Stephen Robinson is grateful he was given the time to mould St Mirren into the team he believed they could be.
Now the Saints boss insists his well-drilled side fear no one after picking up another landmark result against one of the biggest clubs in the country.
Having already beaten Celtic and drawn with Rangers this season, the Buddies added another scalp on the weekend after picking up a first away win against Hearts since 2013.
After a tricky bedding in period when he replaced Jim Goodwin, Robinson has now got the Paisley club firing on all cylinders and on course for an historic top-six finish.
The former Motherwell manager, who has been quickly installed as one of the bookies’ favourites to replace sacked Jambos boss Robbie Neilson, revealed he was grateful the club board gave him the time to instil his own ideas when results weren’t initially going to plan.
He told Renfrewshire Live Sport: “It wasn’t my team when I joined. You’re coming in to somebody else’s team who had their own ideas.
“You recruit players to fit your own ideas. Jim did that and did it successfully. It takes a little bit of time and in football you rarely get it.
“We didn’t hit the ground running at the start of the season either, but the belief never wavered in the group.
“To go to Tynecastle and give the fans a day to be proud of, I’m delighted for them and the players.
“We need to get into the top-six, but we’ve proved we can compete with anybody.
“We’ve beaten Hearts, who were third in the table, we’ve drawn with Rangers, we’ve beaten Celtic. So we don’t fear anybody.
“When we’re disciplined and play within our shape we’re a very difficult team to break down.”
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