St Johnstone ready to thrive on Premiership play-off pressure, says Murray Davidson

Appreciative Murray Davidson is asking travelling Perth fans to pump up the volume one final time.

The long-serving midfielder this week highlighted the impressive support from the stands this season, despite a number of sub-standard team performances.

Now one last push is required as St Johnstone, promoted in 2009, attempt to keep their status as a top-flight club.

Saints journey north tonight for the first leg of the Scottish Premiership play-off and are set to be backed by a crowd well in excess of 1000.

“There have been a lot more successful periods through the years but the backing from the fans home and away has been great,” Davidson told the PA.

“I’m sure they will make the most of going up to Inverness. A good few will probably get the train up – I know they like to do that.

“The more fans, the more backing, the better. Over the last four or five months the fans have been brilliant.

“It is one last push from everyone. We are all pulling in the same direction. We all want the same thing and that is to stay in the Premiership.”

The beating heart of the Perth support’s atmosphere this season – home and away – has been the Fair City Unity group.

“The players notice it,” Davidson said. “They have the songs and there is a good number of them now.

“They always make a good atmosphere at games and they are always singing. It makes a difference.

“We can see they have put a lot of time and effort into it and all of the players appreciate it.

“Hopefully they turn out in their numbers in the next two games. What they do does not go unnoticed.”

Davidson signed for the Perth club in 2009 alongside Dave Mackay, for what is still heralded as the best piece of business Scottish football has ever seen.

Throughout those years he has