Back Of The Net Exhibition 7 Of 11

[thewhiteman]

Back of the Net Exhibition 7 of 11

http://www.smisa.net/

http://www.museumsgalleriesscotland.org.uk/member/paisley-museum-and-art-galleries

CUP VICTORIES

To date, St Mirren have won the Scottish Cup three times (1926, 1959, 1987) and the League Cup just once in 2013. Other cup success has included the Barcelona Cup in 1922 and the Anglo-Scottish Cup in 1980, the only Scottish side to have ever won these trophies.

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“My earliest memory dates back to 1959, when I was 9 years old and going to the Scottish Cup Final when St.Mirren beat Aberdeen 3-1. There were 108,000 in the crowd, and over 60,000 St.Mirren supporters, many of whom walked to Hampden Park, the rest travelling by train, tram or bus as there were very few car owners those days. My dad and I were fortunate that we travelled from our home in Argyle Street, Paisley, to Hampden in the back of a plumber's van driven by our neighbour Larry Miller, a Paisley plumber, along with Larry's friend Mr Fenton, his son Jim, and Larry's son David. I remember sitting slightly uncomfortably on Mr. Miller's upside down plumber's bucket ‘Oor Wullie’ fashion in the back of the van, all the way to Hampden, but of course it was well worth it!” ­– John B.

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“I remember being in Cotton Street after the 1959 cup final victory. It was wall to wall people heading for County Square to wait for the team to return. They came out on to the balcony of the county buildings above the jail. I was seven years old at the time, too young to go to the game, but was with my cousin in County Square and he lifted me up on to his shoulders. It was unbelievable the amount of people that were there.” – Alan C.

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“The ‘87 Cup Final and the Coat: The first round was against the then Highland League side Inverness Caledonian at Love Street. It was a freezing cold day in January so I decided to wear my sheepskin coat. And we won 3-0. Second round, Morton at Cappielow. Once again it was a horrible day so once again the sheepskin coat made an appearance. And again we won, 3-2 in a right thriller. Two rounds, two victories was enough to convince me that the coat was some kind of lucky charm. So on to the quarter-final against Raith Rovers at Starks Park. And the coat came too. And this time it was a fairly comfortable 2-0 victory. And so, on to the semi-final at Hampden against Hearts. By this time the weather had started to warm up but there was no way I was leaving my lucky coat at home. So, once again, it all went to plan and we gubbed the Jambos 2-1 with Frank McGarvie grabbing the winner. And I almost died of heat stroke. But the lucky coat was still doing the business and we were in the final.

The day of the final came along and it was a beautiful sunny day and my wife banned me from wearing the coat! I just knew it was futile to argue so it was with a heavy heart I met all my mates for a pint (at 1959 prices!) in the town, which was absolutely heaving. My mates were a bit annoyed (to say the least) that I wasn't wearing the coat... And of course I almost got lynched when Ian Ferguson (of the Dundee United variety) scored. You can imagine my relief when it was chalked off. And relief turned to sheer joy when our Ian Ferguson scored the goal that won us the cup for the first time in 3 decades in extra time. What a day!

I never wore that coat to the football again.....” – Jim R.

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“Although I was living in England at the time nothing would have stopped me attending the 1987 Scottish Cup Final. The queue of supporters waiting for the train snaked around from the Moss Street entrance to Gilmour Street Station into County Square. Everyone in it was singing at the top of their voices, laughing, joking and smiling. I’ve never sung as much in one day as I did on that day.

The game itself wasn’t brilliant and my only outstanding memory is of Dundee United scoring and the entire St Mirren contingent watching in stunned silence as the United fans went absolutely potty. Then as the realisation spread through the ranks of Dundonians that their goal had been disallowed the scene was immediately reversed, the United fans frozen in silent disbelief and the Saints around us erupting in unbridled joy and relief! Some minutes later of course came the moment of truth. Ian Ferguson’s magnificent strike sent the entire Paisley contingent into collective monumental ecstasy. We were hugging each other, kissing each other, leaping, dancing, screaming and singing for sheer joy – we were about to WIN the Scottish cup! True happiness it seemed was within our fevered grasp. And so, of course, it proved. And let me tell you, there’s no feeling like it.

We caroused back to Mount Florida Station, a living column of seething Paisley cup-winning joy. The songs were non-stop and they continued for the rest of the day well in to the wee small hours. From Gilmour Street it was straight to the pub, out to welcome our heroes back with the cup on the balcony of the town hall and then back to the pub, more beer and much more singing!

Once the pubs closed people converged on Dunn Square, even though it was getting on for past midnight. A crowd of about 2000 people gathered, simply singing their hearts out with the sheer, uplifting joy of it all. Eventually I wended my weary way home to Hunterhill, meeting several bedraggled fellow fans on the way, all equally tired out from rejoicing. It was like Hogmanay, only better to the nth degree!” –B.L.

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“I have been lucky in my life so far of following the Buddies, having seen them win the Scottish Cup in 1959 and 1987, the Anglo Scottish Cup in 1980, and, of course, an unforgettable 17th March 2013 which turned St.Patrick's Day into St.Mirren's Day when they lifted the Scottish League Cup for the first time in their proud history, defeating Hearts 3-2” –John B.