Liam Craig was the man to end St Johnstone’s embarrassing goal drought and now he wants to change the name on the club’s top scorer’s trophy.
At a supporters’ dinner last weekend, Sam Parkin was handed the annual award, despite only hitting the net five times before being struck down by injury.
Craig equalled the Englishman’s tally with his strike against Hibs in the 2-1 win at Easter Road last Saturday and striker Parkin has since pledged to erase his own name and get the midfielder’s engraved on the gong should he score more in the remaining matches of the season.
That is a challenge that the former Falkirk man is ready to take up, starting on Saturday when Saints travel north to Pittodrie to play Aberdeen.
Craig said, “If Sam had been fit I have no doubt the award would have been his but the important thing is not the individual’s achievement but what the team does.
“The most important thing, though, is for us to finish the season well with three wins.”
He added, “You saw the way we reacted after the Hibs game that it meant everything to us.
“We wanted to show the fans that although we are in the bottom six it still means a massive amount to us to finish as high up the league as possible.”
Craig will be at the club next term having extended his deal, but admits he is hoping for better next time around.
He said, “I have not scored the goals I wanted to and my performances haven’t been there.
“The manager spoke to me on Saturday and being on the bench I wanted to come on and show him how much it meant to me to play for this club.”Still all to play forCraig is adamant that no one at McDiarmid Park views the season as being done and dusted.
He argues there is still a huge amount at stake for players whether they be staying or going.
He said, “People may say we don’t have much to play for but what they forget is that there are a lot of people out of contract at the end of the season.
“Even if, like me, you have a deal it is about doing everything you can to help the others in your team.”
Craig took note of an improved Dons display last time out against Inverness Caley Thistle and is expecting a tough match.
He said, “They got a good result against Inverness last week and they have players who are fighting for new contracts.
“So going up to Pittodrie is going to be difficult but our record up there has been pretty good.”
He added, “We beat them 1-0 earlier in the season in a game that probably marked a turning point in our season so we know that if we take the confidence we got from Saturday’s game into this one then we can get the three points.”Dons’ contract worriesMeanwhile, Aberdeen goalie Jamie Langfield will decide next week whether or not he is going to accept the club’s first and final offer of a new contract.
He said, “The manager has given me a bit longer to think about it because he has been talking to Sone Aluko and Chris Maguire about their plans.
“I am a bit at the back of the queue just now but hopefully we can sit down and talk about it next week.”
He added, “I want to stay, so it is just all about what is going to happen regarding my terms and the duration of the contract.”
The Dons won their first SPL match in nine games with Peter Pawlett getting the only goal against ICT.
But Pawlett has damaged his hamstring and is sidelined as is Michael Paton, who was also crocked in the Aberdeenshire Cup final defeat against Turriff United.
They join Darren Mackie, Yoann Folly, Scott Vernon, Rory McArdle and Andrew Considine on the list of those unavailable and manager Craig Brown will have to dig deep in to his reserves.
Fraser Fyvie may even feature for the first time since the teenager ruptured his knee ligaments in a Co-op Cup tie at Alloa back in August.