McGinn loving Paisley pressure in the title race
CRAZY MONEY FOR GUNNER
ST MIRREN skipper Stephen McGinn has gone from staring into the abyss of League One to glimpsing the Promised Land of the Premiership.
The Buddies midfielder admits he has never known pressure like it in his second stint with his first love – and he wouldn’t have it any other way.
The former Watford star signed an 18-month deal last January when they were bottom of the Championship and it included a release cause to cover relegation.
But Saints haven’t looked back since Jack Ross embarked on the most effective January signing spree in recent Scottish football history.
Saints are six points clear at the top ahead of the visit to Dumbarton tomorrow as Scotland’s second tier takes centre stage again.
Clubs joined forces at Alexandra Parade Primary School in Glasgow yesterday to promote an SPFL initiative that will allow Under-12s free entry to every Championship game this weekend.
A large travelling army is expected in Dumbarton and although they are under great expectation to seal a return to the top flight McGinn has vowed not to be cowed.
He said: “Maybe there’s more pressure on Dundee United because of the money spent – their budget is far bigger than ours.
“However, we put ourselves under pressure because we know we’ll have let ourselves down if we slacken off now.
“Ever since I’ve re-joined we’ve set ourselves targets and reached most of them. This is a group that thrives on that kind of pressure.
“I always think of playing in the Premiership again. That was part of the plan when I re-signed.
“I feel a bit more stress this time round as an older player and the captain.
“That’s partly because I know where St Mirren were when I left them – we were threatening the top six and then we went on to win a domestic cup final.
“I was at Hampden when they beat Hearts to win the League Cup, cheering on my brother John.
“To go from that to be looking at going down to League One when I came back a year ago was pretty grim but that’s how far the club had fallen.”
United may still have a game in hand over the Saints but the strain game has switched to Tannadice following last week’s 6-1 demolition by Falkirk.
Asked about that thumping, McGinn added: “It would be hard to say it’s a mental thing because they have players like Scott McDonald who has played in the Champions League.
“If you’re not at it you can be punished in this division. It’s a bit like the Championship in England, where some of the results are also pretty mental.”