Jamie Adams has been strongly linked with a move to Dundee over the last few weeks, but the St Johnstone midfielder has insisted he’s going nowhere.
The former Kilmarnock man made his first SPL appearance of the season in Saturday’s Tayside derby against Dundee United and took full advantage of the opportunity.
Now the plan is to become a permanent fixture in the Perth first team something that has eluded him in his McDiarmid Park career thus far.
Adams, who spent a short spell on loans at Dens last season, has had his own chances at Saints helped by fellow midfielder Murray Davidson’s two-month lay-off through injury.
He said: “I’m gutted for Murray. He is a big player for us, but we have a big squad to cover for injuries.
“Even the boys in the stand against United will have a big part to play this season. I think that’s why we will do well. There were reports that Dundee wanted me back on loan.
“You always want to play football and there are a lot of players competing for the midfield roles, but I felt if I got my chance I would be able to show the gaffer what I could do here.
“He showed faith in bringing me here and I want to repay him. I’m at St Johnstone and I love it here, working with the gaffer, Tony Docherty and the lads.
“It was good to get 90 minutes against Livingston in the cup and then United. Murray and Jody Morris have done extremely well since I came in so I just have to keep working hard.
“I have to prove to the gaffer I am good enough to start and make it hard for him to drop me.
“I know if you have one bad game there is a chance you will find yourself out of the team.”Sour tasteThrowing away a two-goal lead in the last 10 minutes on Saturday left a sour taste for Adams, but he insisted that there was much to be heartened by.
He said: “It felt like a defeat after putting so much into the derby. We had a terrible start and a terrible end.
“After losing that early goal we went on to dominate the game, but we only had ourselves to blame for not getting all three points.
“We scored three and made other chances to kill them off, but we shouldn’t be losing two goals late on to let them back into the game.
“But I’m sure we will come back even stronger for the experience. We will be ready and raring to go after the international break.
“Fran Sandaza and Cillian Sheridan are getting up to speed and will do well for us. We have goals in us all over the park.”
Meanwhile, Callum Davidson has been ruled out for a few weeks with a suspected calf muscle tear. It is being scanned this week.
Chris Millar will be ready to return after the international break and Kevin Moon is back in non-contact training with a protective cast after a hand operation.
Boss Derek McInnes said: “We have injuries but that is why a strong squad is so important going forward.
“It was disappointing not to pick up all three points on Saturday but I have nothing but praise for the efforts of the players over the last week. It was very encouraging.”
A bounce game has been arranged to give players a run out this week and winger Willie Gibson will be among them.
Keeper Alan Mannus is on duty with Northern Ireland, while striker Marcus Haber has been called into the Canadian squad for their World Cup qualifiers.