Seasoned veteran Maybury seeks european benchmark for Saints

Published on Sunday 6 May 2012 00:53

ST JOHNSTONE find themselves in a curious position in their quest to secure a Europa League qualifying berth, writes Andrew Smith. Beat Hearts today to make sure, or potentially end up depending on the Tynecastle club to get them there.

Alan Maybury is the most experienced continental campaigner on the Perth club’s books, after sorties with Hearts, Leeds United and Aberdeen. The defender, expected to be awarded a new contract by manager Steve Lomas, knows Europe is so good to savour that getting there shouldn’t be left to chance. St Johnstone will guarantee fifth place and a shot at Europe if they beat Paulo Sergio’s side at Tynecastle this afternoon. If the result goes against them and Hearts are able to leapfrog them and hang on to fifth, the Perth club will only qualify for the Europe if Hearts then win the Scottish Cup.

“We could find ourselves in the scenario that it doesn’t matter about the result against Hearts, if they win the cup, but it is a big game,” the Irishman, pictured right, says. “We have had some good results against them but we hope they have got one eye on the cup. I know results haven’t been great for us recently [one point from five games] but we will go to Tynecastle confident that we can get something.

“I played in Hearts’ UEFA Cup run under Craig Levein and I sat on some of the best benches in Europe during my time with Leeds. It is always a great occasion to play in Europe, just being able to see some of these places and see different styles of football. If you ever get the chance you should do everything you can to take it. You never know when it will come again. If we could make it, it would be brilliant.

“I sat on the bench at Real Madrid, I sat on the bench for the semi-final of the Champions League for Leeds against Valencia so I have definitely sat on some of the best benches in Europe. But, even with Hearts, I played against Braga and we beat them. That was when we had to play our matches at Murrayfield and that was good. We also beat Bordeaux away so there have been some good ones. Even when I was at Aberdeen, I played against Bayern Munich, so I have been around for quite a few big nights.

“At Leeds we were in the middle of that great run, and it was UEFA Cup one year, Champions League the next, I remember Eddie Gray saying to me ‘enjoy it, because you never know when it comes again’. There is no divine right to get there so when you get there you need to make sure that you take it all in.”

Taken from the Scotsman