Simo Valakari's summer rebuild has begun at St Johnstone, with Greenock Morton's Jack Baird becoming the club's first signing. On this episode of the Spoony Chop - the final show before our close-season break - Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss Baird's arrival, whether he will be joined by Morton team-mate Morgan Boyes and Raith Rovers striker Jamie Gullan, Ross County joining Saints in the Championship and the long-time-coming departure of Benji Kimpioka.
May 27, 2025•50 min•Ep. 240
The season is officially over and in this episode of the Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton pore over the last day loss to Dundee, the pitch invasion that followed and the merits - or otherwise - of the players staying and departing. Plus, Saints' history with double-barrelled players - debated. Interested in local sport news, you can save now with The Courier Sport Pack. Keep up with the latest on your local team or sport with the latest news, opinion, match reports a...
May 20, 2025•51 min•Ep. 239
St Johnstone's relegation from the Premiership is a done deal - and it has been a long time coming. On this week's Spoony Chop, Eric Nicolson, Stuart Cosgrove and Sean Hamilton dig deep into what has gone wrong at McDiarmid Park, when it began and what was - or was not - done to arrest the decline. And should Saints fans want Dundee at risk of joining them in the Championship via the play-offs?
May 15, 2025•52 min•Ep. 238
St Johnstone's season all comes down to Saturday's clash with Ross County. Defeat will see them relegated to the Championship, while a draw will provide a stay of execution. A victory would reduce the Staggies' lead over Saints to just three points, with six left to play for. On this week's Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss the hugely disappointing loss to Kilmarnock, Simo Valakari's position as manager and the requirement - as a bare minumum - for a purposefu...
May 06, 2025•53 min•Ep. 237
St Johnstone’s survival hopes are hanging by a thread after Motherwell exposed their defensive frailties at Fir Park. But the performances of a few players who haven’t been regulars provided a ray of hope. On this week’s Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove and Eric Nicolson assess the possibility of Saints winning back to back home games and unlikely heroes emerging. Interested in local sport news, you can save now with The Courier Sport Pack. Keep up with the latest on your local team or sport with th...
Apr 29, 2025•45 min•Ep. 236
St Johnstone's interest in the Scottish Cup is over after Celtic racked up five goals without reply in the semi-final. All that remains to focus on is the club's fight for safety in the Premiership. On this week's Spoony Chop, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss Saints' Hampden heartache, VAR being dreadful (again), and Simo Valakari's options heading into the crucial final five games of the season. Interested in local sport news, you can save now with The Courier Sport Pack. Keep up with th...
Apr 22, 2025•50 min•Ep. 235
St Johnstone are heading for Hampden to face Celtic in Sunday's Scottish Cup semi-final. They are doing so having just beaten the Hoops in the league (followed by a loss to Dundee United). Can they do the unthinkable and make it two wins on the spin against Brendan Rodgers' side? Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss these issues, plus the post-split fixture list and Saints' mounting defensive fitness worries. Interested in local sport news, you can save now with The Courier Sport Pack. Keep u...
Apr 15, 2025•49 min•Ep. 234
St Johnstone produced their worst performance since the January window closed and were well beaten by Hibs as a result. Where do Saints need to improve when Celtic visit McDiarmid Park on Saturday and is Simo Valakari getting his tactics and substitutions right? Join Eric Nicolson, Stuart Cosgrove and special guest, actor Colin McCredie, as the Spoony Chop tackles the big St Johnstone talking points. Interested in local sport news, you can save now with The Courier Sport Pack. Keep up with the l...
Apr 01, 2025•47 min•Ep. 233
The final international break of the season is coming to an end and St Johnstone need points from their three pre-split games to give themselves a solid chance of escaping relegation. On this week's Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss St Johnstone's chances of claiming a "statement win" against either Hibs, Celtic or Dundee United before the split, how Simo Valakari might utilise his strikers at Easter Road and whether Uche Ikpeazu can do what once seemed unthin...
Mar 25, 2025•39 min•Ep. 232
An unexpected Dundee victory over city rivals United saw the Dark Blues stretch their lead over St Johnstone to five points (plus five goals). The Perth side's Premiership safety hopes are still alive, but how far adrift is too far adrift? This week, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton ponder Saints' draw with Aberdeen, Zach Mitchell's emergence as a defensive 'Rolls-Royce' and whether any of the strikers on the books fancy making themselves a hero. Interested in local sport news, y...
