BRAWL IS OUT OF CHARACTER
FEW understand the bonds of friendship underpinning St Johnstone’s relentless success story better than Liam Craig. Fewer still realise just how out of character the previous weekend’s brawl was between team-mates. Midfielder Craig made his landmark 300th appearance on Saturday just seven days after Richard Foster and Danny Swanson’s extraordinary exchange of blows during a defeat at Hamilton. However, if anyone felt the fight was a sign of hidden ructions in Tommy Wright’s squad, Craig insists they would be sorely mistaken. Subsequent victories over Hearts and Inverness Caley Thistle have re-energised Saints’ push for yet another European place. Now in his second spell and seventh season at McDiarmid Park, Craig, 30, said: ‘We know what we are at St Johnstone. We know if we don’t work hard we won’t get anything. But sometimes it’s overlooked just how much ability there is in the squad because of that hard work and honesty. ‘We wouldn’t be in the top six over the last six or seven years without it. ‘It’s a great team to be part of and we’re just enjoying being in the top six again and still in with a chance of playing European football next season. ‘The same core of players have delivered results week-in, week-out. The manager has brought in two or three to add freshness, but the success has been built on that core squad and togetherness. ‘There’s a good atmosphere among the players. What happened at Hamilton was completely out of character. If it wasn’t a good dressing room and team spirit, we wouldn’t fight as hard as we do for each other.’ While glad to mark his big day with a goal, what mattered most to Craig was the team staying on track for another