I’D LOVE TO FIRE SAINTS TO ANOTHER GLORY DOUBLE
JOHN SUTTON reckons his Challenge Cup winner 12 years ago was the catalyst to promotion for St Mirren.
And the Buddies striker would love history to repeat itself this season as he aims for another double success.
Sutton netted the decisive goal in a 2-1 win for the Paisley side over Hamilton in 2005.
Gus MacPherson’s men went on to win the First Division and Sutton believes their final success gave them a boost in the title race.
Back at St Mirren for a second spell, the 33-year-old is now looking for a similar run as they host League One leaders Raith in today’s Irn-Bru Cup tie.
Sutton said: “I scored when we won the Challenge Cup in 2005 and we won promotion as well that season so it proved a bit of a springboard.
“It would be good to do that again although we don’t want to get carried away.
“We played the Final in November and it was brilliant to win something – it probably helped push us on to winning the league and getting promotion.
“The priority is trying to get promoted but you want to win every competition you enter.
“We’d certainly much rather go to Dumbarton next weekend on the back of a win and a good performance as opposed to getting knocked out of the Cup and being on a downer.”
St Mirren host Barry Smith’s Fifers and striker Greig Spence wants to bounce back after their 11-game unbeaten run came to a halt in last week’s 2-1 defeat at Albion Rovers.
He said: “We were on a great run until last week when we suffered a shock defeat but this is a good game for us to go into.
“There is no pressure on us – it’s all on St Mirren and hopefully we’ll get back to winning ways. St Mirren have really turned things around since last season.
“We both struggled last season but we both now have good new managers and have recruited well in the summer.
“My best moment in the Challenge Cup has to be when we won it with Raith Rovers and beat Rangers in the 2014 final. I came off the bench and set the goal up.
“It gave the club a huge lift winning the trophy that season. It’s the same in any competition because some players go through their careers without winning anything and it’s great memories.
“I was at Alloa last season and we lost to Queen of the South but got through a good few rounds.
“It’s a competition I always seem to do well in. I gave my cousin my medal from 2014 but I hope to get another this season.”