Relegation casts a long shadow.
Matt Lockwood had intended to peek out from it last month when he was asked to act as a radio pundit for a Barclays Premier League game, only to be lumped with Queens Park Rangers v Sunderland; two clubs that are not sure of their place in the top flight next season. Presumably it was Lockwood's involvement in a similarly precarious position at Dundee which lent further weight to his opinion.
At least the defender knew that any mistake he made on the airwaves would not result in either club dropping down a division, although he will not be afforded such respite today. The 36-year-old will be part of a Dundee squad that will be relegated from the Clydesdale Bank Premier League should they fail to get a win against St Mirren.
The Dens Park side's return to the top flight this season has become more of a funeral march, albeit one which has dragged on a lot longer than expected under the guidance of interim manager John Brown. Being exposed to a new environment – Lockwood also summarised during a match between West Ham United and Newcastle United – has enlivened the veteran, though, and he is eager to keep his side's survival hopes alive for another week.
"It's been a great experience," said Lockwood. "I've always liked the idea of talking about football so to get this chance at some top English games has been brilliant, something I couldn't refuse. It's another learning curve and you always take things from games which you then try and add to your own.
"It's business as usual on Saturday, though, for obvious reasons. Any thoughts of anything else will be put on the back-burner because it's all about trying to keep Dundee in the SPL."
That St Mirren are 13 points ahead is of little consequence since Dundee will return to the Scottish Football League at the end of the season, a statement which can be made with some vindication as league reconstruction has been shelved following an SPL vote this week. St Mirren have faced criticism as one of the clubs opposed to proposals but Danny Lennon has defended their decision to say 'no'.
"It's not been an easy week for us here but the chairman is the voice of the club and the decision he took was not done lightly. We're all 100% behind him," said the St Mirren manager, who revealed that defender Darren McGregor has had a second operation on a knee ligament injury.
"But what we always seem to do is miss the opportunity to talk our game up. If there one thing that has to change, it's that. It's a Scottish mentality; we have to get away from all this negativity. Who is going to come in and invest –whether that be sponsors or fans coming in through the gate – if our game is constantly knocked down."
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