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Steven Anderson hopeful of many more appearances for St Johnstone

Steven Anderson.
Steven Anderson.

Steven Anderson will make his 250th top flight appearance for St Johnstone today.

And the veteran defender is hopeful that there “are many more to come” yet.

The break-up of Saints’ Scottish Cup-winning side will continue in the summer, with Alan Mannus and Steven MacLean joining the likes of Frazer Wright and Dave Mackay in moving on.

Anderson, though, has the option of a year to extend the deal which runs out in a few weeks and he revealed that there is a good chance he will be at McDiarmid Park for another campaign.

“It’s another milestone for me and hopefully there are many more to come,” said the 32-year-old, who is the club’s record appearance holder.

“I do have a year’s option on my contract.

“We have games still to play and that is the priority just now. But I like it here and there is every chance I will still be here next season.”

Anderson has backed Tommy Wright to ensure that the inevitable freshening up of his squad in the close-season won’t affect a dressing room that will soon be without some familiar faces.

“There will be big characters leaving at the end of the season,” he said. “Guys like Steven MacLean and Alan Mannus, so there will be changes over the summer.

“We’ll have younger guys coming through and they have to step up.

“The manager will be bringing in players and as usual doing his due diligence. He will be making sure his signings fit into the dressing room here. Players will know what they are coming into.

“Changes are part and parcel of football. You go through changes at any football club.

“I have been fortunate. I have been here 14 years so I have seen a lot of players – and managers – come and go during that time.

“It will be my time to go sooner or later. I’m not getting any younger.”

One of the younger players who has made himself a first team regular since returning from a loan spell at Queen of the South has been fellow centre-back Jason Kerr.

Anderson said: “Jason is a real prospect. He still has a lot to learn but he has attracted attention and rightly so in his first season at this level.

“It’s about keeping it going now and he could move on to bigger and better things.

“Jason is very good on the ball. He is a big boy as well. He has attributes to be playing at the top level. Liam Gordon is also a very good defender. Guys like them are the future for the club.”

Today’s opponents Partick Thistle have a greater need of points than Saints but Anderson is determined that there will be a strong Perth finish to the season.

“It’s a big game for Thistle but we want to finish as high up the table as possible,” he pointed out.

“It’s a matter of professional pride and it also means more money for the club.

“We are definitely not thinking of downing tools. We have to finish as high as possible.

“People are saying we have had a poor season because we didn’t make the top six again.

“But this is a transitional period for the club and we have had injuries so it’s not been too bad.

“Maybe fans here have been spoilt given the success we have enjoyed and given the budget here.

“It has been top six regularly, even top three, and we have won the Scottish Cup.

“It’s not easy sustaining it at a club this size, as Partick have found after finishing in the top six last season.”

Murray Davidson is suspended, with Blair Alston, Chris Kane and Brain Easton injured. Callum Hendry and David McMillan are unlikely to feature.