Clingan keen to avoid waiting game
Sammy Clingan has urged his Kilmarnock team-mates to rediscover their early season form and spare him another six months of uncertainty.
The Northern Irishman is one of eight Killie players out of contract next summer and the midfielder does not expect to see a new offer tabled until the club's Scottish Premiership destiny is settled.
It is a familiar scenario for the 30-year-old after he was made to play the same waiting game last year.
Then, the Ayrshire men were made to fight all the way until a final day win over Hibernian in Edinburgh saw them stave off a relegation play-off scrap.
This term, however, Killie have made decent progress after a promising start to the season saw them win six of their opening 10 league fixtures.
But it has not all been plain sailing. Five straight defeats in all competitions dented confidence before last week's 1-1 draw at Partick halted the rot.
However, with St Johnstone to come on Saturday, Clingan is eager to get back to winning ways and take another step towards a new deal.
He said: "I haven't spoken to anybody about a new contract yet. I really enjoy playing at this club, so I just want to keep my head down help the team push forward.
"Until we know which division we are in next year, no one will really know to much about their future.
"Last year it went down to the last day of the season before we clinched safety. We played Hibs at Easter Road but didn't know which league we were going to be in until after the final whistle.
"That was not ideal and left a lot of uncertainty, so hopefully we can stay away from that relegation zone this year.
"We've got a wee bit of breathing room right now because of the good start to the season we have had. But we need to get back to how we were playing a few weeks back.
"The sooner we get that survival clinched the better it will be for all the out-of-contract boys. We will all be able to sort out our futures sooner rather than later."
Kilmarnock boss Allan Johnston will have to treat Alexei Eremenko carefully. The Finnish playmaker was dropped for last week's 1-1 draw with Partick due to concerns over hamstring and groin problems.
He could yet feature against St Johnstone but Johnston will definitely be without Michael Ngoo, who has been ruled out for a month after ankle surgery.
St Johnstone midfielder Simon Lappin is relishing the buzz of playing every week following his frustrating spell at Cardiff.
Lappin only made two appearances during an 18-month spell with the Welsh club, although he did have a busier loan spell at Sheffield United last season.
The former St Mirren player has quickly settled in at the Perth club and has started all three games in St Johnstone's hat-trick of recent wins ahead of their Scottish Premiership clash at Kilmarnock.
"It's just been great to be back playing regularly," the 31-year-old said. "That's all you want to do as a player, to play week in, week out.
"You train all week for it and that's the carrot at the end of it, you want to be playing on a Saturday. That's what I have been doing and long may it continue.
"It's a great group of boys and the staff and manager have been fantastic as well. I'm just glad to be back playing.
"It's a close-knit group and I think that shows on the park as well, how hard we have been working for each other."
Saints could move into the top six if they win at Rugby Park but Lappin is not getting concerned with league tables.
"We are just focusing on winning a game of football and seeing where that takes us," he said.
"They came to Perth and turned us over so we know what to expect but we have already won there in the League Cup so it's a game we are looking forward to."
Midfielder Lee Croft returns from suspension for St Johnstone. The 29-year-old was handed a two-match ban for his dangerous tackle on Ross County's Liam Boyce but serves the second game in the William Hill Scottish Cup.
Tam Scobbie is continuing his rehabilitation following a knee injury with Steven MacLean remaining on the sidelines following his knee operation.
Source: PA
