Keeper Craig kept the faith
St Mirren goalkeeper Craig Samson insists among the madness and the chaos he never believed Saints would lose in the build-up to the cup final.
Samson, now back at the Buddies for his second stint between the sticks, was in inspired form to keep Hearts at bay five years ago.
But although he exuded confidence in the run-up to the game, Samson concedes that Ryan Stevenson’s opener may have had him doubting himself.
He said:“The build up was mad to be honest and it was something I hadn’t experienced before. In the build up to it, it was never in my mind that we were going to lose that game – everything I thought about was that I was going to win that game.
“The only time I thought that we might actually lose was when we went 1-0 down. It sunk in that we might actually lose.
“But we had some good players in that team and I don’t think anyone in that side believed we were going to lose.
“The days after it were brilliant and it was amazing for me personally, the team, and more so for all the fans and the town of Paisley.”
Five years on and all that stands between Saints and success is nine games in the Scottish Championship.
And having watched from afar as Saints went through a troublesome period in their recent history, Samson reckons a league title this season would, personally, rank up there with the achievement of lifting the League Cup in 2013.
Recent form has propelled the Buddies 10 points clear at the league summit, but the experienced stopper is purely focused on taking the title.
He added: “The club fell on hard times after that, it has been five years since that success. It has went down to rock bottom, as low as it could have got.
“That’s a massive credit to the players that were here last season to keep that team in the division.
“It would be right up there – it is like winning the cup here with St Mirren.
“It has been a fantastic season so far and it couldn’t have went any better.
“We have been on a great run throughout the season, we have had a couple of knocks but we have always bounced back with a win.
“It has been brilliant and hopefully we can go out and give everybody what they deserve by winning the league.”