LIAM Gordon has welcomed the prospect of new players joining St Johnstone during the January transfer window – but insisted the current squad is good enough to secure cinch Premiership survival.

McDiarmid Park manager Callum Davidson admitted that he hopes to make at least four signings next month following a disappointing 3-1 defeat to Celtic in Perth on Sunday.

Last season’s League Cup and Scottish Cup double winners are in bottom spot in the top flight table after losing seven consecutive league games and Davidson believes he needs to strengthen to avoid relegation.  

Centre half Gordon believes that some fresh faces will give St Johnstone, whose next game is against Hearts at Tynecastle on January 18, a lift and help them to return to winning ways when play resumes after the winter break.

“It’s outwith my control,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. But, certainly, it would benefit the squad as a whole to have some fresh faces in, competition for us all. If that’s what happens, we’ll welcome it.”

However, the defender knows that he and his St Johnstone team mates can perform far better than they have in the first half of the 2021/22 campaign and stressed they will all redouble their efforts in order to clinch Premiership safety

“We’ll use he break as a time to step away, reflect on what has been a disappointing first half of the season and give us time to regroup,” he said. “Then we’ll come back refreshed and eager to get ourselves up the table.

“An upturn in form doesn’t just come from me as captain and it can’t just come from me. It has to come from everyone. We’ve got numerous people in the dressing room who can have that effect as well. If we start getting everyone singing from the same hymn sheet then I think we’ll be fine.

“We’re bottom of the table and the club hasn’t faced this level of disappointment in a long time, especially coming off the back of last season. It will certainly test the character of the squad. But I still absolutely back us as a group – players and managers – to get us out of the situation we’re in. We’re up for the fight.”

Gordon knows that St Johnstone have struggled for confidence in recent weeks and felt their second-half performance against Celtic – they pulled a goal back through Chris Kane and then pushed for an equaliser - showed what they are capable of when they take games to their opponents. 

“It’s something we’ve lacked in the last few weeks,” he said. “Going into the games last season we’ve believed we were going to win and we need that back. It was something that was mentioned at half-time against Celtic.

“It was far better after half-time in the Boxing Day match. We’re happier with that, but still disappointed in the result obviously.

“There were still areas that need to improve, but I thought Chris Kane made a massive difference coming back in. It was great to have that focal point up front. When you have someone like him putting in the hard work, it’s great for the defence.

“We went on an amazing run last season and I know we can do it again. Working hard and doing then basics well will get us back to that. I do believe we’re not far away.

“This has happened in ridiculously quick time. There’s no lying about that. But St Johnstone has historically been a club of phases – good and bad. It happened last year and in previous seasons. We need to turn this bad streak into another good streak and do our talking on to the pitch.”