For Saints, finishing in fourth place would be like winning league
PREMIERSHIP LATEST Tommy hails his Perth battlers for punching well above their weight
P W D L F A PT CELTIC ..................... 29 27 2 0 76 18 83 ABERDEEN ........... 29 18 4 7 53 24 58 RANGERS .............. 29 14 8 7 42 33 50 ST J’STONE .......... 29 12 7 10 39 37 43 TOMMY WRIGHT last night urged St Johnstone to bust the big four and complete an incredible run to their very own title triumph. The McDiarmid Park club are on course for another fantastic campaign in the top flight as they sit in fourth with nine games remaining. Saints have muscled among the big city outfits of Celtic, Aberdeen, Rangers and Hearts to sit two points above the Gorgie outfit and on course for a place in Europe again. With the Ibrox club back in the Premiership this term and the other trio having spent to strengthen Wright’s team are once more punching above their weight. He reckons finishing fourth would be an astounding effort and believes his charges can make it happen. Wright said: “There is absolutely no pressure on us because everyone would say it had been another great season for St Johnstone if we finished fifth or sixth. “But you look at the table just now and it is Celtic, Aberdeen, Rangers and St Johnstone. If the league was to finish in that order it would be like winning the title for us. “It would certainly be winning a league within a league because Celtic and Aberdeen have improved and Rangers have improved the league. Hearts have spent money with other clubs also working hard to get better.
“No one has been cut adrift at the bottom like Dundee United were last season. It has been tighter. So for us to be sitting seven off Rangers in third with their budget at this stage is incredible.”
Wright’s team have a big opportunity this weekend to improve their position. They visit bottom club Hamilton while Hearts face championselect Celtic the following day.
Saints are then due to host Hearts on Wednesday night but Wright is refusing to get excited just yet.
He said: “We normally finish a season well and hopefully the experience of run-ins with something to play for will stand us in good stead. We did extremely well last year after the split.
“We are in a good position at the right end of the table and challenging for fourth when we didn’t think that just a few months ago.
“Depending on the Scottish Cup, fourth place could get us back into Europe but every team has something to play for. It’s been very competitive this season.
“We have done great to claw back the gap on Hearts when they were sitting in second place and on a high after beating Rangers. We were thinking they’d kick on but have had a wobble.
“We have played in fits and starts but have picked up vital wins when they were needed.
“Hamilton is going to be a tough game though. I don’t look at their league position. They have a good squad with players who can hurt you.
“They haven’t had the results they’d have wanted but have put in some very good performances. We know we can’t just turn up to win.
“The good thing is our away performances have been really consistent. Other than Celtic we have the best away record in the league.
“But we know it’s going to take another good away performance to get three points from this game.
“As a manager I look ahead in terms of planning but the players are only focused on Hamilton.
“This is a massive game for us. There is an opportunity to go five points clear of Hearts before they play Celtic.”