Obituary: Kenny Aird

The club is deeply saddened to learn of the passing yesterday of former player Kenny Aird, aged 77.

An integral part of the squad lovingly referred to as the ‘Ormond era’ team, the right winger was in fact one of Willie Ormond’s first signing for Saints, a sum of £2,000 bringing him to Muirton from St Mirren. Prior to that, Kenny had one year with Celtic as a part-time player.

Over the course of the next five full seasons with Saints, Kenny proved to be a creative master and prolific goal scorer – 45 goals netted over the course of those memorable seasons as Ormond moulded a team which reached the 1969 League Cup Final and the 1971/72 UEFA Cup campaign.

Kenny played all six matches as Saints competed on the European stage for the very first time.

Kenny’s time with Saints ended not long after Ormond left Perth to take up the post of Scotland team manager but he still had plenty to offer Heart of Midlothian where he spent five years. He appeared 228 times in a St Johnstone jersey.

A brief spell playing in Toronto and a single league appearance for Arbroath brought a magnificent playing career to a close.

In the 2020 book ‘Hagiography – the 60 finest Players, Managers and Officials in the History of St Johnstone FC’, Kenny was placed at number 24 and was included at right wing in the ‘All-time Saints XI’ within that book.

Aird told author Alastair Blair that his heart still lay in Perth. “Today, the first result I always look for is St Johnstone’s.”

Kenny was one of the ‘Ormond boys’ who made annual visits to McDiarmid Park and indeed joined his former colleagues at the home match against Ross County just a month ago.

The thoughts of everyone at St Johnstone FC are with Kenny’s family, friends and former colleagues at this sad time.