Cheick Diabate is fully focused on continuing to enjoy every second of his Premiership experience after helping the team to promotion last term.
The big centre-half recently made his 50th appearance for the club in the recent 1-1 draw against Dundee at Dens Park.
Cheick is relishing the jump up to the top-flight having tasted silverware success at Saints and is now determined to improve further as the year progresses.
He said: “When you sign for a club, you never know whether it will go positively or negatively. You can’t always predict the future.
“You just need to work so hard every day and hope that you can be successful on the pitch. We had a great season in the Championship last year.
“For me, I felt like I had a good season. I managed to make team of the year and even chipped in with a few goals.
“Now I’m playing in the Scottish Premierhsip – a league I have watched a lot over the years. I’m just really enjoying every minute of it. That’s what it is about. Enjoying the experience.
“The transition up a division has gone pretty smoothly. You come up against a lot of good players and a lot of big clubs.
“But I’m always looking to improve, always looking to be better. I’m very focused with that. And as I said, I also want to enjoy every single moment of this.”
Cheick’s footballing journey started close to home in London but it wasn’t a traditional route through a well-known club academy from the very start.
He recalls: “I just started playing football on my council estate in London. At the age of eight, I started to get into team football and was playing Sunday league.
“From there, through until 16, I went on a few trials. One was at Brentford for a few weeks and I was nearly signed by Charlton.
“But that didn’t happen so my whole youth game was Sunday league football. When I got to 15, I signed for Stevenage but didn’t end up getting a scholarship there.
“I then went to the ‘exit trials’ – basically everyone who had been released or not given a scholarship. I was picked up by Exeter after a three-day trial and then eventually got my pro contract.
“We moved on to get promoted to League One, but then I picked up a few injuries and broke my foot twice. So my time started amazingly, but went downhill a little.”
A loan at Bradford arrived before Cheick made the move north to Saints – and he has never looked back.
Every step of the way, he remembers the early influence of his cousin Mory Kone who played at a high level growing up.
Cheick smiled: “When I was very young I was a midfielder. I actually became a centre-back when I signed for Exeter. They told me I could have a career there.
“I’ve always loved football. My parents used to always watch it. My cousin, in France, was one of my main role models growing up.
“He was a pro footballer and played for France’s youth teams, PSG as a youth player and he played in the top league in France. His name is Mory Koné.
“He ended up doing his ACL twice and now he is not really playing. But I always looked up to him. I would adore him and was always thinking that I wanted to copy him.”
