Steven MacLean: St Johnstone sack manager after poor start to Scottish Premiership season
St Johnstone are bottom of the Scottish Premiership with just four points from nine fixtures and without a league win; Steven MacLean and Liam Craig have both left the club, with Alex Cleland assuming responsibilities; MacLean's final game in charge was Saturday's 4-0 defeat at St Mirren
Sunday 29 October 2023 19:47, UK
St Johnstone have sacked manager Steven MacLean after their poor start to the Scottish Premiership season.
The Perth club are bottom of the table with just four points from nine fixtures and without a league win.
St Johnstone released a statement which read: "St Johnstone Football Club can announce that it has parted company with Steven MacLean and Liam Craig.
"In the interim, Alex Cleland will assume responsibilities for first-team matters."
St Johnstone also lost to Stenhousemuir, Stirling Albion and Ayr in the Viaplay Cup earlier in the season.
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Former Saints striker MacLean, who was first-team coach under former boss Callum Davidson, was scathing after his side's 4-0 league defeat by St Mirren in Paisley on Saturday and warned that some of his players might have played their last game under him.
He said: "The goals we lost are unacceptable. It's the basics of football. In the second half, we just imploded and it looked like a couple of players chucked it.
"It is my responsibility and some of these players will be lucky if they play for me again. It is not happening under my watch and it might be I need to play young boys. I thought it was really, really poor.
"You need to show bravery in those situations and you need people to lead. I just thought we lacked that all over."
St Johnstone play Kilmarnock at McDiarmid Park on Wednesday night.
