St Johnstone midfielder Chris Millar has told Celtic the Perth men are ready to ruin their party.
Depending on Saturday’s result at Fir Park, where Motherwell host second-placed Rangers, the Hoops can wrap up the SPL championship by beating the Perth men at Parkhead on Sunday.
The prospect of seeing opposition players dancing about the park celebrating a league win is one to fill any player with dread. However, Millar and his team-mates have good reason to be cautiously optimistic going into the game.
They moved up to fourth spot by beating Inverness in the Highlands on Wednesday night and European qualification is now being seriously contemplated at McDiarmid Park.
Their last defeat came back on February 11 to Dundee United, whom they leapfrogged with their midweek result. They are also the only Scottish team to have beaten Neil Lennon’s men at Celtic Park this season, with their 1-0 win in Glasgow on August 21 thanks to a goal from defender Dave Mackay.
”We are going to Celtic Park with nothing to lose,” said Millar. ”We have won there already this season and we are on a good run and playing with confidence. Everyone expects us to lose so we will just go there and see what happens.
”Obviously, depending on the Rangers result on Saturday Celtic could win the title. But we have to focus on ourselves and not bother about who is going to win the league. We are pushing for that European place so we will be going there trying to spoil the party.
”We keep winning and we are on a good run. I think that’s six matches undefeated now.”
Saints produced a gritty display at Caledonian Stadium to keep ICT at bay and the result will have convinced just a few more people that even Motherwell five points clear going into the weekend can be caught.
”It was a massive win for us because our record up in Inverness hasn’t been good recently,” said Millar. ”It was a long day and a long journey up but the lads showed the character needed to get a win.
”Inverness threw forward a lot of long balls in the second half but the boys at the back were tremendous. They dealt with everything and we had chances on the counter-attack.
”We have good ability and a good squad here. You have to set yourself a target and we did that at the start of the season. Ours was to make the top six and that is secure now.
”So we have to be looking at a European place. Everyone wants to play at the highest level and playing in Europe ticks one of the boxes in your career. For a club like St Johnstone to get into Europe on our budget would be unreal.”
You have to go back to 1999 and the bright lights of Monte Carlo to find the last time Saints enjoyed continental competition.
”I think I was only a kid when Saints played Monaco so that shows it was a while ago,” said Millar. ”We are five points off Motherwell but you don’t want to set yourself up for a fall and maybe have egg on your face. But all the top teams play each other when the split comes in so anything can happen.”
Meanwhile, Saints boss Steve Lomas is continuing his quest to sign former Celtic and Hibs striker Derek Riordan.
”There are a few technicalities that have to be work on,” he said.
Lomas revealed that on-loan Celtic winger James Keatings cannot feature against his parent club on Sunday. There are also doubts over Jody Morris, Cillian Sheridan and Callum Davidson.
Murray Davidson is already ruled out by a knee injury.
Photo by Lynne Cameron/PA Archive