thanks

I never thought he was a particularly bad player - he showed nice touches, was fairly strong and decent in the air, but as Dev says he was a headless chicken and couldn't stick to one place at a time.

If he has improved considerably fair enough (he has certainly scored a few this year), but I think Quinn and Morris would be more immediate targets for new deals.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=mvzg2ZQ2LNw

that is the sort of midfield play we have lacked for a long time. i'm led to believe he's been in great form + sorted his attitude out as well. was played out of position for us.

sign him and morris and we wont need quinn

So thats where Theo Wallcot got the idea from to run at Liverpool from!

Morris and Stevenson may well know each other from Chelsea so maybe Jody has said he will sign if we get his old mate!

Oh sweet Jesus.

As someone's already said, if Derek thinks he's good enough now, I'll happily reserve judgement until I see him play again. But the boy was one of the most infuriating players I've ever seen in a Saints shirt. He drove me to apoplexy at least twice every game. On first seeing him play, my flatmate at the time was moved to describe him as "10 stone of haircut". Who knows though, maybe a wee spell at another club, playing regular football has done wonders for his footballing confidence, and hopefully dented his ego. If he's half as good now as he seemed to think he was when he was at McDiarmid, he'll be a hell of a player.

Not likely. According to Ryan, he's not a footballer, he's a ride.

Well, he's definitely got....a quality. Ken?

if the st johnstone fans
dont want him i am glad
i dont want to lose the
big man

Think about it!

If Saints had a 50% sell-on clause that would be £50k back straight away. I don't reckon any make-weight player would be valued at any more than £20k therefore I reckon the minimum transfer fee would be £30k.

It looks like the rumour is true - the financial aspect, however, is yet to be explained.

Ryan was happy at Ayr and has two years left on his deal. Two SPL clubs watched him regularly last season and he was offered trials at Aberdeen. Ayr don't need to cash in. If a deal has been done it's been done on Ayr's terms. Perhaps we've reversed the sell-on clause.

I certainly wouldn't want Ryan back at Saints was never consistent enough and as overs have pointed out could have been due to his attitude. I would be very dissapointed in Del if he spent a large sum on Stevenson, i wouldn't think he would be stupid enough to though. But maybe Ryan has improved as a player but i think if it is true our money should be spent elsewhere.

Got the impression that Stevo had played his last game for us after today's game. His body language, and certain actions towards the fans spoke volumes.

Im guessing that this rumour seems to be true then. Good luck to Stevo. Bitter blow for us, but i really cant blame him for going.

General concensus at this end is that this rumour is rubbish.

Time will tell, I suppose!

You sure know how to ruin a guys weekend don't you.

Yeah, it faily ruined my weekend. Theres rumours of there being a 25% sell on clause, from when you sold him to us, so theres a good chance you will have got him for not much more than what you got for him.

The drop down a level has certainly done him good in terms of his performances and attitude, so you will be getting a much improved player back.

His biggest asset is the power of his shots, and i really cant see the step up in divisions doing anything to take that away. He's strong on the ball, and fairly knows how to hold off a challenge, and so often wins free kicks from frustrating opponents, which is where his powerful shot comes in very handy. He'll certainly get you a fair few goals.

Good luck to the lad.

How is his discipline? By that I mean can he stay in the position he is meant to be playing? Used to go walkabout, granted he was playing out on the right.

He's played there for us on occasion and done the walkabout routine. But that was only because he got used to playing through the middle and thrived on it. A return of 17 goals from midfield says it all - and he doesn't even take the penalties. He's head and shoulders above anything in the Second Division (but Stevo's problem has always been that he knows it). However, I'd confidently back him to do a job in the First Division. He ran rings around Hamilton and Dunfermline when we played them in the cups this season and could easily be at home up at that level.

Nothing good ever came out of Ayr.

he flicked us the finger yesterday...no sense of humour

Hmmm, you have a point...

I take it that re-signing this dud, the plan to sign Gavin S***kie is finished

I doubt it. They play in completely different positions.

Not as far as i'm aware. This rumour is just that, a rumour. Means shit.

Gavin Sw**kie has been "rumoured" to be Perth bound since I exlusively revealed so about seven months ago

The Sw**kie rumour seemingly has a lot more basis than the Stevenson rumour. The former has been mentioned in a numebr of circles and has been confirmed by a few people I would expect to be in the know.

In that Sw**kie plays on the left wing while Ryan plays with his hair. Both are effective but in different ways. Ryan's hair is amazing though. Fine job.

Both play regularly on the right side of midfield.

Sw**kie plays on the left wing or as a striker, and Stevenson plays on the right wing or centre of midfield as he has done for Ayr.

I thought Sw**kie was a leftie. Maybe he became one to escape the attentions of Goran Stanic.

I'm sure he is pretty versatile in this respect and can play on either wing. Think he is left-footed though, meaning he may be more comfortable on the left.

Be easier to get a Dundee fan to confirm. Either way would like to see him at Saints, would add an extra dimension to what is already a very attack minded squad. Could be some good, entertaining football being played at McDiarmid next season, seems like McInnes aims to please. Will be interesting to see if he can secure his other targets.