Saint Foster is feeling ‘fit, strong and quick’ for visit of Ross County

DESPITE 19 seasons in the game, St Johnstone defender Richard Foster is feeling fit and strong.

He’s 34 at the end of the month and, last season, played in 45 matches, his highest seasonal number.

“I’m feeling fit, strong and quick and looking forward to facing Ross County at home in the Betfred Cup on Sunday,” he said.

Saints didn’t get their Betfred Cup campaign off to the best of starts, losing 1-0 away to Montrose on Tu e s d a y , a n d F o s t e r reflected: “We have got to play better.

“The team has it in them to do a lot better but we seemed lacklustre against Montrose.

“We didn’t pass the ball well enough, they moved the ball well and we just didn’t turn up. We can’t let that happen on Sunday.”

Foster feels he is a more complete player now and believes he has “a few more years left in me”.

Along with Liam Craig, he has been named a club vice-captain and his encouragement will be a help to new skipper Jason Kerr.

Saints had eight injured players missing against Montrose, Zander Clark, Drey Wright, Steven Anderson, David Wotherspoon, Liam Craig, Matty Kennedy, Chris Kane and Liam Gordon.

Clark, Anderson, Wotherspoon, Craig and Kane are expected to return against Ross County with Kennedy possibly being OK for the home Brechin City tie on Wednesday.

It will be a month before Wright returns and a further t wo weeks for Gordon.

Meanwhile, former Saints players, goalkeeper Alan Mannus and striker Graham Cummins, were part of t he Shamrock Rovers side which beat Brann Bergen 2-1 at home in the Europa League. The Irish side went through 4-3 on aggregate.

St Johnstone defender Richard Foster.