Fir Park trip bring special memories flooding back for striker Peter MacDonald

The former St Johnstone stalwart netted a perfect hat-trick against Motherwell in 2009 and he still remembers it fondly

Peter ‘Peaso’ MacDonald took a trip down memory lane on Saturday.

The much-loved former striker was on Saints TV commentary duty at a Fir Park venue which continues to hold special memories for him.

He netted a perfect hat-trick for the Perth club against Motherwell back on Boxing Day 2009 and, more than 10 years on, it remains at the forefront of his thinking.

“It was strange doing to co-commentary for the game on Saturday, chatting about the day I got that hat-trick,” MacDonald told the PA.

“I still remember it having been 1-0 down and coming back to win 3-1.

"Midgey Millar was trying to claim three assists that day but two of them were clearances.

“To score a hat-trick for any club is a great achievement. That was actually the first hat-trick in the Scottish Premier League that year.

“It was at the Christmas period and all of my family was at the game. It’s a memory that will live with me until the day I die.”

MacDonald spent a decade with the Perth side and helped them return to the top-flight of Scottish football.

He said: “I had a fantastic 10 years and the times I had are still very evident in my head.

“It was a fantastic dressing room with fantastic people around the stadium. Now that my career has come to an end, I look back with fondness.

“We had a great squad and I still keep in contact with the majority of them. Funnily enough I was speaking to Goran Stanic on Friday.

“You get a bond in a dressing room that never leaves. You can call on favours through time.

“I just wish I had more of an injury free run at St Johnstone. I had some horrendous injuries with my knee, then hamstring.

“I went through the wars, as they say. But I have no regrets and just wish I had a wee bit more luck on my side.”

Having cast an eye over the current crop of Perth players, MacDonald is sure the goals will start to flow.

He is backing Stevie May to get on the goal trail and said: “I’m sure he’ll be right at it again in the coming weeks.

“It’s early days and St Johnstone have had a decent start. They just need to turn these 1-0 defeats into 2-1 wins.”