Ruari Paton Returns to St Johnstone on Permanent Deal

Ruari Paton is back where he always felt he belonged.

St Johnstone have completed the permanent signing of the forward from Port Vale for an undisclosed fee, tying the 25-year-old to McDiarmid Park on a deal until the summer of 2028.

Paton returns after a sharp, effective loan spell in Perth, where he hit five goals in 13 Championship appearances and played his part in a campaign that clearly left its mark on him.

“The whole feeling of last season was really special and I loved every minute of that achievement,” he told the club’s media, sounding less like a loanee coming back and more like a player resuming unfinished business.

This is not a typical short-term success story turned permanent. Paton talked about St Johnstone with the kind of warmth usually reserved for boyhood clubs.

“I actually loved every single thing about the club. The place, the people. I always felt happy here and I wanted to come back.

“I never felt like I was on loan. I built a connection with the guys on the pitch and never had a bad interaction with anyone off it.

“I feel I have a great connection with the supporters too and everyone who works in the building. It feels like home.”

For Saints, securing him long term is a clear statement ahead of the new Premiership season: the player who thrived in their colours, who already knows the dressing room, the demands and the support, is now theirs outright.

Paton wanted back in. St Johnstone have made sure he’s not just visiting this time.