Jack staying gave us a huge lift MacKenzie salutes the boss

Gary MacKenzie admits the dressing room was buzzing after learning Jack Ross was to stick with St Mirren.

The centre-back insists that Ross has been central to the Paisley club’s success over the course of the last 18 months – and says that the advances of English Championship side Barnsley came as little surprise to anyone in the playing staff.

But MacKenzie reckons you will be hard pushed to find someone at the club who wasn’t delighted that Ross remains as gaffer.

MacKenzie told Express Sport: “The manager has been different class since the day he came here and the results show that. The shift in fortunes at the club have been remarkable.

“It is incredible to think where we are now to when he originally came in.

“Everyone wanted him to stay when the rumours were swirling about but we understood as well that football is the type of game where nothing ever lasts forever.

“If he went then we would have had to have got on with it, but everyone is delighted that he has stayed at the club. But the interest is always going to come when you are doing as well as he has.

“He is a really good manager and a really positive person, that has been brilliant for us.”

St Mirren had been set to face United at Tannadice last night, but the clash was postponed following this week’s weather.

United’s game with Queen of the South was also called off on Tuesday night as the storm first broke.

Meanwhile, Saints returned to winning ways at the weekend with a win over Brechin City, but having lost to Livingston the weekend before, MacKenzie is keen to silence the side’s doubters.

He added: “It was good to shut up the doubters that were there, people who are saying that we might be having a wee wobble. But we got the result and that was the most important thing.

“I think personally, and I’m sure the boys feel the same, you want to prove people wrong.

“If questions are asked of you then you answer them and we have done that time after time, and every time we have had a bad result we have bounced back.

“It was important last weekend to get that and take it into our next game. That allowed us to extend our lead and keep all the other sides under pressure.

“We just need to keep looking after ourselves but it is going to be tough for the next couple of months.”