Ross County midfielder Ian McShane is targeting further improvement next season after a successful first campaign in the top-flight with the Staggies.
McShane made the step up from Championship side Queen of the South last summer, reuniting with manager Jim McIntyre.
The 23-year-old struggled to establish himself until going on to become a regular after the turn of the year.
Having made 25 appearances in his debut season in the Premiership, McShane believes he has adapted to the step up and is looking to progress further next season.
He said: “It has been a great season for me. There were a few months when I wasn’t playing too much, but I was still learning from that.
“I watched the games and other players and that has definitely improved me.
“I will look back on it as a great season, with great memories, but I want to kick on next year and make it even better.
“It was a new level for me, where I needed to be consistent every week compared to the Championship.
“I didn’t expect it to be as hard. I’d played against Premiership teams before in one-off games but it was that level of consistency I needed to bring to my game.
“I’ve done that recently so hopefully I can continue.”
As well as the League Cup McIntyre also guided the Staggies into the top-six for just the second time since promotion to the top-flight in 2012, which helped earn him a nomination for the PFA Scotland manager of the year award.
McShane always believed the Staggies could achieve this season, and he added: “I don’t know if it has surpassed my expectations. Top six was always the aim.
“When I saw the players we had, I knew we were capable of that. It would be a brilliant achievement if we take it that extra step and make fourth place.
“That’s our target now. We made the top six so we’re looking to finish fourth.
“Both of our home games, against St Johnstone and Motherwell, are ones we really need to win.
“It would be the club’s highest-ever position in the league, so it would be a big achievement. That’s the target.”
