Jon Wilkin is adamant that the fans’ frustrations this season have helped maintain the club’s reputation as one of Super League’s elite sides.
Keiron Cunningham and his team have come under increasing pressure this season with inconsistent results leaving fans unimpressed by their team’s showings at times this year.
Those doubters have been silenced somewhat, however, in recent weeks, with Saints going on a four-game winning streak that has moved them level on points with Catalans on the league table, with the Dragons currently occupying the final play-off spot with eight rounds of action remaining.
However, the long-serving Saints man insists that the criticism they were handed proves how passionate the fans are, and how high the bar has been set by the club over the years.
“I loved the fact that we were receiving criticism which showed the fans really cared about the club,” Wilkin told the St Helens Reporter.
“Had they stop criticising us, you start to worry and become happy at being looked on as underdogs.
“This may have been the case in the 1970s and 80s but it is not the mentality of the teams I’ve been involved with because we believe we are the best and want to be the best.”
Wilkin now believes that they can kick on and end the season on a high after discovering some form going into the huge derby contest with Wigan.
“The possibility of achieving something positive this year is genuine and real as far as we are concerned.
“The confidence we have built over the past month is great. I believe we have started to turn the corner and finally believing in our own ability.”
