Liam Gordon says St Johnstone’s squad must take heed of scathing criticism levelled by former manager Steven MacLean as they set about starting to save their season.

MacLean claimed certain players "chucked it" during the 4-0 drubbing by St Mirren on Saturday that left the Perth men winless and five points adrift at the foot of the Premiership.

Gordon revealed that brutal verdict was addressed in a Sunday meeting among staff and squad.

The Saints skipper was later stunned to learn of MacLean and assistant Liam Craig’s sacking.

Alex Cleland is tasked with caretaker control for tomorrow’s game against Kilmarnock as the search for a permanent appointment continues.

Gordon insists the St Johnstone cornerstones of harmony and hard work must be restored immediately in the wake of MacLean savaging individuals.

The centre-half said: “We had got over that on Sunday, it had been spoken about and addressed and we were ready to go forward.

“Guys here, we’ve known Macca a while and worked with him many years. He’s an emotional and passionate person, he was that sort of player.

"You can’t take it out of him; that’s what helped give him the success he had.

“Sometimes you need those words; maybe not telling any lies. As players, you just need to take it on the chin. 

READ MORE: Alex Cleland expects lot of interest in St Johnstone job

“If you can’t take a bit of criticism then you’re not really going far in football.

“I’ve spoken to boys, pulled them aside and had words with them. We’re fully committed as a squad and, moving forward, if boys down tools they won’t play. 

“It’s as simple as that. They’ll be dealt with. It can’t happen. If we lose to a better team having given 110 per cent and ran all game for each other, you have to take that.

“What can’t happen is being labelled as people chucking it or not working hard enough.

“At a club like St Johnstone, we can’t have passengers. It wasn’t nice to hear and we never want to hear it again. 

“Some boys aren’t playing, so it’s difficult for them. But we’re at a point where everybody has to stick together. 

“We can’t have boys feeling sorry for themselves. We’re not individuals, we’re a team.”

Gordon was devastated to accept his own role in the downfall of former team-mate MacLean, who stepped up in April when Callum Davidson was fired.

MacLean secured three wins from six games to ease Saints clear of relegation issues and earned a three-year deal.

However, a shocking Viaplay Cup group campaign was followed by only four points from a possible 27 in the league.

Gordon said: “The players were gutted and disappointed with the news because we had a massive part to play in all that.

“Macca and Liam are guys I grew up admiring, playing with, guys who’ve coached me.

“They’ve got families to provide for and, at the end of the day, we’ve just basically done them out of their jobs.

“We’re the ones who take to the pitch, you feel responsibility. Training was always good under them, they gave us everything, the detail they went into.

“They couldn’t have done much more. It gets to a point where it’s down to individual errors and bad phases of games doing us in - and nothing to do with tactics. 

“As players, we need to look ourselves in the mirror and see what we can do better to get this club back up the league.

“Now we have a chance, backs against the wall, to show what we’re all about. 

“That’s something we’re going to do on Wednesday. Alex is in charge and we are fully behind him.”

Livingston boss Davie Martindale has been touted as a possible target, as has ex-Saints striker Billy Dodds.

Saints have a free weekend after the visit of Killie so will hope to have a new man installed for next Tuesday’s rearranged game against Motherwell in Perth.

They’re at home again, to Ross County, before the next international break and Gordon said: “We need to buckle up and be ready for a fight. 

“We’re going to need to show a lot of resilience because there are massive games coming up where we really need to pick up points.”