WRIGHT EAGER TO KEEP HIS KEY PLAYERS

ST JOHNSTONE manager Tommy Wright admits he will spend much of the January transfer window trying to tie down the club’s best playing assets.

Although he is in the market for a signing to offset the long-term absence of winger Drey Wright, he wants to use the winter break to consolidate the group of players that has served him well in the long term.

Having committed his own future to the club in the shape of a new four-year deal, Wright hopes to persuade his players to follow suit.

He said: ‘I had a really good meeting with the chairman the other day and he wants to strengthen, but it will just be one or two.

‘There are quite a few coming up for renewal and we’ve already started negotiations with three or four of them.

‘There’s the likes of Joe (Shaughnessy), Blair (Alston), Spoony (David Wotherspoon), and Richard (Foster) who are coming out of contract, and a few of the younger ones as well.

‘Players want to know who’s going to be their manager going forward. Now my contract is done and dusted it gives more stability.’

Wright admits he is also looking to tie down goalkeeper Zander Clark and defender Jason Kerr. The two youth graduates have been among their most impressive performers this season but Wright is confident chairman Steve Brown will be more inclined to protect their value than accept any offers that may arrive in the window.

‘You know clubs will be watching our players and that sharpens your thinking,’ added Wright. ‘We’ll hope to extend the likes of Zander and Jason as well.

‘I wouldn’t put us in the class of being desperate to sell, like some other clubs. Financially we’re sound, so it wouldn’t be a case of having to take the first bid that comes along because we have to plug a hole.

‘It would take extremely big offers to get the likes of those two. The chairman knows what he’s doing and if there are bids come in for our players, he knows their value.

‘I certainly don’t think he’d be steamrollered into selling anybody.’