91�ȱ�

St Johnstone midfielder Lee Croft admits his season could be over but has not given up hope of an earlier return from injury.

The 26-year-old on loan from Derby County picked up a torn hamstring last weekend against Inverness.

"I'm a positive person and I won't rule anything out," Croft told the Perth club's website.

"It will have had two weeks rest before we even play our next game against Dundee United, so who knows?"

Croft, though, admits that it is only an outside chance that he can add to his 13 appearances for the Scottish Premier League club.

"It's going to need rest and, to be honest, that injury normally means a five or six week period of absence.

"So it might prove too much to hope to be involved before the end of the campaign, but we'll see."

Saints are already without Croft's fellow midfielders, Liam Craig and Jody Morris, through injury.

They will therefore be hoping that Murray Davidson recovers from his knee injury in time to face United.