The way St Mirren's pre-split season finished was not how this minor miracle was supposed to reach its conclusion, but in ways, this chapter had no right being written at all.
April 23rd 2022, a 1-0 defeat against Hibs made it seven defeats from eight in Paisley. Their League Cup campaign ended in a group stage elimination with defeats to Arbroath and Airdrie. They had made a loss of £1.6m in the financial year ending May 2022 and have seen staff made redundant and cuts applied. There were likely some smug smiles from those who laughed at the decision to the cut the away attendance of Celtic and Rangers to one stand. Cutting your nose off to spite your face was a common conclusion as the club looked towards fan ownership. One pundit said in August "I just do not think St Mirren have enough as it stands to avoid the drop," another claiming "the fans could turn early doors".
So when Stephen Robinson's men walked out to a sold-out SMISA stadium at home to Kilmarnock on matchday 33 with a first top six spot firmly in their hands, it felt like a turning point for this club and where it wants to go longer-term. That's not to forget the visitors' part in all of this. They had taken just two points away from home all season prior to this collision and needed to crash the party to ensure a celebratory survival bash had hopes of going ahead come May, and yet their end was full to the brim.
Let's rewind slightly to 1hr and 15 minutes before kick-off. The streets were quiet but already that air of anticipation was there, on both sides. That big game feeling of hope rather than praying for relief became evident at a hosting club who have had their ups and downs.
They have battled through a relegation play-off and lost a top six spot with the last kick of the ball in their five years since their 2017/18 Championship win. Club icon Tony Fitzpatrick, through it all, maintained his hopes of a top half finish for the first time in 38 years and it felt like a day for the optimist as the teams warmed up.
A stand-wide display of black, red and white met the home players and a wall of Ayrshire noise met the visitors as Sam Walker approached his goal. Silence fell momentarily before another roar waved the chequered flag of battle.
In truth, as Robinson put it, St Mirren had earned the right to play as poorly as they did. They had taken points off everyone bar Rangers and are the only team to have fully stopped the Ange Postecoglou Celtic juggernaut upon their first visit to Paisley.
And Kilmarnock turned up for the fight. They fought and scrapped and could have had a more handsome advantage heading back home, buoyed by a relegation rival in Ross County getting a slapdown at Hearts.
“I’m gutted it’s taken us so long to win away from home but if you’re going to start winning it’s good to start now going into these post-split games." That was the rally cry from McInnes. And his message has to be hammered home in the next five defining matches. But this day belonged to St Mirren and the history books will remember as the moment where the club took a major step to where it wants to be.
Robinson has been in this overachieving movie before. He's guided Motherwell to a European spot on a shoestring budget that became just the string when the pandemic kicked in. And with a star man in David Turnbull stuck on the injury list for almost a full season. But as he put it, St Mirren's top six clincher is his 'biggest achievement.' And it perhaps relates to a quote he gave during his time at Fir Park, in that 'you tell the players a story on Monday and they have to believe it by Saturday.'
Pundits were predicting their demise this season and others had little hope other than lower mid-table mediocrity. And what Saints have put out instead is a hard-working team with no ego, that purely are playing for their club and a slight chip on the shoulder. It's helped spring the fourth-best Premiership defence. 10 clean sheets. Remaining in the top six for all but one week post-World Cup break. A Player of the Season contender in Mark O'Hara picked up as a free agent.
A core of reliable and familiar faces like Trevor Carson, Charles Dunne, O'Hara, Alex Gogic and Curtis Main amongst others have been key backbones to success alongside the sprinkling of star quality in Ryan Strain and Keanu Baccus from the land down under. So, when they were 2-0 down, having 10 men on the park against Kilmarnock, they needed a favour. And luck which has rarely shone on them was burning bright in the form of former manager Jim Goodwin, who's Dundee United derailed Livingston's bid to replace the Saints.
Two years on from the chance of cementing his status in Paisley folklore and having it snatched away in front of a few media members and staff at Hamilton, it almost felt fitting he was the man to put the finishing touches on this push. But in reality, the proper hard graft was done over the previous 32 matches.
"There’s no reason why we can’t get into Europe, I’m never satisfied, I want more," was one of Robinson's final quotes as he made his way down to greet adoring fans. And one piece of praise perhaps stood out amongst the rest, a thank you for the work done to reinvigorate the town's interest in St Mirren.
And that may be the lasting legacy of this season, which has been guided too by Keith Lasley in his first year of chief operating officer. A league season that started with 5,668 punters through the door ended with a record 7,937.
Those cynics questioning the Celtic and Rangers briefs decision are quietly deleting tweets now as long-term strategy shows that St Mirren appear to be getting more fans for 18 or 19 home matches each season. Not just the two or three when Glasgow giants roll into town.
On a skeleton crew behind the scenes and at the coalface, this current crop of Buddies have delivered where others couldn't. Their term is far from done though as form shows they won't just put up the sun loungers now Mission A is accomplished. Now they look towards the continent. And it might just be the party to end all Saints parties if they make their way to nearby Glasgow Airport's departure lounge.