Mar 18, 2025•47 min•Ep. 231
St Johnstone booked their place in the Scottish Cup semi-finals thanks to a Graham Carey wonder goal against Livingston. On this week's Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss where the Irishman's strike ranks amongst the all-time great Saints goals, a game of two halves at Livi, how the cup run could impact Premiership form and the club's decision to give three stands to Celtic at McDiarmid Park. Interested in local sport news, you can save now with The Courier Spo...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr•Ep. 230
On this week's Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton assess a draw at Dens Park that keeps St Johnstone in touch with Dundee and look ahead to Monday's Scottish Cup quarter final with Livingston - and whether it's the right environment for a Benji Kimpioka comeback. Interested in local sport news, you can save now with The Courier Sport Pack. Keep up with the latest on your local team or sport with the latest news, opinion, match reports and so much more. Subscribe today ...
Mar 04, 2025•50 min•Ep. 229
After losing to Hearts at McDiarmid Park in a game that, in previous campaigns, would likely have been drawn, Saints face two potentially season-defining games in the space of three days. First up, Ross County visit McDiarmid Park on Wednesday night, before Saints head along the road to Dundee for a clash at Dens Park that could have a huge impact on how the rest of the season pans out. Join Eric Nicolson, Stuart Cosgrove and Sean Hamilton as they discuss how Simo Valakari's side should approach...
Feb 25, 2025•52 min•Ep. 228
A Saints team peppered with January recruits was turned over by an aggressive Kilmarnock side. Now, with three crucial games to come in the space of a week from Saturday, there is precious little room for error. How will Simo Valakari respond to his side's Rugby Park display and what is the minimum Saints can accept from their trio of clashes, against Hearts, Ross County and Dundee? Join Eric Nicolson, Stuart Cosgrove and Sean Hamilton - fresh from a shoutout on the latest episode of the Footbal...
Feb 18, 2025•51 min•Ep. 227
St Johnstone booked their place in the Scottish Cup quarter finals with a 1-0 win over Hamilton Accies. Their reward is a trip to face Livingston. It took a late Adama Sidibeh goal to get the job done (despite television scepticism, he DEFINITELY meant it) but it was a game in which they enjoyed significant control. Saints' possession-based game seems to be leaving the pundits cold - so what is its value? Join Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton as they discuss this, debutant performances, plus a po...
Feb 12, 2025•52 min•Ep. 226
The winter transfer window has 'slammed' closed and Saints have welcomed eight new signings to the club. On this week's Spoony Chop, Eric Nicolson, Stuart Cosgrove and Sean Hamilton rate the recruitment work done at McDiarmid Park, discuss a potentially huge win away to St Mirren and look ahead to the weekend's Scottish Cup clash with Hamilton Accies. J ournalism that Matters | The Courier
Feb 04, 2025•53 min•Ep. 225
Another week, another win over Motherwell, and St Johnstone are still standing in their battle against relegation. With owner and chairman Adam Webb in attendance, Saints' players, fans and manager enjoyed a moment of connection after their successful late fightback, achieved despite having only one centre-back on the pitch. Join Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton as they discuss a potentially huge triumph at McDiarmid Park, assess likely transfer activity and ponder Saints' chances against their '...
Jan 28, 2025•53 min•Ep. 224
Join Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton for this week's Spoony Chop, which features - brace yourselves - discussion about a St Johnstone victory! One goal was enough for Saints to see off Motherwell in the Scottish Cup - and send the Well fans into meltdown. But can they replicate the combination of slickness and strength that did the job when the Steelmen return to McDiarmid on league duty? Subscribe to Trusted Local Journalism that Matters | The Courier...
Jan 21, 2025•50 min•Ep. 223
This week's Spoony Chop sees ex-St Johnstone CEO, chairman and director Stan Harris saddle up to discuss his decades of service at McDiarmid Park, his near-lifelong friendship with Stuart Cosgrove and how a trip to see Scotland at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico resulted in a brush with the law in Texas. Subscribe to Trusted Local Journalism that Matters | The Courier
Jan 14, 2025•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 222
A self-inflicted 3-1 loss to Dundee capped off a miserable festive season for St Johnstone. With Simo Valakari's side now eight points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership, this week's Spoony Chop sees Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss a dismal few weeks on the park, a squad-weakening first week of the transfer window and what fans are entitled to expect from the club from now until it closes (plus Fran Franczak love-in).
