Kyle: Same again please
Skipper wants a win
Stand- in skipper Kyle Magennis believes St Mirren can repeat last season’s 3-1 success at Livingston.
The 21-year-old, who celebrated his big birthday earlier this week, made his comeback from injury last April as the Buddies fought back from 1- 0 down to bag all three points – turning their season around in the process.
And after three Scottish Premiership matches with their backs to the wall, at Hibs as well as at home to Rangers and Aberdeen, Magennis is ready to shine.
“We probably had the toughest first three games out of everyone in the league so it’s just been a case of sitting back and defending, trying to keep the scoreline down and trying to hit them on the counter,” explained the midfielder.
“I think we have done that brilliantly. We’ve shown we are hard to beat and we can go to Livingston and show a more attacking side. I think we are capable of that.
“It’s only Livi, Celtic and Rangers who are unbeaten in the league so it will not be an easy game.
“But we went there last season and beat them on their own pitch so I think we can go and do that again.
“It was my comeback game and after five or six minutes of me coming on we scored – and the fans went mental. It was a brilliant game to come back in to.
“After that we were unbeaten in the league and ended up staying up so it was good.”
The birthday boy hasn’t had much of a chance to celebrate yet due to Sunday’s clash with the Gers and training. And he joins up with the Scotland U-21 team on Sunday which scuppers any thought of the traditional big party.
But the popular Buddie believes that the chance of three points today and pulling on the national jersey make that sacrifice more than worth while.
“It was a quiet one - I’ve not had much time to celebrate,” added Magennis. “Just a quiet meal with the family.
“So three points would be good. Obviously, it would have been better getting three points against Rangers but it wasn’t to be and hopefully we will get that soon.
“It’s been crazy. Two or three years ago I never expected to be in the Scotland U-21 team or playing regularly for St Mirren so it’s been a mental but a brilliant experience.”
Having already captained his hometown club, Magennis one day hopes to follow in the footsteps of ex-St Mirren kid John McGinn who now stars in the English Premier League for Aston Villa.
He said: “Obviously it’s a childhood dream to be a captain, so I’m proud of myself and thank my family and the coaches who have helped me along the way. It’s always the ambition to move down south and make as much money as I can for my family, as they are the ones that have got me here in the first place.”
(Adjacent to Kwik Save car park, Paisley Road West)