Dougie Somner revealed it was an “absolute honour” to help launch St Mirren’s new home strip.
And the prolific former Saints striker admits it was extra special given the new design took inspiration from the tops he wore in his best season at the club.
The Buddies hotly-anticipated home kit for the 2023/24 campaign was launched last week, with the new strips reflecting the 1979/80 campaign when the Paisley side lifted the Anglo-Scottish Cup and finished third in the top flight.
Clinical forward Somner was the club’s top scorer that season, netting twice in the Anglo-Scottish Cup final in 1980 against Bristol City when St Mirren became the first – and only – Scottish team to win the competition.
And Somner was delighted to see the Saints pay tribute to one of his greatest memories in football when the club lifted the Anglo-Scottish Cup at a packed Love Street.
Speaking exclusively to Renfrewshire Live Sport, Somner said: “It was brilliant to be asked to get involved and I’m so grateful to the club.
“As soon as the message came through I said yes immediately. To find out they were basing it on the kit between 1979 and 1981 made it even more special, as they were probably my two best seasons with the club.
“I was so chuffed to get involved. It was an absolute honour and I’m really humbled. The number of people that have contacted me since the launch is incredible.
“It’s wonderful to see how much that achievement of winning the Anglo-Scottish Cup still means to the club and the fans 42 years on.
“We were the first and last Scottish team to win that cup and to lift it at Love Street was just sensational.
“The support were exceptional that night and that is certainly one of the highlights of my entire career.”
Somner admitted he felt like a “grandpa” on the day of the launch, which was also attended by members of the club’s women’s team and academy sides.
But he can still remember vividly the Saints class of 79 that he believes were so talented they could have won the league.
Somner explained: “Football has changed so much since I was a player. It was great to see players from the women’s team and young players get involved with the launch as well.
“We had an absolutely brilliant team in that period between 1979 and ‘81. I was up front with Frank McDougall, then we had Billy Stark, Iain Munro, Jackie Copland, Peter Weir, Jimmy Bone, Billy Thomson, Lex Richardson.
“There was no weakness in that team and it was no surprise to me we finished third in the league that season. We actually could have won it if we’d had a stronger end to the season.
“Winning the Anglo-Scottish was still a great reward though for a brilliant team. It’s so nice to see them all appreciated in this way.”
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