BRIAN EASTON is eager to extend his stay with St Johnstone.

The Perth defender features high on the list of stars manager Tommy Wright wants tied up on new deals.

Wright is keen for continuity and the former Hamilton, Burnley and Dundee full-back has been a key performer at McDiarmid over the last three years, helping Saints lift the 2014 Scottish Cup.

And now the Perth vice-captain has indicated he’d love to thrash out a new contract and end uncertainty over his future.

The 28-year-old revealed: “I have spoken to the gaffer and we’re both keen for me to stay here.

“He’s told me he wants to extend my contract. I’m happy here and I’m eager to get it done.

“You don’t want it dragging on because it does affect you. It can play on your mind.

“I just want to concentrate on getting it done then look ahead.

“We have a few lads going out of contract in the summer but I’m sure the club will get it sorted.

“In previous years we’ve got things sorted out quickly and I’m sure it will be the same this time round.”

Saints face Motherwell looking to notch up a third clean sheet on the spin and emulate a win at Fir Park earlier in the campaign

Easton admitted he was cringing after Saints lost 4-2 to Ross County last month.

But Wright’s backline have recovered to put up the shutters against Inverness and Aberdeen and claim four points.

Easton said: “We were not ourselves for a few weeks and it was embarrassing to lose four goals at home.

“If you ask anyone about us they would say we’re hard to break down and we are a team who prides themselves on that.

“Our pride was dented by it so during the break we had, we looked at a few things and thankfully it seems to have paid off.

“We came away from Aberdeen last weekend thinking we could have won it on the chances we had but getting a point and a clean sheet there is always good.

“That’s two clean sheets in a row now, so that’s positive.”

Easton is keen to nail down a top-six spot as quickly as possible.

But he admits the Steelmen carry a cutting edge.

Easton said: “Games against Motherwell are really entertaining. When we play them it’s usually pretty open.

“With Louis Moult and Scott McDonald they have a real threat up front and you saw what they did against Celtic a couple of weeks ago. They gave them their toughest game of the season.

“Motherwell are often hard to predict because they have been up and down at times but when they’re on form they’re one of the best teams in the league.

“But this is an important one for us because we want to keep that gap between ourselves and the teams below us.

“Getting into the top six is our aim this season so we want to build up as many points as we can early to make that happen.”

Easton admits it will be weird seeing former teammate and Fir Park assistant James McFadden calling the shots from the opposition technical area, with boss Mark McGhee still suspended.

He said: “The lads here get on really well with Faddy so it will be good to see him in the dugout.

“He’s a great guy and I was pleased for him when he got the job at Motherwell.

“We don’t want him to do well this weekend but he’s someone you’d like to see succeed in coaching.”

Perth boss Wright is ready to recall midfield pair Danny Swanson and Paul Paton to his squad after injury.