St Mirren boss dedicates his Hearts celebration to the supporters
ST MIRREN manager Oran Kearney says his exuberant post-match celebrations after last week’s victory over Hearts were for the fans for sticking with him despite the difficult start to his tenure.
Kearney pumped his fists in the style of former Celtic manager Ronnie Deila as he went over to salute the supporters after finally landing his first win as Saints boss.
The Northern Irishman had attended a recent Q&A session arranged by the club’s supporters trust and says he was heartened by the reception he got despite the team’s poor run of form.
He said: “I had gone to a meeting a few weeks ago with the supporters. You arrive into that on a Monday night after losing five or six games.
“A lot of the momentum had been lost from the summer. I was thinking only a handful of people would turn up. But there were 200 here.
“At full-time on Saturday, that result then was for everyone; the board, chief exec Tony Fitzpatrick for putting trust in me, and the players. And it was for the fans, too.
“My celebration wasn’t planned. It’s just sometimes good to show how you feel.”
Hamilton Accies travel to Paisley tomorrow for what is shaping up to be a crunch relegation battle, with Saints knowing another victory would see them leapfrog their visitors into 10th place.
Kearney will be joined in the dugout by Jimmy Nicholl who was confirmed as Saints’ new first-team coach.
The former Rangers assistant said: “It’s my first day today but on the evidence of what I’ve seen there’s a really good spirit about the place.”