Ruari Paton Returns to St Johnstone Until 2028

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.

It is the logical next step after a loan spell that never really felt like one. Paton hit five goals in 13 Championship appearances last season and played a key role in a campaign that reshaped the mood around the club.

“The whole feeling of last season was really special and I loved every minute of that achievement,” he told the club’s media, still riding the glow of a year that pulled St Johnstone away from danger and back towards something more optimistic in the Premiership.

What comes through most is not the numbers, but the attachment. Paton talks about the club like a player who has grown up there, not one who dropped in on a short-term deal.

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

That sense of belonging mattered. St Johnstone needed goals and energy; Paton needed somewhere that felt like more than a stopover. The fit was obvious on the pitch, but the forward insists it ran deeper.

“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.”

The bond stretched into the stands. His work rate and directness quickly resonated with supporters who had endured a tense period at the wrong end of the table.

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

Now the loan badge is gone. The commitment runs to 2028, the Premiership awaits, and a player who already sees McDiarmid Park as home has the platform to prove that last season was only the start.