Stewart Duff to step down from St Johnstone board

Published on Wednesday 10 March 2010 12:02

ST JOHNSTONE managing director Stewart Duff has announced he will stand down from his position at the club from the end of this season.

• McDiarmid Park

The 60-year-old has been at the club for 24 years and was one of the first appointments chairman Geoff Brown made when he took over the Perth side in 1986.

He was appointed to the board three years after being brought on board and was made full-time managing director in 1993.

He said: "I'll be severing my ties with the club completely as I don't think it would be fair on my successor to have me looking over his shoulder.

"I have had great support from other directors and staff over the years and I have no doubt that everyone at McDiarmid Park will continue to take the club forward."

Brown paid tribute to his friend and colleague, saying: "Stewart has worked tirelessly for this club day in, day out and it is a role that brings with it a lot of hassle and flak – a lot of which he has taken to keep it away from me!

"I tried to talk him into staying on the board but he feels he can't offer anything practical in that role and he doesn't want to be a hanger-on."

Brown – the longest-serving chairman in Scottish football – has not made a decision on his own future but admitted he would find it difficult to build up a similar relationship with Duff's eventual successor.