Take a bow Shuggy!

Last updated : 26 April 2011 By Stuart Gillespie

May 2, 1998. Have a wee think about that date. What were you doing? Enjoying some Bank Holiday sunshine perhaps? Maybe stuck in traffic somewhere? If you were a St Mirren fan, chances are you were at Forthbank Stadium in Stirling watching the club fighting for its very survival.

With the admiring glances of Reg Brealey finally warded off, the club had to survive in the first division or face financial oblivion as well as relegation. At the end of April, we lost to Airdrie and Mark Yardley missed a penalty. A week later, thousands of Saints fans headed to Stirling. Winner stays up, loser goes down. Squeaky bum time doesn't quite cover it.

In a terrific Saints performance it was a young teenage midfielder who had broken into the team that season who made the difference. Early in the second half, Hugh Murray's rocket shot flew into the net. It proved to be enough - the difference between disaster and survival.

It capped an impressive first season in the first team for Shuggy, who was handed his debut by then manager Tony Fitzpatrick - whose record he equalled on Sunday and is set to break on Monday. Aside from a small spell in 2002 (we'll gloss over that) he's been here ever since.

A key part of the Millennium Champions squad - we all remember that superb goal against Clydebank - he didn't quite adapt to life in the SPL as we went straight back down. However, the battling qualities for which he has become famous came to the fore in the horrendous first division years of Tom Hendrie and John Coughlin. Then, under Gus MacPherson, he became a key part of another title winning squad in 2006, winning the League Challenge Cup into the bargain to become the club's most successful player.

This time, he was ready for the SPL and grabbed his chance. Towards the end of the season he popped up with a goal against Dundee United that played a key part in keeping us in the top flight. The following season he was made captain, but it seemed to affect his form and he was removed from the role the following year. In amongst that, he was deservedly given a testimonial against Derby County - which we won.

As the club entered it's final few months at Love Street, it looked as if Shuggy wouldn't be there to play at our new stadium. Not for the last time he was written off, and not for the last time he bounced back. He forced his way back into the side and was back to his best - although, sadly, the dream of him scoring the last Love Street goal or the first at the new ground didn't come true.

He did score a rare double at the new ground in 2009 - his last goals to date - and was there when we made the League Cup Final last season. As Rangers were getting players sent off every few minutes, he was subbed in a bid to prevent him befalling a similar fate. He clearly wasn't happy and arguably it was from that moment things started going wrong.

This season again saw another "Is this the end?" spell from Shuggy and it looked as if he'd be heading to Dunfermline. However, after recovering from a fractured cheekbone (he suffered a similar injury in 2006) he stayed put and once again forced himself back into the team.

The end is clearly coming for Shuggy and his contract is due to expire in the summer - but he is worth hanging on to for at least another year. A tough tackling, always committed, never say die midfielder who is a fans favourite and club legend. Saints weren't who he supported as a boy, but we're probably his favourite team now.

So well done Shuggy on breaking the record - you deserve it. And if you fancy marking May 2 with another survival clinching goal, we aren't going to stop you.

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