The St Johnstone players can “help themselves” with a good Scottish Cup run, according to manager Tommy Wright.
There are 14 Perth players due to be out of contract in the summer, and talks are underway about extending the deals of several of them.
And going deep in the cup would top up the McDiarmid Park coffers.
“We have had more meetings this week and things are moving along,” said Wright.
“We are getting closer and hopefully we can get a few tied up within the next week or so.
“MacLean has his option and that will be signed and we are also talking to various players including Easton, Wotherspoon and Foster.
“We have 14 players going out of contract so it is a question of timing. We are going through a process. We can’t talk to them all at once but just because we haven’t opened discussions yet doesn’t mean they aren’t being offered new deals.
“Various things have to come into a manager’s thinking at this time of the season in terms of where we finish in the league and if we have a great cup run. That impacts on the budget going forward and could give me more scope.
“Just because players are in the last six months of their current contract doesn’t mean we have to offer one right now and we do know there is a risk attached to that.
“The players can help themselves by having a cup run. Obviously winning any game is good but winning in the cup has you looking forward to the draw for the next round and then the next tie. It gives the place a real buzz and financially it is great for the club and it is good for the players and the supporters.”
There are of course the financial benefits of a successful Scottish Cup campaign, but the main motivation for beating Stenhousemuir tomorrow and then going a lot further along the road to Hampden has nothing to do with pounds and pence.
“It is difficult but ultimately we are in the business of trying to win trophies,” Wright added.
“The league is outwith the reach of everyone except Celtic so the cup provides us with a real chance of some glory.
“I say it every year but there are five games to win a major trophy and that gives us the best opportunity of claiming silverware.
“The cups have been good for the smaller clubs these last few years, with quite a few of us seizing opportunities. Everyone wants to win the Scottish Cup.
“In England the FA cup has suffered because of the pressures of reaching the Champions League, and also the obsession with staying in the Premier League because there is so much money to be had. Even Championship clubs chasing promotion have fielded weaker teams.
“But I don’t think supporters look that way on the cup down south. And even the bigger teams see the prize before them when they reach the latter stages of the competition.
“And fans, players and managers in Scotland certainly want to win the Scottish Cup. The prestige of the competition hasn’t been diminished up here.
“I will be fielding the strongest line-up I can put out. It is a one-off game and we have to respect the opposition. We aren’t big enough to make wholesale changes.”
Michael Coulson is still out and Murray Davidson will also miss the game because of a virus.
