Ross County trip a huge moment in St Johnstone's season

Dingwall awaits this weekend for St Johnstone and what a huge trip in the season it could prove to be.

Since manager Craig Levein has come in, the club have slowly but surely started to pick up points and the team as a whole looks a whole lot harder to beat than it did at the start of the campaign.

Goals are of course still a problem, and creativity as a whole in the final third is also an issue, but the one positive for Saints is that other teams in the division are also sharing the same problems.

Livingston are currently rock bottom of the Premiership, while Motherwell and Ross County are also struggling too. Saints are in amongst this relegation scrap and safety is the paramount concern going forward.

As previously mentioned, we are starting to pick up points in matches that we would have lost at the start of the season. Performances in the main haven’t been pretty, but results are turning and that is the main thing.

Saturday’s upcoming contest against Derek Adams’ County is very much a ‘six-pointer’ and if Saints can somehow navigate their way to three points they could start to open a gap to the foot of the table.

Hopefully, this is the case and with an added confidence of a safety gap, the players and we fans can start to look up again as opposed to sharing the fear of the drop.

The transfer window slams shut in a few hours and looking back on January as a whole, I think the club have recruited well. Kerr Smith, David Keltjens and Benjamin Kimpioka were all done and dusted in good time early in the month, this is a huge step in the right direction given the club’s countless rushed and panicked deals late on in recent seasons.

Keltjens has already scored for the club and he looks a solid addition to the defensive line. His goal against Aberdeen showed he is capable of getting up the pitch from wing-back and that must continue as Saints need extra bodies in the final third.

Kimpioka has also had game time but has failed to make an impact so far. His pace is a clear asset for all to see though and I am confident that with more games he can become an important figure of Levein’s squad. Whether he is utilised as a striker or a winger, Kimpioka’s pace can certainly do damage in Scotland.

We haven’t seen Kerr Smith in action quite yet, but he could be thrown into the starting XI on Saturday with Liam Gordon picking up an injury against Motherwell last weekend. Let’s hope he can fit in seamlessly to the defensive line and show why he was the subject of a Premier League move to Aston Villa from our neighbours along the road Dundee United.

Connor Smith has also come in from Hearts, and he is another who could prove key going forward. There is currently a lack of connection between the midfield and frontline, so let's hope he can bridge that gap.

Saints could still do business before the window slams shut with the club linked to Warrington Rylands frontman Adama Sidibeh.

At the time of writing, a deal is yet to be concluded for the English non-league striker, but hopefully if he does join the club he will turn out to be a gem unearthed by manager Craig Levein.

In terms of outgoings, I understand that midfielder Jay Turner-Cooke has returned to Newcastle following his failed loan stint at McDiarmid Park.

Finally, I just wanted to let readers know that I will be moving on from The Herald next week, meaning this will be my final McDiarmid Memo.

I have really enjoyed writing about the club we all love and I also want to thank you all for reading and signing up to the newsletter.

The McDiarmid Memo has created a solid community of St Johnstone readership for The Herald and I am delighted to say the weekly feature will continue after I depart.

I leave the Memo in great hands with Jamie Beatson, the founder of the We Are Perth Forum, who will take over from next week and I look forward to reading his ramblings going forward.

Thanks again for your support and here’s to a successful second half of the season.