Brian Easton is confident that the St Johnstone team isn’t on the verge of being broken up.
The defender is one of several regulars who will be out of contract in the summer.
As is the case with his manager, Easton wants to get a new deal sorted out as soon as possible – and he is optimistic that will be the case.
“I have spoken to the gaffer and we’re both keen for me to stay here,” said the former Hamilton and Dundee full-back.
“He’s told me he wants to extend my contract, I’m happy here and I’m eager to get it done.
“You don’t want it dragging on because it does affect you, it can play on your mind.
“I just want to concentrate on getting it sorted then look ahead.
“We have a few lads going out of contract in the summer but I’m sure the club will get it sorted.
“In previous years we’ve got things sorted out quickly and I’m sure it will be the same this time round.”
Easton and his fellow defenders are feeling good about themselves again going into today’s McDiarmid Park clash with Motherwell.
After the torment of letting in four headed goals against Ross County –and having to dwell on it for two weeks before they could play again – two good performances and four points have come at just the right time.
“We were not ourselves for a few weeks,” he admitted. “It was embarrassing to lose four goals at home.
“If you ask anyone about us they would say we’re hard to break down and are a team who prides themselves on that.
“Our pride was dented by it so with the break we had, we looked at a few things and thankfully it seems to have paid off.
“We came away from Aberdeen last weekend thinking we could have won it on the chances we had but getting a point and a clean sheet there is always good.
“That’s two clean sheets in a row now, so that’s positive.”
Saints have won their last six home matches against Motherwell and today’s visitors aren’t normally one of the sides who you would predict would sit in and try to frustrate the Perth men.
“Games against Motherwell are really entertaining ones,” Easton said. “When we play them it’s usually pretty open.
“With Louis Moult and Scott McDonald they have a real threat and you saw what they did against Celtic a couple of weeks ago.
“They are often hard to predict because they have been up and down at times but when they’re on form they’re one of the best teams in the league.
“It’s an important one for us this weekend because we want to keep that gap between ourselves and the teams below us.
“Getting into the top six is our aim this season so we want to build up as many points as we can early to make that happen.”
James McFadden was a popular member of the McDiarmid dressing room during his short stay at the club and, with Mark McGhee serving the second game of a touchline ban, the Fir Park assistant boss will be a visible presence at the side of the pitch.
Easton said: “The lads here get on really well with Faddy so it will be good to see him in the dugout this weekend.
“He’s a great guy and I was pleased for him when he got the job at Motherwell.
“We don’t want him to do well this weekend but he’s someone you’d like to see succeed in coaching.”
Danny Swanson is a doubt for Saints but Paul Paton should be available.
