Captain Dave Mackay has warned St Johnstone’s top-six rivals that fatigue won’t be a factor in the Premiership run-in.
The Saints players were given six weeks off to celebrate their Scottish Cup win before reporting back for training at the start of July to prepare for the Europa League.
That means they have gone 10 straight months without a break, not to mention the two previous seasons when continental competition cut short their holidays.
However, Mackay insists tiredness won’t come into it as they chase a fourth – or even third – place finish in the league.
“We have been on the go non-stop for the last three years but if you ask me that’s a good thing,” said Mackay.
“The managers (Steve Lomas and Tommy Wright) have been a big part of that because they have known when to work us hard and when to let us slow down a bit.
“The gaffer (Wright) has been great again this season because he has known when to let the lads rest up when they have needed to.
“We have not been battered during what has been a long campaign and that has helped us last the way we have done.
“If anything, I think the early starts have been a good thing for us because we have not really had pre-seasons like other teams have.
“Some clubs will have a six- or seven-week pre-season with lots of games.
“But we have been back two weeks before playing in Europe and getting ourselves ready for the league by playing competitive matches.
“As a player, you would much rather have that than slogging it out for weeks without matches.”
The focus now turns to Saturday’s crucial clash with Inverness at McDiarmid Park.
Victory for the hosts will put them just one point behing the visitors.
“If we can win against Inverness it would be massive for us in terms of challenging them for third place,” said Mackay.
“They would still have a game in hand but it’s against Dundee United and they’d have to go out and win it.
“So it’s all to play for. We have a chance and that’s all we can ask for.
“If you’d looked at it six weeks ago then you wouldn’t have given us a hope of catching up with the likes of Caley and United.
“But we’ve gone on a decent run and we’ll see how it goes on Saturday now.”
Meanwhile, Mackay revealed that the players are refusing to award the second goal at Dens Park last weekend to David Wotherspoon.
The Saints man claimed it but it was put down as an own goal by Dundee’s Iain Davidson in some quarters.
Rather cruelly, Wotherspoon isn’t getting any help from his friends.
Mackay said: “I watched David’s goal on the telly and I don’t think it was very conclusive.
“So if it was up to me he wouldn’t be getting it because he’s waited a while and I think he needs a better one than that to get off the mark.
“He’s been trying to claim it but the lads are not having it.
“I think that would be his first goal for us in about 100 games so we need another one before we can say he’s really scored.”