Flashback Livi draw sealed league title for Saints
In today’s Flashback, we return to an interview with former St Mirren captain Stephen McGinn after the club clinched the Championship title with a 0-0 draw against Livingston back in April, 2018.
St Mirren skipper Stephen McGinn was adamant the Saints were back after sealing the Championship title.
The midfielder was overcome with emotion as the Buddies secured the solitary point they needed to put the league beyond any doubt, thanks to a 0-0 draw with Livingston.
The result brought an end to three years of playing in Scotland’s second tier, and there was no-one more excited about getting to return to the top flight than McGinn .
“We are back where we belong”, said the captain.
“It is hard to describe how I feel. The last 30 seconds, when the whole ground knew we had done it, it got a bit emotional.
“I probably didn’t enjoy the first five minutes after we won it because I was a bit of wreck.
“The journey we have been on since last January is amazing, but it is something that we can all be immensely proud of.
“Some of the performances that we have delivered in high-profile games has been top drawer and I am so proud of everyone in that dressing room.
“We know how tough next season will be, some of the cup games this year have already shown that. But we want to try and keep as many of this team as possible.
“We know we will lose Lewis Morgan, but no-one is as happy as he is to see this through, which is fantastic.”
McGinn was seen by many as the catalyst to the Saints’ turnaround as he marshalled the side through their relegation escape – and now Championship win – since returning to the club last January.
He admitted it was a hard sell to some in his family when he made the decision to switch Wycombe Wanderers for a Saints side that had recently looked like a basketcase.
He laughed: “Not everyone in my personal life supported my decision to come back here and it was seen as a bit of a sinking ship.
“But I knew how good it could be, if we could get to this stage. But I also didn’t think it would be just 18 months down the line.
“It just shows you what can happen at a football club when you have everyone pulling in the one direction. You only need to look at the turnout that we got at the game – it was incredible.”
It had been touch and go whether or not McGinn would play against Livi having pulled up with a hamstring problem against Dundee United just three games before.
But he insisted he wouldn’t have missed it for the world.
“I probably shouldn’t have been playing the last two games,” he added.
“I think there is a slight tear in my hamstring and I was worse than a man down in the second half at Tannadice.
“But I couldn’t have handled being at the side watching.
“I am really glad to have got through the game.”
Saints raced out the traps and never really looked like a side feeling the pressure of needing a point to seal their return to the top flight.
Morgan took it upon himself to get the crowd, who didn’t need any encouragement anyway, off their seats with an incredible curling drive from 25 yards, which came crashing back off the inside of the far post.
It was St Mirren who were more creative and Cammy Smith was unlucky to see his chipped effort land on the roof of the net as he tried to catch out the keeper.
Gary MacKenzie and Harry Davis also went close, but it in the end the goalless draw was enough to secure promotion.