Flashback Star Saints in the making
This week’s photograph is straight out of the archives — and it’s a bit of a beauty for the hairstyles alone.
Taken back at the start of the 1995/96 First Division season, it features a number of household favourites from the early 90s, and some who remained to become heroes in the early innings of the noughties too.
For the most part, the decade was one to forget for the Love Street faithful.
The football wasn’t the greatest and it wasn’t until the new millennium that they eventually managed to claw their way back into top flight — albeit in stunning fashion.
The strip itself isn’t much of a looker, but the Saints have had a number of shockers over the years so I wouldn’t say that was much of a surprise.
Although it appears that the club Sewing the seeds have always had a thing with being sponsored by car garages, Phoenix Honda taking the centre stage on this occasion.
Of course they would be followed by the likes of Clanfords and Kia, and for the all the bus punters out there, Arriva would also give sponsorship a bash. Just the ticket indeed.
Anyway, back to 1995, in a season where Jimmy Bone was still at the helm and the Buddies finished sixth.
It wasn’t a landmark season by any stretch of the imagination but the seeds were clearly being planted for a few years down the line.
Among the familiar faces are Barry McLaughlin, Ricky Gillies and Barry Lavety, to name a trio who would go on to lift the title four seasons down the line.
McLaughlin would remain that whole time, while Lavety was loaned back from Hibernian, and Gillies from Aberdeen. Norrie McWhirter, in the front row, was also still at the club when they won the league but injury had taken its toll by then.
Eagle eyes will notice Jamie Fullarton, who reached the interview process for the management role at Greenhill Road this season, while Stuart Taylor, who is now assistant manager at Wolverhampton Wanderers is to the left of experienced keeper Campbell Money and young pretender Alan Combe.
Well-kent Paisley physio Andy Binning is to the right of the middle row too.
It may not have been the best of seasons — Bone’s last before Tony Fitzpatrick’s return the following season — but it had the makings of something special.