only goal for Cheltenham in a 2–1 win at former club Plymouth Argyle on 5 May 2012. St Johnstone MacLean signed a short-term contract with SPL club St Johnstone on 1 September 2012, making his debut as a late substitute in a 2–1 win over Celtic on 15 September. He scored his first goals for the club with a brace against Queen's Park in the Scottish League Cup on 25 September. Four days later, MacLean scored his first league goal in a 3–1 win over Dundee. However, he suffered a dislocated elbow during the match and was out of action for about six weeks He marked his recovery from injury, in a 1–1 draw against Inverness Caledonian Thistle on 27 October. The following month, MacLean signed a contract extension, keeping him at the club until the end of 2014. MacLean ended a run of seven games without scoring in a 2–2 draw against Hearts on 15 December 2012. Later in the season, MacLean was a regular in the first team, though his goalscoring form dropped, as he was used in more of a supporting role. In the 2013–14 season, MacLean was included for four matches in the Europa League match and in the first leg of their Europa League third qualifying round tie, he scored his first European goal, in a 1–0 win over Belarus side Minsk. However, the next leg, Minsk equalised, leading to extra time and then to penalty shoot-out. MacLean's penalty was saved, eliminating St Johnstone from the Europa League. After the match, MacLean quoted "I tried to go for power [with my penalty] but the keeper has guessed right" In the newly founded Scottish Premiership at the top of the Scottish Professional Football League, MacLean scored four goals between late September and mid-October against Partick Thistle, Inverness Caledonian Thistle and St Mirren. Unfortunately, MacLean had an operation on his knee after an injury sustained against St Mirren and was expected to be out for three months. After four months out, MacLean made his return for the club, scoring twice in a 3–0 win over Motherwell on 25 February 2014. He remained in the first team for the remainder of the season and signed a contract extension to keep him for the next two years. Weeks after signing a new deal, MacLean started in the Scottish Cup Final, alongside his striking partner, Stevie May. With ten minutes