A career-high double-figure goal tally is a realistic aim for David Wotherspoon this season, according to St Johnstone manager Callum Davidson.
The former Hibs man has taken to his new position in a front three like a duck to water since Davidson took over from Tommy Wright at McDiarmid Park in the summer.
A contender for Saints player of the season so far, Wotherspoon is becoming a consistent goal threat for the Perth side.
Most recently, his strike from the edge of the box earned Saints a point against Hibs, and nearly all three. Then four days later his winner in Motherwell sent them through to the last eight of the Betfred Cup.
For the latter, Wotherspoon took up the sort of position a centre-forward would be proud of to put away Michael O’Halloran’s cross and Davidson is hoping there will be plenty more close-range and long-range finishes to come.
He really understands the game.
“There was an understanding from David as to what Michael was going to do,” said the Saints boss. “We got what we deserved.
“That’s now six goals David has got. He is playing in a slightly more advanced position.
“He really understands the game. He has the ability where he can score 10 or 15 goals in one season and that is the target for him.”
Wotherspoon was named-checked by Wright as his best ever Saints signing and in the six full seasons he played under the Northern Irishman, the Canadian international never featured less than 35 times in a campaign.
He’ll do well to better the peak total of 50 appearances in 2013/14 but going beyond, well beyond, the nine goals he scored in 2015/16 is definitely an achievable target.
A player with more modest ambitions with Saints at the moment is Shaun Rooney.
Establishing his first team Premiership credentials is the priority after being given a chance in back-to-back games to deputise for injured captain Jason Kerr.
And the former Inverness Caledonian Thistle defender is doing a fine job of keeping his manager happy in the right side centre-back position.
“Shaun has not played at this level,” said Davidson. “He is a young man who works extremely hard in training.
“He has the desire and the attitude to get better. I was delighted that he played well on Saturday.
“Against Hibs he got better and better.
“The position is probably a little strange to him. He hasn’t really played there but the more he does, the better he’ll get.”