Jan 07, 2025•50 min•Ep. 221
St Johnstone fell to a predictable loss at Celtic Park, but with the January transfer window set to open ahead of the home double header with Hibs and Dundee, how different might Saints look the next time they take the field? On this week's Spoony Chop, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss transfers, a big moment for Fran Franczak and what this window will tell us about Saints' new owners.
Dec 30, 2024•48 min•Ep. 220
St Johnstone are bottom of the Premiership at Christmas after defeat to Hearts. On this week's Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton pick through the bones of a poor performance at Tynecastle, discuss the prospect of facing Dundee United on Boxing Day and assess the club's requirements from a crucial January transfer window.
Dec 23, 2024•48 min•Ep. 219
St Johnstone suffered a season-worst sickener in defeat to St Mirren. In this week's Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton rake over the still-burning coals of Saints' loss, taking in the good and the bad of their performance, some contentious referee decision-making and a pre-match radio chat that reeked of misconceptions.
Dec 17, 2024•49 min•Ep. 218
With Sven Sprangler suspended for the weekend's clash with St Mirren, how will Saints boss Simo Valakari go about replacing him? On this week's Spoony Chop, Eric Nicolson, Stuart Cosgrove and Sean Hamilton discuss his options, a performance in Aberdeen that showed off a new-found doggedness and how Makenzie Kirk is outshining his strike colleagues.
Dec 10, 2024•50 min•Ep. 217
On this week's Spoony Chop, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss a performance of two halves against Rangers, whether Jack Sanders can be an attacking force in possession, Josh Rae's safe hands, Dimitar Mitov's injured hamstring and who should start up front against Aberdeen.
Dec 04, 2024•45 min•Ep. 216
On this week's Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton chew on the weekend's heartening win over Kilmarnock, which featured yet another star turn from Sven Sprangler, Bozo Mikulic's first start in defence and a first headed goal of the season, from Mackenzie Kirk. The guys also ponder St Johnstone's place in the geopolitics of the former Yugoslavia, Napoleon's likely view on Tommy Wright and pay tribute to Kenny Aird after the Willie Ormond-era great's death....
Nov 26, 2024•52 min•Ep. 215
On this week's Spoony Chop, Eric Nicolson, Stuart Cosgrove and Sean Hamilton tackle Saints' huge weekend clash with Killie. What is the best attacking approach against Derek McInnes' bulky side? What would signify defensive progress after a fortnight on the training ground? And the old 'Old Firm tickets' chestnut emerges again, only this time under new ownership.
Nov 19, 2024•53 min•Ep. 214
This week's Spoony Chop sees Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton welcome a special guest in ex-Saints star Ryan McGowan. Off the back of another defeat, this time to Motherwell, the guys discuss Simo Valakari's defence and whether the team will come good. Aussie internationalist McGowan also opens up on his shock departure from McDiarmid Park in the summer, gives quick-fire views on former team-mates and reveals why his two years as a Saintee were so precious to him.
Nov 12, 2024•1 hr 8 min•Ep. 213
On this week's edition of the Spoony Chop - the Courier's new, weekly St Johnstone podcast - things get 'philosophical'. Host Eric Nicolson is joined by Stuart Cosgrove and Sean Hamilton to discuss frustration around a defeat to Hearts that ripped up the in-game script, a young goalkeeping duo's desperate need for support and whether Croatian centre-half Božo Mikulić's work permit will be sorted in time to face Motherwell.
Nov 05, 2024•50 min•Ep. 212
'The Spoony Chop' is the Courier's new, weekly St Johnstone podcast - and what better way to kick-off than by getting stuck into the superb, come-from-behind win over Dundee. In episode one, regular panellists Eric Nicolson, Stuart Cosgrove and Sean Hamilton discuss the new manager's rapid, transformative impact at McDiarmid Park, whether it can be maintained and who looks like playing a key role.
Oct 29, 2024•46 min•Ep. 211
