Steven MacLean is the top scorer in the Scottish Premiership.
But it wasn’t that long ago the experienced striker feared for his place in the St Johnstone side.
“I didn’t play the first few games of the season,” said MacLean, whose goal against Partick Thistle at the weekend took his total to nine, one ahead of Leigh Griffiths.
“Europe didn’t go great for us. I was suspended for Hearts. Then I had to get myself back into the team.
“Thankfully I haven’t looked back but there’s competition for places across the team.”
MacLean has always been a team man, in previous seasons sacrificing his own goalscoring record for the benefit of the team.
And now that his name is up in lights, he’s keen to share the glory.
“It is good to be scoring goals,” he admitted.
“Up at the top of the charts is where you want to be as a striker. But a lot of the credit has to go to my team-mates for the assists.
“I haven’t scored a goal outside the box yet this season. Guys like Graham (Cummins) and Mikey (O’Halloran) have been setting them up for me. I’ve even had a few six yard box headers.
“I’m getting into the box more this season. I had a chat with the coaching staff over the summer and they wanted more goals from me.”
The MacLean-Cummins combination has been particularly effective of late.
“Graham doesn’t get enough credit for the intelligent runs he makes,” MacLean noted. “He has scored four himself but his runs have helped me because they trouble defenders. He has created more space for me.
“He has been out wide at times and linking-up the play. I was doing that myself before.
“We play off each other quite well.
“It is a good partnership but we have big Sutts (John Sutton) and Kano (Chris Kane) looking to get in. We know if we aren’t doing well there are players ready to step up.”
Sutton isn’t getting much game-time just now, and Kane even less. But MacLean had some advice for the young striker.
He said: “It is a long season and everyone will be needed.
“I know what Kano is going through, waiting for his chance. I remember what it was like as a youngster at Rangers.
“More experienced lads like myself will give him pointers and keep him at it. He has to keep working hard in training to catch the manager’s eye. His time will come because he is a good young player.”
MacLean won’t be resting on his laurels.
“I have to keep doing it,” he pointed out. “I have to tell myself what I tell my young lad and that’s ‘play in the box.’
“My best tally in Scotland is 10 here but injuries have cut short my seasons.
“In England I got 20 for Sheffield Wednesday and 25 at Scunthorpe and I was out for three months there.
“My knee feels good and the gaffer is managing me well. So touch wood I stay healthy this season and keep scoring.”
MacLean doesn’t believe Saints will have a problem putting Saturday’s surprise defeat to Partick Thistle behind them.
He explained: “Things just didn’t go for us.
“Gary Miller’s was some hit and the second was even better. They really were wonder strikes.
“I had a chance late on when I went round the keeper. I don’t know where Gary has come from to take it off my toe as I was about to put it in. Then there was the penalty claim.
“Maybe it was a boot up the backside that we needed after the recent great results. It has brought us back to earth. We normally bounce back well after a loss and while it will be tough up at Inverness we have to produce a positive reaction.”