Ruari Paton Returns to St Johnstone on Permanent Deal

Ruari Paton is back where he always felt he belonged.

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 as a loanee and left as a fans’ favourite, a sharp, busy forward whose work rate matched the urgency of a club fighting to reset its direction. His return gives St Johnstone continuity in a position that so often churns from season to season.

For Paton, this is not a fresh start. It is a continuation.

"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 campaign that clearly left a mark. The language is simple, but the sentiment is not. Players pass through clubs every year; not many talk about “every single thing” with the kind of warmth Paton reserves for McDiarmid Park.

"I actually loved every single thing about the club. The place, the people. I always felt happy here and I wanted to come back."

That happiness became a theme of his loan spell. Paton slotted into the dressing room quickly, carried himself like a permanent signing and played with the conviction of someone who knew he would be judged by more than just a few months’ numbers.

"I never felt like I was on loan," he said. "I built a connection with the guys on the pitch and never had a bad interaction with anyone off it."

Those are not throwaway lines. For a club like St Johnstone, where cohesion and culture often matter as much as budget, that sense of belonging is a valuable asset. Paton is not just another forward through the door; he is a familiar face who already understands the demands of the support and the rhythm of the place.

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

Home. That is the word that lingers. St Johnstone now have Paton tied down for the peak years of his career, and he steps into the Premiership season not as a hopeful loanee trying to make an impression, but as a signed-and-sealed part of the club’s long-term plan.

The next move is his.