Wright revelling in Saints’ mean streak

TOMMY WRIGHT won’t restrict the vote of thanks to his proud St Johnstone players if they burst through the 60-point barrier for the first time by beating Rangers.

The Perth manager is mischievously appreciative of some opponents, too, for the own goals scored before playing his team of consistently high achievers.

How they laugh at McDiarmid Park when reading of rival players confessing they are not too fond of facing the test posed by St Johnstone. So it was last week when Hearts striker Bjorn Johnsen admitted he just found it all very difficult to play against Saints. The outcome was a fourth victory of the season over Hearts for Wright’s men.

‘We are helped by other teams at times,’ said Wright. ‘Johnsen comes out and says he doesn’t like playing against us. Well, brilliant! Good!

‘That just makes us go: “Right, we will make sure you don’t like playing against us”. We’re putting down a marker for next season”, he said.

‘Well, go ahead, put down a marker. But you didn’t. Because we beat you again.

‘There are always wee things we use within the dressing room. And the boys love it. Ultimately, they want to go out and try to win every game.

‘They have that mentality every day in training.

‘The tempo they play at, the energy they show, it’s hard for them to switch off from that.’

St Johnstone’s fabulous post-split record — only four post-split defeats in 24 games over five years — indicates how comfortable they are as top-six regulars and Wright is keen to see that continue on the final day.

‘For us to win 17 games in this league is incredible,’ he added.

‘If we can make it 18 it would really cap off a great season.

‘I think the supporters really should be pinching themselves at what’s happening on a consistent basis here.’