Scougall is hoping to be man in the middle for St Johnstone

Saints player believes number 10 role brings out his best

Tommy Wright has made no secret of the fact he wants to bolster his attacking options out wide before the end of the month.

But Stefan Scougall is hoping to prove to the St Johnstone manager that he already has his man for the middle.

The number 10 role has been the former Livingston and Sheffield United man’s in the last few games before the winter break – a change from the early months when he was on the flank.

And he would like it to be his when the season resumes against Partick Thistle this afternoon.

“I have always felt playing centrally is my best position and that’s where you get the best out of me,” said Scougall.

“When you are out wide there are times you don’t get the ball for 10 minutes and you almost feel like the game passes you by.

“If I’m in the middle I feel more involved. I can get on the ball and try to make things happen.

“If you’re not on the ball playing as a number 10, then you are always close to it and you can get yourself in the thick of things.

“It’s a team game and, of course, if the manager wants me to play wide that’s where I’ll be.

“But personally I prefer playing in the middle and that’s where I feel most comfortable.

“When I first went to England under Nigel Clough that’s where I played and that’s where I played my best football.

“There is plenty more to come from me. I think my best spell so far has been in the few games up to the break.”

Four weeks without a game has taken Saints into close-season territory given the short turnaround for their Europa League qualifiers. So their desire to get back playing needs no emphasising.

“It feels like forever since we last had a game,” Scougall said.

“The break we have had in the winter is just as long as the boys had in the summer.

“We got eight or nine days off and I was able to get away for some sunshine, but it feels like we have been back for ages without playing.

“We can’t wait to get playing again because it has been frustrating.

“The gaffer has organised a few games between ourselves but it’s not the same. You want competitive football to start again.”

The spotlight will continue to shine on Saints’ poor home form until they can sort it out.

Beating Thistle would be a decent start.

“We are at home this weekend and we need to get the home record going again,” said Scougall.

“It hasn’t been good enough in the first half of the seasons so we know we have to rectify it.

“It feels like we are starting the second half of the season again with a clean slate