The club first competed in a European competition in 1971–72, qualifying for the UEFA Cup following a third-place finish in the Scottish First Division.
[1] St Johnstone qualified for a UEFA competition for the first time in 1971–72 after a third-place finish in the Scottish First Division the previous season.
In the return leg in Perth, St Johnstone triumphed 3–0 winners and knocked out Hamburg 4–2 on aggregate to progress to the second round.
St Johnstone were then knocked out of the competition on penalty kicks after Minsk levelled the tie with a 1-0 scoreline in the home leg at McDiarmid Park sending the match into extra time which saw no further goals.
8000 home supporters together with 500 followers of FC Luzern watched St Johnstone take a first half lead in the second leg with a penalty scored by Stevie May.
The Swiss side only missed one penalty but St Johnstone netted all five to send the Perth men through to face Spartak Trnava of Slovakia in the Third Qualifying Round.