Saints skipper Joe Shaughnessy believes former boss Jim Goodwin will eventually turn things around at struggling Aberdeen.
But he insists he’s out to “get one over” the former St Mirren captain and gaffer in Pittodrie this Sunday before he does.
The Buddies head north for their final Premiership game of the season looking to pick up at least a draw that would ensure they finish above the Dons in the table.
Centre-back Shaughnessy, who spent six years with Aberdeen, is determined to add to his former club and manager’s misery this weekend with another positive result having beaten them three times already this campaign.
He told Express Sport: “We defended pretty well against Livingston and had some chances to win it. I think a draw was probably fair in the end.
“We were very happy to get a third clean sheet in a row. It’s been awhile since we’ve managed that.
“We’d love to finish the season four unbeaten. That’s the aim going up to Aberdeen on Sunday.
“It’s always a tough game at Pittodrie but it would be nice to get one over the old manager.
“It’s a tough job up at Aberdeen, I know that from being up there myself. I’m sure eventually he’ll turn it around, especially when he gets his own players in.
“Hopefully Sunday we can go up there and make sure his good run doesn’t start against us though. We want to go up there and get a result for our fans.”
Wednesday night’s goalless draw with Livingston means that Saints chances of replicating last season’s seventh place finish are virtually non-existent.
Nevertheless, a win on Sunday would still ensure the Buddies finish above both Aberdeen and Hibs, who have splashed much more cash during the course of this campaign than the Paisley club could.
Shaughnessy said: “After the split the aim was always to finish seventh.
“I think we’d have to beat Aberdeen about 12-0 for that to happen now.
“But to finish above Hibs and Aberdeen would be an achievement given the budgets they’ve got compared to us. They’ve spent big but we’ve matched them both this season.
"We’ve got results and wins against them so we’ve shown we can compete with them, which bodes well for next season.”
Having now gone three games undefeated, Shaughnessy is confident the club have finally recovered after a worrying run of form that saw them flirt with the drop.
With new boss Stephen Robinson’s tactics starting to sink in, and new recruits already lined up for the summer, the affable Irishman feels the club will be much stronger next season.
Shaughnessy added: “We had a tough six weeks and now it feels like we’ve turned a corner.
“Hopefully we can keep kicking on and really have a go next season.
“Robinson is a very good coach. You’re never in any doubt what he wants you to do.”
“It always takes a new manager a little bit of time to put his stamp on the team.
“It’s great to have new faces come in and it gives everyone here a new challenge.
“It’s all part of a busy pre-season at a Scottish club.
“Hopefully now with a full pre-season with him we can see how much better we can get.”
