CALLUM DAVIDSON has revealed that St Johnstone are exploring the option of playing crowd noise over the McDiarmid Park tannoy for their clash with Aberdeen on Saturday. 

A number of clubs in Scotland have made use of their sound systems across pre-season and into the opening weekend of the campaign to try and recreate a familiar feeling and atmosphere. 

Davidson, who sampled a number of behind closed door games while he was still assistant manager at Millwall, believes players prefer having some background sound to bounce off when they are strutting their stuff on the pitch. 

He said: “It’s definitely something we’re going to have a look at.  

“I know from experience down the road that players prefer some sort of noise during the game. We’ll have a look.  

“We’ll probably get out on the pitch and see what it’s like. As a player, sometimes you don’t even notice when in the heat of the game.” 

With the absence of crowds there are no hiding places for the players, with every word being picked up by the cameras following the action. 

Despite the odd expletive, Davidson insists it is a plus point for supporters to be able to hear what is being said between players and management during a match. 

Highlighting the importance of players talking their way through 90 minutes, he continued: “I’d encourage all players to do that. Liam Gordon has got that constant pitch in his voice and you can hear him all the time.  

“The fact that you can hear Liam is great, but there are others who talk in different ways.  

“One of the good things without having a crowd is that you can hear what’s being said on the pitch.  

“I think I shouted more on Saturday because we were down to 10 men. I’m always a bit hoarse after games - that is just me.” 

Saints opened their season with a draw at newly promoted Dundee United and after digesting the game over the week, Davidson pinpointed areas where improvement is needed. 

He said: “We worked better as a team in the second half, which is something we want to build on.  

“The first half looked like a first game of the season. We weren’t keeping the ball well enough or working hard enough when we got into good areas.  

“We’re a team who will have to tweak it here and there depending who we’re playing against.  

“The amount of knowledge we have on the opposition might be a factor as well.  

“But I do believe that we have to make sure we’re good at what we do to be successful this season.  

“That means the defensive side and the attacking side. That’s been the case for the last few years.” 

Davidson brought St Johnstone Scottish Cup winning hero Steven MacLean to his backroom team when he was appointed this summer and also decided to stick with Tommy Wright’s former assistant Alec Cleland. 

Discussing the pair and their blend of character, he said: “Steven MacLean and Alec Cleland have been really important. They have both worked really hard.  

“They both have different styles, which I really like. Alec is really calm and Macca is a little bit more energetic.  

“It’s a good balance between the two of them. I’m a bit energetic myself so it’s good to have Alec as more of a calming side. 

“He sits back and has a good look at everything.  

On whether he is still looking to add to his squad this transfer window, Davidson added: “It’s a big window so it’s something I need to be mindful of.  

“I’ll see where we are injury wise and make sure I’m ready to go if something does happen.”