What an honour it’s been

Samson on fearless Saints

Craig Samson has branded his teammates fearless as they prepare their assault on the top flight.

The experienced goalkeeper insists St Mirren will return to the Premiership with nothing but excitement following a stellar season which has proven just how good a side they can be.

With a youthfulness in the ranks, Samson believes that the likes of Jack Baird and Kyle Magennis will relish in the arenas they are set to enter for the first time.

He said: “Our team has a lot of young fearless boys who I believe are more than capable of playing at that level.

“They have shown that this year and we go to the top flight next season with a freshness.

“The manager will make some new additions, I’m sure of that, and we will hopefully have a good year when we get to the Premiership.

“It is only natural that the younger guys will lean on some of us next season – at the end of the day a lot of us have been to all these grounds before.

“But, for me, these boys have what it takes to make that step up to the Premiership.”

Saints brought the curtain down on their title-winning season with a 1-0 defeat away to Falkirk at the weekend on a day that Samson captained the team for the first time.

The keeper took the armband from Stephen McGinn, with the midfielder suspended for the endof-season encounter.

His appearance in-between the sticks also saw Samson hit another landmark, having played in every minute of every single league game this campaign.

And Samson admitted that it was a record that he was keen to achieve.

He added: “I spoke to the manager a couple of weeks ago about trying to play every game in the league and we both knew that was something that would be brilliant to achieve.

“It has been a privilege to play behind the boys this year, and they have been absolutely brilliant, every single one of them.

“It’s a shame we couldn’t finish the season off with a win but we go away and rest, and hopefully we can kick on and have a good season in the Premiership.

“The gaffer pulled me in on Friday and told me he was going to make me captain for the game. Stephen McGinn was obviously suspended.

“It was an honour for me to captain the boys.”