Stevie May

Steven May (born 3 November 1992) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays for Scottish Premiership side Livingston. May has previously played in the Scottish leagues for St Johnstone, Alloa Athletic, Hamilton Academical, Aberdeen & St Johnstone and in the English leagues for Sheffield Wednesday and Preston North End. He has been capped once internationally by Scotland.

May began playing football aged ten and started his career as a member of St Johnstone's youth squad. Aged 16, May made his first team debut on 11 May 2009 as a substitute against Airdrie United in the Scottish First Division scoring his first senior goal. May later recalled on his debut, quoting: "Derek McInnes gave me my first taste of first team football. He gave my SPL debut at 16. He believed in me. He taught me how important it was to keep possession when I had the ball and make the opposition work to get it back." In 2009, he signed a new contract that tied him to the club until 2012.

May had to wait another season for his next appearance, coming on as a substitute on 13 November 2010 against Hearts in the Scottish Premier League. With his first start coming on 26 January 2011 against Motherwell. He scored two goals on 1 February 2011 in their 2–0 win over Hamilton. In all he made 22 appearances that season scoring twice.

May's only appearance of the 2011–12 season for St Johnstone came as a substitute on the opening day of the season against Aberdeen at Pittodrie. With appearances limited he was loaned to Alloa Athletic until the end of January. He made his league debut for Alloa on 10 December against Queen's Park, going on to score his first goals on 2 January 2012, netting a hat-trick for The Wasps in a 3–1 win against East Stirlingshire. After one month at the club, May had his loan spell with Alloa extended until the end of the season. May was awarded the SFL Player of the Month, Young Player of the Month and Irn-Bru Ginger Boot awards for January; the first time that one player has won all three player awards in a month. He scored four goals in the 8–1 victory against Elgin City that clinched the Third Division championship. At the end of the season, May won the Irn-Bru SFL Phenomenal Third Division Player of the Season. May signed a new one-year contract with St Johnstone.

On 29 August 2012, he joined Scottish First Division side Hamilton Academical on loan until 31 May 2013. May cited moving to Hamilton on loan, as "get his own career back on track." After four games without a goal, May scored his first goal and then another in the match, in addition to two assists, as Hamilton beat Airdrieonians 4–0 on 11 October 2012. After scoring fifteen goals this season, May scored two consecutive hat tricks, against Airdieonians, in a 5–0 win on 11 April 2013 and another against Livingston, in a 3–0 win on 18 April 2013. For his performance in April, May was awarded the Irn Bru player and young player of the month in the Scottish Football League. At the end of the season, May says he enjoyed his time at Hamilton. At the end of the season, May was awarded again when he won Irn-Bru SFL Phenomenal Young player of the Season. His future at St Johnstone appeared to be in doubt, but he signed a new one-year contract in May 2013.

In the summer of 2013, May was the subject of several bids from Peterborough United of the English League One, though May insisted he was happy at the club. Immediately after being linked with Peterborough, May was offered and signed a further contract extension by St Johnstone. May believed his performance in his two loan spells would allow him to make a breakthrough at the club.

May started the 2013–14 season very well. Awarded a starting place, he scored the equaliser against Europa League opponents, Rosenborg, in a famous 2–1 aggregate win. He went on to score the winner against Hearts, and goals against Ross County and Hibs. He scored 4 goals in his first 9 games of the season leading to a call-up for the Scotland U21 team. New St Johnstone manager Tommy Wright described him as "heading for the top".

A rich vein of form followed. In a match against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 5 October, May provided a triple assist and scored, as St Johnstone won 4–0. He then scored four goals in three matches against Motherwell, Hearts and Kilmarnock. Thanks to this form, May extended his contract at St Johnstone until 2015. May won the Scottish Professional Football League player of the month award of October. May scored his first hat-trick of the season, in a 3–0 win over Dundee United. Three weeks after that, May scored another hat-trick, on 18 January, in a 3–3 draw against Hearts.