St Mirren midfielder Kenny McLean is delighted with the personal recognition he has had this season - now he wants to ensure his team's improvement is shown in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League table.
McLean is one of four candidates for Sunday's PFA Scotland young player of the year announcement and recently made his Scotland Under-21 debut.
St Mirren have already secured their highest SPL finish after following up victory over Hibernian, when McLean netted the winner, with an impressive victory over Kilmarnock on Wednesday to make sure they will not be in the bottom three.
The Rugby Park win left them a point behind Killie ahead of Saturday's visit of Inverness and McLean is determined to push the Ayrshire side all the way for seventh place.
McLean said: "My goal at the start of the season was just to get playing.
"I have done that and got the Scotland call-up which has been a bonus and a young player of the year nomination.
"If you gave me that at the start of the season I would have taken both your hands off.
"If you're nominated for something like that then you know you're getting recognised."
St Mirren's improvement as a team has been evident in Danny Lennon's second season as manager and McLean believes seventh spot would be a fitting reward.
"The way we have played, there's no reason why we don't deserve to be in seventh place.
"We'll be looking to win both games and hopefully that can give us seventh place."
The 20-year-old added: "The last two games we have been excellent.
"We got the goal and kept hold of it unlike the (4-4) Dunfermline game.
"We'll be looking to take the same kind of performance from Kilmarnock, especially in the first half, to keep us in touch with Killie for seventh place.
"Inverness seem to be our bogey team, they are tough opponents.
"It might help them with the pressure off them, with their SPL status now safe they can just come here and play."
