ST Johnstone chairman Adam Webb has revealed the club's £500,000 investment in McDiarmid Park's pitch revamp, following Dundee's lead. The decision comes after the club's playing surface deteriorated badly during the middle of last season, forcing them to switch a home cup-tie to Falkirk. Thankfully, head coach Simo Valakari and his players managed to navigate this unexpected underfoot obstacle. And a couple of days after their final home match of the title-winning campaign, work began on digging that pitch up and replacing it in time for Premier Sports Cup fixtures in July. The cost is likely to come in at around £500,000, with the club taking a leaf out of Dundee's book for their return to the Premiership.