Nicky Devlin was the player who addressed the press for the pre match-media duties ahead of the cinch Premiership game against St Johnstone on Wednesday.

“Both games at Rugby Park this season, we have not turned up. We didn’t lay a glove on Kilmarnock. For their defence and goalkeeper, probably two of the most comfortable afternoons that they are going to have. From our point of view that is not good enough. It is something we have said a few times this season, the performances have just not been there, and that is not acceptable.

“The manager wants a reaction tomorrow night.

“The manager has not said what he has said because he thinks we have played well. We were not good enough and that was clear to see. You have to be able to deal with the criticism. The manager will tell us if we are doing well, so he is more than entitled to tell us when we don’t do well and when we need to be better.

“He is very straight, very straight to the point. Boys know exactly what is expected of them and that is a good thing.

“It is a management style I have had before in my career. A lot of the boys in the squad will have worked under similar managers to the way the gaffer is. Not every manager is going to cuddle you and tell you everything is fine. There are other styles of management, and you have to be able to deal with that.

“The simple way to turn things around is by winning games. It is obvious to see we are giving away soft goals at the moment which is not helping us. As a team we can do a lot more. We have all been underperforming. When everyone under performs at the same time it is never going to be a recipe for success.

“We need find a way to win the game. At this stage of the season, it does not really matter how you get there, you just have to win the game.

“It has been difficult against St Johnstone this season, we have drawn both games. We know it is going to be difficult. We need to produce a better performance against them.

“There is no point is talking about anything else. We just need to get the three points. There is no point in talking about what has happened in the past any longer. We have to start winning games.

“We are not on a good run so you have to find confidence from within yourself. As a dressing room we have to make sure everyone does that together. There are different reasons we have not won games recently, as I said we have given away too many cheap goals, myself included in that, I have made mistakes that have cost goals. We have to cut out the individual errors but at times like this, you need to try and be confident yourself. We are all here for a reason. We have been signed by the club for a reason. On the park we have to be better.

“We have been so inconsistent this season, we can only focus on Wednesday night. There is no point in looking at the table and formulating a plan of what might happen. That is not going to work. Hopefully a win will put us in a better position in the league table. And we go from there.

“We have to go from game to game. We have to get a win to begin with and from there we can look forward.

“We have not started strongly in the last two home games, against Motherwell and Hibs. Both games we made it very difficult for ourselves, but they are both games we probably should have won in the end. So we know on Wednesday we need a fast start. St Johnstone like us are coming off the back of a poor result on Saturday so I am sure they will be saying the same things.

“We are at home.

“The Pittodrie crowd have been brilliant this year. They have been there in their numbers regardless of results. We have not given as much as they have given us this year to be honest. We have to give them something so they can get behind us. We have at times this season done that, and when we do, the stadium is rocking and the fans at times have pushed us over the line when we have needed it.

“Whatever happens tomorrow night, we need to win the game, simple as that.”