After 44 appearances for club and country already this season, there was no one more deserving of a rest in midweek for St Johnstone than striker Stevie May.
The talismanic 21-year-old, who has netted 22 times for Saints in this campaign, admits he would like to start every game.
However, he fully understands why manager Tommy Wright still recuperating after gall bladder surgery and his assistant Callum Davidson decided to take him off the frontline, especially as the club had already secured a top-six place after the split by beating Hibs last week.
Now though, with his batteries recharged, May is raring to go again today against Partick Thistle at McDiarmid Park.
The player said: “Over my career I have been on the bench probably as much as I have started but the manager and Callum felt it was best that I got a wee bit of a rest.
“There are other boys who have been doing well and we managed to pick up a great win against St Mirren. It has been a while since I haven’t started a match. I have played a lot of games this season, starting something like 28 league fixtures.
“I have also had Scotland Under-21 games so it has been a long, long season for me.
“So I think a rest will be beneficial for me. I want to play as much as possible but if it helps the team, I will sit on the sidelines when it is needed. I felt over the last couple of weeks that I wasn’t maybe as sharp as I had been in previous games over the course of the season.
“There has been a lot of Saturday/Tuesday or Saturday/Wednesday games for me which do take their toll maybe without you really realising it.
“Obviously you know your own body and I would never say I wouldn’t play because I was tired or anything like that but I trust the gaffer and Callum and the rest should help.”
May was not the only player rested against St Mirren with Frazer Wright and Gary McDonald keeping him company on the bench.
The management are obviously trying to keep the side fresh, especially considering Saints season started away back on July 18 with the Europa League qualifier against Rosenborg in Norway.
And May believes the squad rotation is working well.
He said: “A lot of the boys are playing well at the moment, especially in the wide midfield areas and in attack.
“We have four or five players who probably all feel they should be starting.
“It is a great squad we have here. The gaffer and Callum work well with the squad rotation to keep everyone happy.
“If you can do that, then you have things down to a tee.
“If you are not playing then understandably you will not be happy but it is different if you are at least playing every second game or so.”
Saints of course have the April 13 Scottish Cup semi-final with Aberdeen looming large on the horizon.
However, May insists the players must retain their focus on league business over the next two Saturdays before they can even start thinking about the game with the Dons.
He said: “Places are up for grabs for every game and the semi-final is a bonus in a way.
“But it is in the future and that is not what the players are thinking about at the moment.
“All we are concerned about is the next league game and getting us up the table to see if we can catch the teams ahead of us.”
St Johnstone have an injury doubt over McDonald but Brian Easton is available again after recovering from a hamstring problem.