NINE IS FINE BUT WE COULD HAVE GONE HIGHER
Fitzy: Saints were flying after defeating Hearts
Tony Fitzpatrick feels St Mirren could have pushed on and finished the season strongly if they had the chance to build on their vital victory against Hearts.
The Paisley chief has once again reiterated his belief that the current campaign cannot be played to a conclusion.
But he reckons the club’s progression from 11th to ninth in a year, is a tangible reward, especially with games still to be completed.
Fitzpatrick told Express Sport: “I do feel a bit disappointed for Jim and the players because they were actually playing well.
“I think the last game against Hearts was a massive pressure game for everybody, they handled it brilliantly.
“We won the game and I was really looking forward to playing Kilmarnock because if we had won there, we were only a point behind them.
“I’m disappointed in a way, like every other club, that we’ve not been able to finish the season.
“I still genuinely don’t think the season can be finished playing wise.“
Fitzpatrick has praised everyone connected with the club for the way they pulled together for that last game against Hearts before the shutdown.
Jon Obika’s important early second half strike moved Saints points clear the bottom placed Jambos.
And while he admits it would be nice to finish higher, Fitzpatrick says with Jim Goodwin just joining at the start of the season, ninth is a good position to finish in.
He added: “I know it was the last game we played, but the Hearts game, especially at home, the pressure involved in that.
“I thought the manager, his staff, all the players and the supporters to be fair to them as well, showed the bottle.
“We were going to finish higher up the league, I thought.
“But I would say to finish ninth in a competitive Premiership, with Jim just coming into the job, we can be pretty happy.
“You always want to finish in the top six, it would have been nice to finish higher but I think to finish ninth after 30 games is a good effort.”