More work permit woe for Scotland.
By: Chris Roberts (Daily Record).
St Johnstone star Jason Scotland has been told he will have to re-apply for a work permit at the end of the season. The striker was thrown out of the country in 2005 after two years with Dundee United in the SPL before an application to play for the Perth side at First Division level was approved.
Back then, a six-man panel ruled that he would not make a significant enough contribution to the top-flight.
His contract is due to expire in the summer when he will have been two years at McDiarmid Park and Birmingham, Southend and Swansea have already expressed interest in him.
But whatever club lands him they face uncertainty as the government have changed the rules.
Previously, if a player had been here for four years he could then stay indefinitely in the country. That has now been changed to five years and Scotland will finish only his fourth year this summer.
His agent Mike Berry said: "Lots of clubs have contacted me about Jason. His contract with Saints finishes on August 16. They want him to stay and he would have no problem getting his permit renewed there.
"But with the rule change from four years to five years whoever signs him will have to go to another appeal."
But Berry is convinced he would not have any problems this time around.
He said: "The most bizarre thing was getting turned down by that panel of so-called experts.
"But he is second-top scorer in the First Division, he's been to the World Cup and has been to two cup semi-finals this season.
"People love him here and he loves the country. He wants to play for an SPL club and that would keep him up here."
Touching base with Jason Scotland.
By: Shaun Fuentes (TTFF).
What has been the highlight of the season so far for you?
I think beating Glasgow Rangers at Ibrox was a big highlight for me this season.
Your most enjoyable goal?
Scoring at Motherwell in the last ten minutes of the game! I enjoyed that moment.
What did you set as your goal before the start of the season?
I said to myself that 20 goals would have been good but when I reached that target I decided that I had to keep going and get as much as I can by the time the season ends.
Do the fans have a special song for you?
No not at the moment. But I think I have had good support and they all enjoy the goals and want to see us go up.
Who do you room with on away trips both for club and Trinidad?
I room with Goran at the club and when with the Trinidad team I room with Sammy (Collin Samuel) or if Marvin Andrews not around. I room with Dennis Lawrence.
What’s your favourite shot? Volley? Grounder? Or rocket?
I'll rather a volley but is a forward you have to take it as it comes.
Have you scored much with your head this season? Do you want to score more with your head?
I have scored three goals with me head this season but I think I have also missed five. I need to do better with my head.
What do you do to pump yourself up before games?
Nothing much. Just listen to some Soca and I good to go.
There has been interest from other clubs, what does this do to your focus?
I think I must be doing something good for clubs to be interest in me. This just makes me want to do more on the field.
Do you have any regrets on leaving Dundee United? Would you still support that club?
Yea.. in a way. I still support them as a team and I still get on well with the boys there. I go and watch them when I don’t have a game plus Sammy still plays there.
What are your ambitions for next season?
I haven’t set anything for next season because I don’t know where I’ll end up as yet. But of course I would want to do my best and keep the goals coming.
What do you miss most about playing for Trinidad and Tobago?
I miss being around the boys.
Would you be available to play for the country in the future? For the Gold Cup or for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers?
Yes! Once I’m selected.
Do you hope the impasse between the players and Federation can end so we can have the best team playing again?
At this time I’m not sure how to answer this one.
How’s Marvin Andrews and Collin Samuel these days?
They are both going good at the moment. I was with Marvin on Easter Monday where we had a Bar-b-q at a friend’s home and I talk to Sammy nearly everyday.
Scoring 25 plus goals this season is a big achievement, how do you feel about it?
Yes it is but I really enjoyed scoring eight of those goals against Premier League teams. But it’s great to get 25 in one season and it’s a big achievement personally because it’s the most I have scored outside of Trinidad.
Taking St Johnstone to a good placing in the League and into the Cup semis, must be a good feeling?
It is a good feeling to be playing in the semi-final of the Cup but it was disappointing to give away the League to Gretna. Our main goal was to go up in the Premier League for next season.
Jason in line for award.
By: BBC Sports.
Strikers dominate the shortlist for the Scottish Professional Footballers' Association First Division player of the year prize. Gretna's Colin McMenamin leads the scoring charts with 24 goals in his first season with the Black & Whites.
And he is joined by Partick Thistle's Mark Roberts and St Johnstone's Jason Scotland in the running for the award. St Johnstone defender Goran Stanic makes up the list of nominees, with the winner announced on 22 April.
