James Brown is eager for Ross County to make early-season gains in an effort to avoid more survival drama.
The Staggies have stayed in the Premiership courtesy of winning the relegation play-off in each of the last two seasons.
Last term, they only missed out on automatic survival on goal difference after St Johnstone – who they host today – won their final game of the season at Motherwell.
After recording their first league win of the campaign against Dundee last weekend, Brown is determined to register further early-season points against managerless Saints.
Brown said: “I know it is the start of the season, but we’re not down the bottom of the table, looking up already.
“I know we had a few games called off around Christmas last year and even though we had games in hand, we were looking up saying ‘we have to win here’ and stuff like that.
“If you can stay in a decent position and keep that consistency, you should be okay.
“We just don’t want it to go to the wire again. We want to go into the split happy with where we are and confident.
“Last season, St Johnstone finished above on goal difference. We look back at this time last year and we were 3-1 up against Motherwell and drew 3-3.
“You look back at that after the season finishes and realise it would have made the difference.
“It just shows you how important these games are. We remember what last year was and remember that we dropped a lot of points we shouldn’t have, so every game is a big game for us.”
Brown relishes competition with fellow right back Efete
Irishman Brown is competing for a place with fellow right back Michee Efete this season.
Both players made the switch to Victoria Park last season, with Brown joining from Blackburn Rovers.
Efete commanded a regular starting place after being brought in from Grimsby Town in January, before Brown regained his place towards the end of the campaign.
Brown reckons the competition is bringing the best out of him, which he feels is a consistent theme throughout Don Cowie’s squad.
He added: “It is just whatever the manager’s preference is. I had a lot of chats with him last year when I wasn’t playing and he was very honest with me about what I needed to work on.
“I ended up getting into the team in the play-offs.
“It is not really a battle – Michee and I get on really well.
“The competition pushes us and I feel like I’m in the best shape I’ve been.
“The manager just wants everyone working hard and staying with it. In a big squad, there is going to be a lot of rotation.
“He can’t keep everyone happy, but it is up to ourselves to be in the best shape possible to play.
“It is a squad game at the end of the day. There’s competition all over the place.”
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