Motherwell manager Graham Alexander has dedicated the club's top six spot to chairman Jim McMahon and chief executive Alan Burrows after a dramatic 2-2 draw with Livingston.
The club's Premiership ambitions looked dead in the water, finding themselves 2-0 down courtesy of Odin Bailey and Alan Forrest goals.
Ross County's 1-0 win over Aberdeen looked to have fully ended their chances but a Callum Slattery goal had got 'Well back into proceedings at the Tony Macaroni Arena.
Then drama ensued, a 93rd minute scramble from former Livi defender Ricki Lamie levelling the game up, sending his ex-employers into the bottom half with his current team replacing them in the final match pre-split.
Alexander's side have won just one of their 13 league games this year and last week's 4-2 win over St Mirren was their first. The former Scotland international believes Motherwell's hierarchy deserve credit for their patience.
He said: "We had some ambitions and targets when we (his coaching staff) came in here last year. We had to stay in the Premiership first of all, and we did.
"Then we sat down in the summer and said we would try and get into the top six if we could. We spoke with the group about it, but not very often.
"We said at the start that's what we were trying to do and then we put that to bed. There's a lot of work gone into finishing in the top six, not just from the coaching staff and the players.
"Jim McMahon and Alan Burrows have been brilliant with me in the support they have shown me through that run we had for a couple months.
"It was really top notch. The top six finish goes to them."
With so many permutations to consider, it was hard for Alexander to acknowledge that a top six spot was secured, but he reckons his players deserve the achievement.
The 50-year-old said: "We threw ourselves down a massive hole and didn't play very well. We were deservingly behind but we dug deep with our character and personality.
"To get the point we needed in that fashion, it's better than scoring five minutes or so beforehand, as I don't know if I could have taken that!
"I'm so proud of the players and a group. If we hadn't made it, that would have been our own fault, but I don't think anybody would say we don't deserve to be in the top six previous to this run."
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