Josh McPake says finding the right career path with St Johnstone is vital to him at the age of 22 after the former Rangers protege admitted losing his way.
Craig Levein has stressed there’s ‘loads more to come’ from the winger, who trained with St Johnstone late last season and has signed a two-year deal.
His flashes of class on the weekend tour of the Highlands would suggest as much.
McPake has taken early pre-season steps towards what he hopes is confirmation he can crack the Premiership.
Such an ambition looked easily within his compass five years ago when Steven Gerrard handed him a debut in a European qualifier against St Josephs of Gibraltar.
He was one of the most highly-touted youngsters in Gers’ system and flourished on a successful loan for Harrogate Town in 2021, earning a Scotland Under 21 call-up and winning the FA Trophy at Wembley.
Yet subsequent stints away from Rangers were less productive and progress stalled.
By deadline day last September, his Ibrox deal was mutually terminated and he spent six months without a club.
He landed at Stirling Albion in February, playing in League One and finishing the season training with Saints.
Levein liked what he saw and McPake hopes that interest has placed him back on a positive trajectory.
McPake said: “I’d say Harrogate was a period where I felt my career going upwards. It was tough away from football in Covid times.
“Harrogate was a lovely town but I could hardly get out and about from the hotel and see it.
“I loved my football down there, though. Loved the league, the gaffer (Simon Weaver), the squad we had.
“I need to get back to that way, when I’m on the up again. I lost my way a little bit.
“I’m not sure why exactly. It happens to some footballers during their career.
“A few things weren’t going right for me, I kind of lost a lot of confidence through a couple of loans where I didn’t do as well as I thought I should’ve done.
“But the gaffer here has put a lot of trust in me. I feel like I’m back on that track to fly high again.”
Either side of impressing at Harrogate, McPake was farmed out by Rangers to Dundee, Morton, Morecambe, Tranmere and Queen’s Park.
The winger wants to settle down and sees Saints as the ideal platform for a relaunch.
He explained: “I think this a massive point in my career. If I do well now, I feel like I’ve got the confidence and ability to push on further.
“From the chats I’ve had with the gaffer, the plan is to get me back to the level I should be at – rather than where I was at.
“I’m really enjoying it. Don’t get me wrong, it’s been hard. Every pre-season is hard, isn’t it?
“But I’m going to work really hard to get myself – fitness-wise and physically – up to the task of playing in the Scottish Premiership.
“I feel my ability and hard work can come together now. I’m really looking forward to trying to prove what I can do at this level.
“I was happy to get about 90 minutes in the legs over the two days and get the season underway.
“I knew quite a few of the boys from being in training last year so it was a bit easier for me coming into the changing room.”
McPake’s arrangement saw him feature for Darren Young’s Albion in League One while maintaining full-time fitness levels training at McDiarmid Park.
Dropping into third tier football was no concern, he insists, because he had no wish to become a forgotten man.
McPake added: “I felt I needed to do it. Because the minute you’re out of football and not playing for a while, everyone forgets about you.
“The main thing was getting back, playing games, getting minutes and goals and getting eyes on me again.
“I felt I did that. I trained with St Johnstone during the week then played for Stirling at the weekend.
“It worked out perfect. I thank the Stirling gaffer for that because he allowed it.
“And obviously Craig Levein has been brilliant with me. I can’t thank him enough.”
St Johnstone Highland double-header
McPake played the first half of Friday night’s 6-1 win over Nairn County before wholesale interval changes.
As Levein flipped his starting side around on Saturday at Huntly, McPake started off on the bench.
But a foot injury to midfielder Alex Ferguson saw McPake introduced before the break in Saints’ 2-0 victory.
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