Ruari Paton Signs Permanent Deal with St Johnstone

Ruari Paton is back where he feels he belongs.

St Johnstone have completed the permanent signing of the forward from Port Vale for an undisclosed fee, rewarding a loan spell that turned into something far more meaningful than a short-term fix. The 25-year-old has committed his future to the Perth club with a deal running until the summer of 2028.

Five goals in 13 Championship appearances only tell part of the story. Paton arrived on loan needing a platform; St Johnstone needed goals, energy and a bit of edge in the final third. Both sides got exactly what they were looking for.

By the end of the campaign, Paton no longer felt like a visitor.

“The whole feeling of last season was really special and I loved every minute of that achievement,” he told the club’s media, reflecting on a year that reshaped his career and, in his words, his sense of home.

His attachment to McDiarmid Park runs deeper than form or numbers.

“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. “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.

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

For St Johnstone, tying Paton down on a long-term contract is a clear statement before the new Premiership season. This is not a stop-gap signing. It is the club backing a player who has already shown he can handle the demands of the league and the expectations of a support that quickly took to his work rate and direct style.

For Paton, it is the next step in a journey he has chosen with conviction, not convenience. The loan is over. The attachment remains. Now he has four years to turn that feeling of home into something lasting on the pitch.