Former Hibs’ captain Liam Craig (pictured) has signed a one year contract with St Johnstone.
The midfielder was signed by Pat Fenlon who appointed him captain, a position he retained under Terry Butcher and Alan Stubbs.
He played 74 times for Hibs, starting 68 and scoring 12 goals, including a hat trick against Stranraer in the League Cup and a memorable penalty in a 2-1 win over Hearts in the New Years’ fixture 2014.
The Borderer started his career at Ipswich Town where he captained the youth team to a FA Youth Cup win beating a strong Southampton team which included Theo Walcott and Adam Lallana with Gareth bale on the Bench.
Craig also played for the Saints between 2007 and 2013, establishing himself as a firm favourite during that time and playing a vital role in the club’s First Division championship success of 2008/2009.
Craig told the Saints Official Website: “It goes without saying that I’m delighted to come back. I have a lot of great memories from the last time and I want to play my part in creating new ones and helping the club continue its successes in recent years, particularly the last two.
“Sometimes you just get the ‘right fit’ and in the time I’ve been back training it’s almost like I’ve never been away. “
St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright said: “When a manager makes any signing he’s pleased but the thing about Liam is that I didn’t want him to leave in the first place.
“His experience and knowledge of the club is vital and that came into my thinking. He has a wealth of experience but is still a good age and he has shown in training and in the game against Real Sociedad that he is as good as ever.
“Also, he chips in with goals from midfield and that is something any team needs, so over all I am delighted”.
Liam himself told the Saints Official Website: “It goes without saying that I’m delighted to come back. I have a lot of great memories from the last time and I want to play my part in creating new ones and helping the club continue its successes in recent years, particularly the last two.
“Sometimes you just get the ‘right fit’ and in the time I’ve been back training it’s almost like I’ve never been away. “
Photo by John Preece
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
