First Team
Saints 'keeper Mannus to leave club at end of season
17th April 2018
The club can confirm today that 35-year-old goalkeeper Alan Mannus will be leaving the club after seven seasons at McDiarmid Park, when his contract expires at the end of the current campaign.
The Northern Ireland international – who has been capped eight times by his country – joined Saints from Shamrock Rovers in July 2011 and has gone on to make over 200 appearances for the club in all competitions. Alan was part of the Scottish Cup-winning side during the 2013/14 season.
Saints manager Tommy Wright is sad to be losing a player he knows extremely well and who has been a big part of the club’s recent successes.
“I spoke to Alan about a month ago and he told me then of his desire to go back to Ireland with his family,” Tommy said.
“After seven seasons with the club he decided that the time was right to go back there to live and to continue his career.
“I’ve known Alan since 2001 when he was at Linfield and I’ve always had a great relationship with him. He’s a model professional who has helped our younger goalkeepers enormously and he’s been a shining example to them.
“I think it’s safe to say that over the past few years he’s been in the top three or four goalkeepers in Scotland and he’s done tremendously well for the football club. He’s played a major part in what’s been a successful period in the club’s history and he was a key player in our Scottish Cup-winning campaign.
“I think he’s definitely one who will be remembered in the St. Johnstone history books as one of the club’s great goalkeepers. I think he should definitely be up there in the class of ‘legends’ for what he has done over seven seasons here.
“I’d like to go on record with my thanks to Alan for everything he has done for St. Johnstone Football Club and for me. We wish him all the best in the future and he will always be welcome here at McDiarmid Park.”
Mannus, who turns 36 next month, joined on July 21st 2011 from Shamrock Rovers. He began his career at Linfield in Northern Ireland. He has featured in 191 league matches for Saints over seven seasons at McDiarmid Park.