Always had a lot of respect for Hartley as a player altho' it didn't stop me booing him. A pantomime villain who thrived on abuse. Him being the Dundee boss made today's result just that little bit sweeter.
If the line of succession had unfolded as intended, Jack Ross might well be manager of Hearts now. Instead, it’s fallen to a far younger man to lead the Tynecastle club.
Despite being a decade older than Ian Cathro, Ross, still only 40, is hardly a veteran. He is more than comfortable with the career path taken and is philosophical about the seeming setbacks endured, including when he suddenly left his position as Hearts assistant manager just over a year ago, scuppering plans for a “Liverpool bootroom” style manager production line.
Jack Ross also played for St Mirren. Picture: Andrew West/SNS
Instead of rebuilding Hearts, the task Cathro was handed after Robbie Neilson’s recent departure, Ross is responsible for steering St Mirren away from peril at the foot of the Championship.
“There were circumstances and frustrations in my own job [at Hearts] at the time,” reflects Ross. “I have never really said much about it, and I probably never will. I always wanted to manage. When I came out of Hearts I was really lucky to get an opportunity at Alloa. It reaffirmed my view I could do it. It was the right fit at the time.
“I understand what you are saying [about the succession]. From my own perspective there’s no regrets. The way I’ve done it has been better for me. That’s not to say it’s for everyone, but for me to develop as a manager, it’s been hugely rewarding. Even now, and given the position we [St Mirren] are in, without the experiences I have had I’d have found it more difficult.”
Ross is spared anxiety about gathering much-needed league points today, when St Mirren travel to face Dundee in the Scottish Cup. Nevertheless, he can’t treat it as a completely carefree afternoon. Significance abounds.
Jack Ross came close to winning promotion to the top flight with Clyde. Picture: SNS
No St Mirren manager is able to forget what happened 30 years ago, since a large photo of Ian Ferguson’s 1987 Scottish Cup-winning goal against Dundee United adorns their office at St Mirren Park. Jack was 11 years old then, a football obsessive about to pick an unlikely team to support given he lived in Falkirk, a short walk from what was then Brockville.
“We moved around a couple of times, eventually settling in the centre of Falkirk,” he explains. “One of my near neighbours was a Dundee fan, whose father was a season ticket holder at Dens.
“We were pals and I played football with him and his little brother, so started to go to games every Saturday with them, more or less. So I became a Dundee fan through default. At one point I even sold programmes at the Provie Road end at Dens – one of the games that sticks out is the 4-3 win over Rangers, when I was selling programmes before it.
“I watched Dundee home and away for a good few years. Strangely enough, I signed an S form with them when I was 13, although I am not sure they also knew I was a fan.”
Simon Stainrod was manager at that time. But it was left to his successor, Jim Duffy, to deliver the news Ross wasn’t being kept on after one season of full-time football. Ross was distraught. His ambition to be a footballer seemed suddenly extinguished. More cruel still, this disappointment was dealt by the club he supported, through thick and thin – and in those days, it was often thin.
“It was a big, big blow at the time,” he recalls.
Dundee’s relegation probably didn’t help Ross’s chances of being retained. “We were at Ibrox for the last game of the [1993-94] season, and it was the Friday before it when we found out who was being kept on and who wasn’t.
“It was as brutal as that. We complain about it and say it isn’t right but it’s part of the job, part of chasing that dream. It’s done that crudely, but I am not sure there is another way.
“I have done a lot of radio work over the years with Jim [Duffy]. He is someone who ever since I started managing has been really helpful. I don’t bear a grudge. I mentioned it to him once. He said he couldn’t remember – it made it worse!”
“But in hindsight, I can understand,” he adds. Ross reasons he wasn’t first-team material at the time. But who in his shoes wouldn’t have felt envy watching Neil McCann, an old housemate, and other peers such as Jim Hamilton go on to establish themselves at the club?
“It is a natural human reaction,” he says. “I didn’t go back to Dens for some time afterwards. I was still friends with Neil, so I think I went back to watch a game – about a year later.”
A stung Ross enrolled at Heriot-Watt University, graduating in economics four years later. He continued playing football at junior level, first at Lochee United, where he’d spent a spell while at Dundee, and Camelon, his local club.
“I did an article for the alumni magazine back when I was still playing,” recalls Ross, who lived at home in Falkirk while at university, something he accepts wasn’t the best recipe for integrating into student life.
“The best way I could describe myself as far as anyone who knew me was concerned is a miserable sod. I didn’t want to be there. I had a chip on my shoulder, I thought I should be playing football. I was stand-offish, went to lectures, did what I had to do, and went home again.”
