St Johnstone’s impressive form since the turn of the calendar year has earned the Perth club a place in a cup final and eased fears about a Premiership relegation battle.
And manager Callum Davidson also believes Saints will reap longer terms rewards off the back of their January and February revival.
The process of extending the contracts of players who have been part of a side which has won four games in six is underway, with Liam Gordon and David Wotherspoon having already put pen to paper.
Davidson expects the McDiarmid Park feelgood factor to have a positive impact when it comes to contract negotiations with others among the large group who will be free agents in the summer.
“The good results give me the opportunity to try and nail down most of my squad,” he said. “Hopefully we get deals done pretty soon.
“You never know what players’ ambitions may be. Some might not be happy with not getting enough game-time.
“It’s a good, strong squad but I think that every player knows that I trust them to play. That is a big thing for them.
“I trust all of them no matter who comes in to play and we’ve seen it all season.”
Davidson has certainly backed up that talk of “trust” with his team selections.
Look at Liam Craig on Saturday.
“There are a lot of players who have been good and that makes it difficult,” he said.
“Chris Kane has performed to a really high level and we’ve been left with no choice but to keep him in the team.
“Look at Liam Craig on Saturday. He hadn’t started for four or five games, but came in and produced the goods for me.
“It’s a real good balance in the squad and hopefully we’ll get most tied up soon.”
The Saints player who has perhaps best personified Davidson’s mantra of equal opportunity is Shaun Rooney. The defender’s transformation from fringe squad member to match-winner has been a stunning one.
The former Inverness Caley Thistle man followed up his cup semi-final set-piece goal with another at Livingston on Saturday. As endearing as his self-deprecation regarding his aerial ability is, the facts paint a different picture.
“Shaun said after the game he’s not very good in the air and misjudges the flight of the ball half the time,” said Davidson. “But he’s doing alright!
“He can carry on misjudging the ball for it to go off his head and into the top corner. I’ll be happy with that.
“Shaun has given us another dimension. There are things he can get better at and he knows that himself.
“He has a great attitude and wants to learn. There is good competition in that position.”
It took until 2021 for Saints’ results to improve but Davidson has traced the resurgence further back than that.
“It’s been brilliant since Aberdeen on Boxing Day,” he reflected. “It’s a strange one because for me we’re not playing as well but are picking up really good results.
“On Saturday I thought the players were superb with their combative play and how they coped with Livingston.
“We got goals at really good times which helps. We’re doing better in both boxes – from set-plays and defending crosses.
“I still think we can do better on the ball at times and be more clinical. But we limited Livingston to very few chances.
“When we missed the penalty I knew we’d maybe concede a chance. Could we have done better at their goal? Probably.
“But I thought we saw the game out well. The back three defended their box brilliantly.”
There are five matches left for Saints before the Premiership split. They are only two points behind sixth-placed St Mirren at the moment but Jim Goodwin’s men have three games in hand.
“Top six is always a tough ask,” said Davidson. “It really depends on how St Mirren get on
“We’ll be going out to win as many games between now and the split.”
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