ST MIRREN is close to the hearts of many who hold the club's future in its hands.

And Jason Naismith and Jim Goodwin both believe this family factor can help dig the Paisley side out of trouble.

Following the 1-0 defeat at Kilmarnock, midfielder John McGinn admitted he and his team-mates were not only playing for their jobs, but those of other staff at the club.

Of course, it is a community organisation which has many ties to the Saints first-team.

As well as boyhood supporters such as Marc McAusland, Jason Naismith and Steven Thompson, it also contains people with a firm bond to the Buddies.

Players including Sean Kelly, Goodwin and McGinn have spent large chunks of their career in the black and white stripes, with the latter having only ever played his football there.

And ahead of today's trip to Perth, Irishman Goodwin told SportTimes he is desperate to get his beloved Buddies off the foot of the table

He said: "We do have guys in the dressing room like Thommo, who obviously support the club, and have done since before they played here. But there are also plenty of guys who have a special place in their hearts for St Mirren. I'm just one of them.

"Through captaining the side and winning the League Cup, I feel I have a real affinity with the place and there is nobody who wants us to succeed more than me. We all care, even the boys who have just joined.

"I don't want to say anything that Motherwell and Ross County can pin on their dressing room wall as motivation, but I do believe we can get out of this.

"We have been playing well and just not getting the rewards. If we keep going I'm sure that will come and we can start to climb up the league."

For Naismith, it is a similar story for the 20-year-old who grew up in Paisley.

He said: "St Mirren is my club and I've grown up in Paisley so, of course, it means a lot to me. My brother stays in Australia, so he was probably up at 4am for the Kilmarnock game checking the score online.

"I'll no doubt get texts today from him asking what's going on. But there are a lot of boys here who care, it's not just me. Hopefully we can give the fans something to shout about."