But people were taking more notice of him in a football sense. Jack won a Scottish junior cap aged 21, signed part-time for Clyde and was offered full-time terms after another 12 months, having helped the club win the old second division title. He was by now in his mid-twenties.
It had taken longer than anticipated. But five years after his Dens rejection, he could call himself a full-time professional footballer again. He almost became a Scottish Premier League playing one sooner than he eventually managed with Falkirk. Clyde, however, were thwarted on the last day of the 2003/04 season, pipped to the title by Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Ross, in any event, had already signed a pre-contract with Hartlepool but his English adventure was an unhappy one, soured by a dispute with the club’s chairman.
“I played 30-odd games, was in good form and in a good place in terms of my own performance levels,” he says. But he found the travelling tough. His fiancée, now wife, Heather returned to Glasgow. “I wanted to go back up up the road, and the club had offers. But it became a personal thing with the chairman. It was much messier than it should have been. I said things I shouldn’t have said but at the time it was through desperation: ‘how do I resolve this?’”
Problem solving remains something he needs to be adept in. Deprived of defender Jason Naismith, who this week left for Ross County, but buoyed after signing Manchester City goalkeeper Billy O’Brien on loan, can Ross inspire an about-turn in St Mirren’s fortunes?
A draw at Dunfermline last weekend healed some wounds after a traumatic 3-0 home defeat to Queen of the South, when the manager made headlines by fronting up to unhappy fans. “There was no bust-up, no angry confrontation,” he insists, contradicting some reports.
“It was not just one person, it was other people too. But it was constant [abuse] from that one individual. I stayed out to shake hands – I am genuinely respectful of the opposition and referees. I was one of the last ones off the pitch and he was still at it, giving some quite heavy abuse. I actually couldn’t see who it was, just a sea of faces.”
Ross approached those booing, telling them he understood the frustration. “I was just saying it doesn’t help. If we are to achieve a common goal the players need support.” He has since had follow up conversations with some of the supporters involved, via e-mail and phone contact, inviting them to attend St Mirren training sessions.
“I told them: ‘I will show you how we prep’. I know I work as hard as I can. I am quite comfortable about that.”
Don’t think for a moment Ross isn’t relishing the challenge, even if the struggles have encouraged him to sign up for an extreme new hobby. What does a manager needing a break from feeling the heat for 90 minutes do? He signs up for Bikram yoga, of course, where sessions lasting 90 minutes are conducted in rooms heated to sauna-like temperatures.
“I always keep myself fit but found it so hard to switch off. I went with Heather the first time, really enjoyed it. But I returned again on my own. It’s 90 minutes when I don’t think about anything else.
“I’m like the tin man though, not very flexible,” he adds. But he’s prepared to put his back into avoiding the unthinkable scenario of St Mirren, 30 years after their famous Scottish Cup triumph, slumping into the third tier.
that's my car buddie ,but it lives in saltcoats,just like me ,saltcoats born and bread ,everybody asks me same question ? why st Mirren,simple answer is I think im a glory hunter as in 75,76.77 we were nearer top of league than bottom and as a 7,8,9 yr old I was attracted to the hope we would be great forever,and I remember liking black and white stripes (my favourite English team who I picked about the same time is west brom ,,yeah I know its navy and white but pretty similar ),anyway I have now passed my love of everything st Mirren on to my daughter who like me goes home and away ,although she now takes in u20 games as well ,am I actually a bad parent or will we maybe come good again in the hopefully near future
Born in Glasgow, raised in Paisley between the ages of 4 and 22. Moved away for career purposes and have never lived there since, but have never considered supporting any other team. As the old saying goes: You can change your car, you can change your wife, but you can't change your team!
Now living on the banks of the Tay where I know a few other Buddies fans.
My wee nephew is playing for St Mirren youngsters against Dundee United in Dundee tomorrow morning then a number of the boys and their dad's are heading along to the game. Would love for St Mirren to do a double over the Dundee teams but think the big team will find it tough.
I will tell you what i know.
Management were impressed with what they saw and signed Stelios.A two footed player who can play in numerous positions.Whoosh major scoop. Can we cut Gary some slack and let him play in his natural position and then judge him.We are in this together lads and lassies.Players.management and fans alike all with one goal and thats staying up.Come on we can do this together.We Are St Mirren and big Jason sent me a message saying we are staying up.Once a Buddie always a Buddie..
It is Fri 20th and I was looking for the thread for this game but could not find one. Is no-one going or has the game been cancelled and I am not aware of it????
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