LOANEE Scott Cuthbert is delighted to be playing a part in St Mirren's improvement in form which has allowed them to clamber away from the bottom of the Clydesdale Bank Premier League.
The Paisley side claimed a 2-0 win over Inverness at Love Street on Saturday to make it back-to-back SPL victories after five defeats in a row.
Andy Dorman and Garry Brady grabbed the goals to seal the win, while Cuthbert has formed a formidable p
artnership with club captain John Potter in defence.
Cuthbert, on loan from Celtic, said: "Some people expect that because you are a loan player then you won't care, but I want to keep the team up. It's a great bunch of lads and I want to play and be part of things as much as anyone in the dressing room."
Cuthbert is both patient and realistic about what lies ahead for him in the short and long term. He said: "I feel I've still got plenty to learn, but If I can keep on progressing then I'm happy.
"I learned a lot from (reserve team coach] Willie McStay at Celtic, and I feel more mature now than I did after the (2007 Under-20] World Cup, when I had a bad time. So I am more capable now than this time last year. It was a frustrating time at Celtic playing in the reserves but it's great to be playing every game just now."
Cuthbert hailed the dressing-room spirit at St Mirren and reserved particular praise for Potter. "'Potsy' is great, he talks away the full game – he is a true leader. He has helped me out and we play well together," he said.
Cuthbert admits he still dreams of donning the green-and-white hoops of Celtic, but is in no rush to return to Parkhead. He said: "I know Willie McStay has been to a few of my games but I don't know if he has told Gordon Strachan about my progress. I signed a two-year deal here, and after that time if my performances are good enough, maybe I'll stake a claim for Celtic."
St Mirren now sit in eighth position in the SPL with a four-point cushion and three clubs between them and bottom-placed Hamilton. Dorman opened the scoring on 17 minutes when set up by Dennis Wyness, and less than a minute after half-time, Jim Hamilton's cross was turned in from six yards by Garry Brady.
The Buddies will move five minutes down the road to a new stadium in 2009, and Cuthbert looks forward with confidence to the two remaining fixtures at Love Street, where they have won just twice this term.
He said: "We want to end playing here on a high. With Hamilton and Motherwell still to come here we have everything to play for. We feel we can take maximum points and push up the league table."
