Gary Rowett’s side have consistently defied budgetary restraints to battle for a place in the top six, falling narrowly short in each of the past three campaigns. Now they are once again in the mix, beginning the Easter Weekend in fifth position.
“It’s not a one-off or a fluke where we’ve had a freakish season and everything has gone our way,” says the 30-year-old Glaswegian, who has made over 150 appearances since joining from Scunthorpe in the summer of 2018.
“I’ve been here a few years now, and every year we’ve been improving the squad, winning more games, getting more points. When you do well one season and then keep backing it up, it’s only natural to feel it’s where you deserve to be.
“Are we overachieving? When you talk in terms of financials, a lot of teams in the Championship spend more than us. A lot of them get higher attendances. If that’s how you judge the size of a club then yes, we are.
“But in terms of the squad and the players, we’re all established Championship players and the natural progression for all of us would be to aim for the Premier League.”
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