Wright keen to ‘draw a line’ under Dens Park derby fracas

Two Scottish Cup-winning heroes, Steven Maclean and Alan Mannus, agreed precontracts away from Mcdiarmid Park this week but Wright has no doubts that they will be as committed as ever in the final few games of the Premiership campaign.

He said: “Knowing the characters of them, they don’t want to go out being remembered in their last games as playing poorly.

“You need to know the person. Certainly in the case of Mannus and Maclean, I don’t have any doubts.

“If you go back previously, Liam Craig played a full four or five months and gave everything for the club right up to when he left. He even scored a goal in his last game on the last day.”

Dundee manager Neil Mccann had his touchline ban reduced to one game on appeal and Wright now wants to “draw a line” under the post-match incident the last time Saints made the trip to Dens Park “It’s done and dusted,” he said. “Ultimately we have owned up and Zander (Clark) has done the right thing.

“The SFA have found the other party guilty. That is it finished with and it draws a line under it.

“Whether the sanctions are fair or not is irrelevant. That is for the authorities to decide.

“It shouldn’t add extra spice because it’s a derby anyway. Dundee will be fighting for their lives. They had plans of getting top six this year. They need the points for different reasons than us.

“We are desperate for the points to finish seventh while they are desperate for the points to get away from the relegation and play-off places. Both teams have something to play for.

“My players will be up for it. They want to finish the season strongly and we have always done well in the post-split games. We want to finish seventh.

“It’s a derby game so there will be a decent atmosphere. Training has been good all week and the players are looking lively.

“I think they can see the finish line too which always puts a little spring in their step. They will be looking forward to the end of the season, but we must finish strongly.”

Denny Johnstone is the latest Saints player to need surgery.

“Denny had a cartilage operation this morning,” Wright said.

“Brian Easton is doing a bit more on the grass but not enough to get back into full training.

“David Mcmillan is close to full training, and Stefan Scougall and Callum Hendry will join in for most of the session this morning. I would expect them to be in full training next week.

“So there is a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. We haven’t performed as well as we should have done. But the number of injuries has certainly disrupted the continuity in terms of team selection.

“That has been one of the contributions as to why we missed out on top six.”