John Potter has warned his St Mirren team-mates this season could still be a nailbiting as the last.

Sixth-placed Saints are sitting pretty in the Clydesdale Bank Premier League ahead of Saturday's meeting with Hamilton and have a Co-operative Insurance Cup semi-final to look forward to in February.

It looks a far cry from last term, when Gus MacPherson's men avoided relegation by just two goals.

But with a run of four games against teams currently above them just around the corner, club captain Potter knows the confidence currently running through the squad could very quickly be eroded.

"We knew that last year was going to be a difficult year but it could be the same this year," the defender said.

"We've not even played a quarter of the games yet, so you don't know where you're going to end up.

"It's just important you keep form. I think after another two games we'll have played everybody once so you can sit back then and look where you are in the league.

"But it's important you just keep picking up points, especially here at home."

Looking ahead to matches with Rangers, Hibernian, Celtic and Dundee United, Potter added: "We know we have a difficult run but they're all difficult games in this league."

Saints have been perennial strugglers since they were promoted to the SPL three years ago.

They were tipped to do the same this season but a run of three wins in their last four games in all competitions has prompted a rethink.

Their form is all the more impressive considering they have been without a number of players through illness and injury, suggesting this may be the strongest squad of MacPherson's almost six years in charge.

"We've definitely got a strong squad here," said Potter, 29.

"You only have to look at the bench we've got and even people in the stand and people injured.

"At the moment, there are a few injuries and illnesses - we're a bit thin on the ground.

"But once everybody's back fit, there's competition for places all over the pitch and that's keeping the boys who are in the team on their toes."

Buddies fans' expectations will have been raised by recent results and many will turn up at St Mirren Park anticipating another victory against second-bottom Accies.

But Potter cautioned: "They lost three of their best players at the end of last season, so it was going to be difficult for them.

"But I think they've found form now.

"They were a minute away from winning up at Dundee United, which is a hard place to go.

"They'll think back to the game at the end of last season when they came here and turned us over."

That result extended Saints' home hoodoo and it took them four SPL games at St Mirren Park this term to finally register a league win in the stadium they moved into in January.

Tuesday night's League Cup win over Motherwell appears to suggest the curse has finally been lifted.

Potter said: "Even beforehand, when we hadn't won, I thought we'd played well in general in most of the games.

"It wasn't as if we were getting beaten every week; we were drawing a lot of games.

"A few weeks ago, we got that win and we managed to do it again the other night so long may that continue."