St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson claims a number of his squad are playing for their futures as well as the club’s top-six ambitions over the next three games.
Saints are among six teams separated by a point with three places in the cinch Premiership top half up for grabs.
The Buddies host Dundee United on Saturday before games against Motherwell and Rangers decide their fate as they look to secure a top-six finish for the first time since 1985.
Robinson said: “St Mirren have not been in the top six for a long, long time. It’s very much there to play for.
“It’s a difficult period of the season to be honest because it’s a short-term goal in the next three games.
“There’s also the uncertainty. When you are at a club like ourselves, boys have maybe been offered contracts and haven’t quite taken them and are looking elsewhere.
“Boys that maybe thought they were getting contracts before I came in, and I have slowed that process down a bit to make sure I get a good view of everything.
“Not just us, every team outside the top three or four who pay extremely well, it’s a little bit up in the air.
“Boys are playing for their futures, whether it’s to stay here or go elsewhere.
“So it’s everything to play for both individually and as a club.”
Saints look likely to be without Jordan Jones for several weeks while Matt Millar’s hamstring issue has developed into something more serious.
“Jordan Jones fell on his shoulder in the first couple of minutes on Saturday,” Robinson said. “We’ve had Jordan scanned and he is a big, big doubt for Saturday.
“Matt Millar as well could be out for the rest of the season with something he picked up just after I came in.”
