Ryan Flynn urges St Mirren to make strong squad count in bid for top-six finish

Ryan Flynn believes St Mirren’s squad is as strong as he has known it – but he warned they have to make it count.

Flynn joined the Buddies four years ago in January and has helped them rise from the bottom of the Scottish Championship to, currently, the top six of the Premiership.

Having reached two cup semi-finals last season, St Mirren’s next target is to secure a top-six finish having missed out by a matter of minutes last term.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s trip to face Hearts, Flynn said: “It’s really clear that the squad is really strong, especially this season, and we have to make it count.

“We have got people fighting for every position throughout the whole team. Hopefully we can do something good this season. It’s good for competition for places but there is also such a good spirit through the team.”

The strength of the squad was evident when former Motherwell defender Charles Dunne replaced the injured Conor McCarthy during last weekend’s draw with Livingston.

“We are gutted that Conor is going to be missing for a period of time but Charles stepped in and was brilliant,” Flynn said. “If you get that opportunity you want to grasp it.”

Livingston captain Nicky Devlin’s late equaliser made it seven draws from 14 matches for Saints in the league and manager Jim Goodwin warned they were in danger of being a “nearly team”.

Flynn feels they cannot let the blow get to their heads and will get their rewards if they maintain their standards.

“You have got to make sure your performances stay up,” the 33-year-old said. “You have got to put yourself in those positions, like at the weekend when we were 1-0 up. Obviously we let those points slip but we put ourselves in that position.

“We have to keep doing that. The last few games, the points we have got have not been a just reward for the performances we have been putting in.

“We will just keep plugging away, you don’t throw in the towel, you keep working hard and I think over a course of a season you get your just rewards.”

The game against Livi was Flynn’s 100th appearance for the club.

“I have loved being here,” the former Falkirk and Sheffield United player said. “When I first moved up it was a great group of lads so I settled in really quickly. It has just been one of those fits.

“The fans have always been with us through thick and thin, and obviously there have been some hard times when we have been scrapping at the bottom. That obviously helps as well.”