Flynn hopes injured duo are back soon to boost Saints squad
Ryan Flynn is wishing St Mirren team-mates Jamie Mcgrath and Jake Doylehayes a speedy recovery - even though he knows it could put his place in Jim Goodwin's team under threat.
Mcgrath suffered a dislocated shoulder against Celtic earlier this month while former Aston Villa youngster Doylehayes injured his foot against Aberdeen.
Goodwin feared both Irishmen - who are among his top performers - could be out for the remainder of the season but the good news for the Buddies boss is the pair are both likely to be available before the split as Saints look to clinch their place in the top six.
Their absence has allowed Flynn to reclaim his spot after six months out with a serious knee injury. But the midfielder wants to see Saints back to full strength as soon as possible as he insisted he is ready to fight for his jersey.
"Suspensions and injuries have helped me get back in the team but the bigger the
squad you have the better," he said. "I definitely don't want to see boys getting injured and hopefully the likes of Jamie and Jake can come back soon.
"What's really important though is having players ready to step up when called upon and I think that's what has happened this season. I think that's what has happened with me. I'm always ready and look to play my part whenever I can.
"We've had loads of different challenges this season like Covid but I think we've handled it really well. This latest bout of injuries is no different but hopefully we can get a few more boys back before the split."
Saints - who have drawn their last three matches - play their game in hand tonight as they host Motherwell.
Victory will help solidify their place in the top half of the table and open up a fourpoint lead over nearest rivals Dundee United.
The Buddies then have clashes against struggling duo Ross County and Hamilton either side of a trip to Rangers but Flynn said: "We can't look further than the game on Wednesday. It's that old cliche about the next game being the most important but it is as it's a real chance for us to get three points and cement our place in the top six.”
Livingston will travel to the Betfred Cup final in a convoy of cars - and manager David Martindale still expects Efe Ambrose to get lost on the way to Hampden. Coronavirus and financial restrictions mean Livingston will forego the tradition of staying in a hotel before Sunday's showpiece against St Johnstone and not travel on coaches.
"We will get our prematch meal at the stadium and then all head through to Hampden in our cars,” said Martindale. "I just don't see any other way round it. We could have taken five buses but I just didn't see that being cost effective - six players on a bus [because of rules on social distancing].
"If fans were at the game you would want to be on a bus driving through Hampden and seeing the fans going to the game and it would be a fantastic occasion. But there's not going to be any fans in the stadium and it's going to be different anyway.
"We will all drive through in our cars together as a squad. It's very similar to what the staff did at the semi-final, we all went in our cars while the players were on two buses. But since the Aberdeen trip away when players were made to isolate when they were over two metres away on the bus, we don't think it's worth it.
"Guaranteed someone will still get lost. Someone will head to Parkhead or Ibrox or something. One hundred per cent. I'm not going to name names but I'll make sure I'm behind Efe and Marv is in front of Efe so we can get him there."