Well, whoever first penned that phrase – apart from causing an Instagram caption epidemic – certainly never experienced the trials and tribulations of making the top six in the Scottish Premiership.
Alright, that’s a niche experience, but they didn’t follow a football club, that’s for sure.
Football is a results business and for St Mirren, stock is up in recent seasons. This weekend presents the opportunity to confirm a spot in the top six for a second-year running.
It makes sense that emotions in Ferguslie would be strong when you add in the realistic possibility of a place in Europe.
Nevertheless, it’s worthwhile to consider the difficult path that brought us to this point. Thanks to the wonderfully named Andy Ballon d’Orman account, I happened onto a post on X just this week that looked back at quite different sentiments two years ago.
Following a 4-2 loss to Motherwell, outrageous claims of a manager who had “lost the dressing room” were levelled and Stephen Robinson and Alan Stubbs were compared.
History demonstrates the extreme accuracy of both perspectives, while also indicating a notable increase in outcomes and rising expectations in Paisley.
It’s appropriate that we disappointedly ended our match against Motherwell last Saturday with a 1-1 draw. That’s the path; that’s progress.
Naturally, there will be the evident—and mostly accurate—judgment that, in the end, the outcome is all that counts, and that performances, near-misses, and scary scenes are meaningless.
I have found that it takes some time to embrace the journey, but when you do, it’s incredible.
It’s thrilling, draining, and engulfing all at once. Nothing compares to it.
Without a doubt, everyone connected to the club would be overjoyed to secure a berth in Europe, but that is not the ultimate goal.
The same is true for the top six; while it is something to aim for constantly, it doesn’t mean that you should follow.
Much more memorable were the trips home following an unexplained 5-2 loss to Kilmarnock, the overwhelming joy of two goals in stoppage time against Aberdeen, and the ensuing pandemonium in the stands.
Remember the nervous times when you saw scores arrive on other fields to guarantee a top-half finish, or when you were made fun of when a TikToker made an unexpected appearance during a Renfrewshire Cup match?
Perhaps the aspiring influencers and philosophers of today (delete as applicable) are right. The past couple of seasons have been quite the experience.
Maybe in the near future, I’ll join them and post pictures from a trip to far-off places that nobody asked for—I’ve heard the Europa (Conference) League is pleasant at this time of year.
St. Mirren gains a new dimension with Ryan Strain’s return.
Although Ryan Flynn and Elvis Bwomono did a decent job filling in, Strain stands out among the Buddies’ lineup.
He is not just a perfectly good defender, but he also gives opposing rearguards constant trouble.
Throughout the 45-minute performance at Fir Park, Strain remained a threat.
The Australian international was crucial to Hearts’ victory the previous time they visited Paisley, so it seems likely that he will be important to the team’s success this time around.
AND FINALLY
Seeing the last details added to the Mirren mile before its formal unveiling on Saturday is amazing.
One banner captures the essence of the increasing spirit at the club and in the community, which is essential to our success.
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