Saints have today succeeded in gaining a work permit to allow Jason Scotland to play for the club.
The Trinidad and Tobago striker who was with Dundee United last season had his application refused by a previous hearing but that decision was based purely on his employment by Dundee United Football Club.
Last week Owen Coyle said that he would be failing in his job if he didn’t attempt to bring the best quality players available to McDiarmid Park and having worked for over a year with Scotland in his time at Tannadice, he felt the 26-year-old fell into that category.
On that basis, the club spoke with the player and proceeded with a fresh application for a work permit and Owen Coyle together with Club Managing Director Stewart Duff presented their case at a hearing in Glasgow, the outcome of which was a decision in favour of granting the application.
The Club must now sit down with Scotland to arrange a transfer and it is hoped that may take place as soon as tomorrow.
Speaking on his return to the stadium, Owen Coyle said, “I’m delighted that our application has been approved. Our presentation was done on the basis that Jason can make a significant contribution to St Johnstone Football Club and the Scottish Football League and I’m pleased our presentation was well received.”
Of course there is still some work to be done before Scotland will be a fully-fledged Saints player, as the manager explains. “We don’t physically have the permit as yet but that will follow and we will be speaking to Jason and his agent tomorrow with a view to getting things concluded as quickly as possible.”