A self-inflicted 3-1 loss to Dundee capped off a miserable festive season for St Johnstone. With Simo Valakari's side now eight points adrift at the bottom of the Premiership, this week's Spoony Chop sees Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss a dismal few weeks on the park, a squad-weakening first week of the transfer window and what fans are entitled to expect from the club from now until it closes (plus Fran Franczak love-in).

St Johnstone fell to a predictable loss at Celtic Park, but with the January transfer window set to open ahead of the home double header with Hibs and Dundee, how different might Saints look the next time they take the field? On this week's Spoony Chop, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss transfers, a big moment for Fran Franczak and what this window will tell us about Saints' new owners.

St Johnstone are bottom of the Premiership at Christmas after defeat to Hearts. On this week's Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton pick through the bones of a poor performance at Tynecastle, discuss the prospect of facing Dundee United on Boxing Day and assess the club's requirements from a crucial January transfer window.

St Johnstone suffered a season-worst sickener in defeat to St Mirren. In this week's Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton rake over the still-burning coals of Saints' loss, taking in the good and the bad of their performance, some contentious referee decision-making and a pre-match radio chat that reeked of misconceptions.

With Sven Sprangler suspended for the weekend's clash with St Mirren, how will Saints boss Simo Valakari go about replacing him? On this week's Spoony Chop, Eric Nicolson, Stuart Cosgrove and Sean Hamilton discuss his options, a performance in Aberdeen that showed off a new-found doggedness and how Makenzie Kirk is outshining his strike colleagues.

On this week's Spoony Chop, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton discuss a performance of two halves against Rangers, whether Jack Sanders can be an attacking force in possession, Josh Rae's safe hands, Dimitar Mitov's injured hamstring and who should start up front against Aberdeen.

On this week's Spoony Chop, Stuart Cosgrove, Eric Nicolson and Sean Hamilton chew on the weekend's heartening win over Kilmarnock, which featured yet another star turn from Sven Sprangler, Bozo Mikulic's first start in defence and a first headed goal of the season, from Mackenzie Kirk.

The guys also ponder St Johnstone's place in the geopolitics of the former Yugoslavia, Napoleon's likely view on Tommy Wright and pay tribute to Kenny Aird after the Willie Ormond-era great's death.

On this week's Spoony Chop, Eric Nicolson, Stuart Cosgrove and Sean Hamilton tackle Saints' huge weekend clash with Killie.

What is the best attacking approach against Derek McInnes' bulky side? What would signify defensive progress after a fortnight on the training ground? And the old 'Old Firm tickets' chestnut emerges again, only this time under new ownership.