Find the passion of Cup heroes and top six is in Saints’ grasp
All of the debate this week has been about the gap between the Old Firm and the rest of Scottish football being bigger than ever before.
But as far as St Mirren are concerned, the main talking point is whether the club can bridge a gap in their own history and finally seal a top-six spot in the post-split era. If the current Saints crop are looking for inspiration as to what can be achieved in the black and white stripes, they need look no further than the famous anniversary the Buddies are celebrating today.
A decade ago, Danny Lennon was leading his talented squad to League Cup glory with Messrs McGinn, McGowan and McAusland all playing a key part as the super Saints put Hearts to the sword at Hampden Park.
One thing St Mirren had in abundance that day was passion. You could see how much each goal meant to Esmael Goncalves, Conor Newton and – in particular – boyhood Buddie Steven Thompson.
Thompson revealed to fan podcast Misery Hunters this week it felt like fate he’d score in that historic clash, which saw the entire team write themselves into the club’s history books.
And while the top-six target the current crop are chasing isn’t quite as sexy as lifting a trophy on an open top bus in front of thousands of supporters, it’s still a chance to break new ground for the Saints.
It’s a target the Paisley club have been chasing for several years now. They’ve come agonisingly close, never more so than in 2021 when the other Saints pipped them to the post on goal difference alone.
Two goals were decisive in that campaign, with Jim Goodwin’s side simply unable to get the deal done in crucial games leading up to the split.
Ultimately, it was in their own hands then, and two years laters it’s back in their own hands again.
It’s typical of football that the first game of their crucial remaining five Premiership clashes pits them up against their old boss who came so close to leading them to a top-six finish.
Goodwin has been tasked with keeping Dundee United in the Premiership, but Saints boss Stephen Robinson would love nothing more than to dish out a defeat to the ex-St Mirren skipper who lifted the League Cup trophy as captain 10 years ago.
There’s no room for sentimentality now.
The Buddies need to get tough and take their chances in the form of Dundee United and Livingston in their next two games to cement their spot in the top-six ahead of much tougher tests against Rangers and Hearts.
The likes of Ryan Flynn and Marcus Fraser have both revealed in recent weeks how much it hurt to miss out on the top-six that fateful day at
Hamilton when Kyle Munro netted a decisive late equaliser.
This time around it would make all the difference to have that top-six spot secured before the last game before the split against Kilmarnock.
The challenge to do so starts tomorrow afternoon and
St Mirren fans will be hoping the nostalgia surrounding the
League Cup anniversary rubs off on the current crop.
If they can harness that team spirit and determination then a place in the St Mirren history books awaits them all too.