Review of the Season

Last updated : 19 May 2006 By Stuart Gillespie
Rather than a traditional review of the season, I've decided just to concentrate on the key dates in our title season. They might be defeats, losses or something else. Enjoy!

27th July 2005: Saints sign striker Billy Mehmet from Dunfermline Athletic

6th August: The league season starts, and Saints suffer a 3-2 defeat away to Dundee, despite playing well.

20th August: Saints finally pick up their first league win of the season, at the third time of asking, with a 2-1 win away to St. Johnstone

31st August: John Sutton and Charlie Adam arrive on deadline day, whilst in the evening Saints progress in the Bell's Cup

24th September: Saints go top of the league with a 1-0 win away to Airdrie United. It shows how far the team has come; exactly a year ago they were winning 1-0 at home against the same team before conceding a late goal. Holding on, despite conceding a penalty, shows the strength of the team

27th September: Morton are beaten on penalties in the semi final of the Bell's Cup

1st October:
Saints are knocked off the top of the league with a 3-1 defeat away to Hamilton

15th October: A 2-0 hammering of Ross County sees us back on top, a position we won't lose

25th October: Stewart Kean scores a last minute winner away to Stranraer to keep us top

6th November: Saints beat Hamilton 2-1 in the final of the Bell's Cup thanks to a late John Sutton goal

12th November: Despite being hammered by Clyde, Saints win 2-1, once again showing the character of the team

3rd December: Saints hammer Ross County 4-0 at Dingwall, the site of so many bad days for Saints. Sadly it's the last time for a few games Saints score, whilst we have to wait a lot longer for another Kean goal from open play and another Sutton goal of any kind

10th December: Dundee dent the confidence with a 4-0 win over Saints

26th December: Despite only drawing with Queen of the South, Saints increase their lead as Hamilton comically lose 5-4 to Stranraer!

31st December: Saints finally start scoring again, winning 3-2 over Brechin

2nd January 2006: Saints win again, and Clyde manager Graham Roberts produces a fine display of dummy spitting when he claims Clyde are better and Saints are only top as they are a team of divers

7th January: Saints hammer SPL side Motherwell 3-0 at home in the cup. The day before Saints sign Iain Anderson and Tony Bullock

14th January: Saints score four again, this time against Airdrie. Again, it's the last goals for a while

28th January: Ross County pick up their first ever win in Paisley and end Saints 13 month unbeaten record in the league. The gap closes 14th February: Saints finally start scoring again, as does Sutton, with a 3-0 win over Spartans in the cup

25th February: Saints are knocked out of the cup by Gretna

11th March: The “Magic Minute”. With minutes left, Saints are drawing with Queen of the South whilst Ross County are beating St. Johnstone to reduce the gap to three points. However, St. Johnstone keeper Matt Glennon equalises before Adam scores a last minute goal to increase the gap to seven

18th March: Saints once again beat Clyde, despite Roberts claims about Clyde being better

21st March:
Sutton scores a hat trick in a 3-0 win over Brechin

25th March: Saints move within five points of the title with a 2-1 win over Airdrie United

1st April: Hamilton beat a terrible Saints side 2-0 at Love Street, with Kean missing a sitter as he continues his goal drought

8th April: Saints bounce back with a 2-0 win over Ross County, Kean finally breaking his drought at the ground where he last scored from open play

15th April: Mehmet finally scores his first Saints goal in a 2-1 win over Dundee that sees the title secured and the Saints return to the SPL

29th April: Exactly six years after the last time, Saints lift the first division trophy after losing 1-0 to St. Johnstone. The traditional celebrations and open top bus parade

No doubt I've missed a few dates and included some I shouldn't have, but it's a fairly good review of the season anyway. Watch out for thee Mirren Mad end of season awards being announced in the next few weeks!