St Mirren will finish in the Scottish Premiership’s top six this season, says chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick.

Jim Goodwin’s side only avoided relegation in last term’s curtailed top flight with a 1-0 win over Hearts in the final game in March.

The Paisley club survived via the play-offs the previous season and eighth is their highest finish from 12 top-flight campaigns in the last 20 years.

“It’s not acceptable for St Mirren just staying up,” said Fitzpatrick.

“We will be in the top six, make no mistake about it. And why not this year? We are building a good squad. It’s not pie in the sky. St Mirren is used to success.

“You have Celtic, Rangers, Aberdeen, Hibs and Motherwell. There is a place left there for the rest of us to fight out.”

Fitzpatrick was accused by former manager Alan Stubbs of having his “head in the clouds” after previously insisting St Mirren are a top-four club.

The 64-year-old former captain is standing by that claim, though, and told BBC Scotland’s Scottish football podcast: “You have to go through the clouds at times to see the clear sky.

“St Mirren is a big club, it was used to winning trophies and playing in Europe. We’re started to get back to that and have an ambitious young manager in Jim Goodwin.

“Motherwell finished third last season, Livingston fifth. Are you trying to tell my head is in the clouds and St Mirren shouldn’t finish in the top six? I just can’t accept that and I’m delighted my manager has the same mindset.”

Hearts and Partick Thistle, relegated from the top two divisions respectively when last season was ended, are preparing for an arbitration hearing in their legal battle to have their demotions overturned.

Fitzpatrick fears if the pair are awarded compensation it could put some SPFL clubs out of business, but he concedes St Mirren would also have pursed legal action had they been relegated.

“We would be doing the same and fighting all we can for our supporters,” he added. “So I understand it, you have to do everything possible.

“If this [compensation] does happen, it could put a lot of clubs under.”