Saints Ready to rise again

Apr 14 2009 by Paul Behan, Paisley Daily Express

FORMER St Mirren defender Fraser Wishart has tipped his Buddies to one day challenge the Old Firm for SPL supremacy.

Wishart reckons Saints can recapture the heady days the supporters enjoyed under Alex Ferguson in the 1970s and the competitive edge the teams from the 1980s possessed – if they can retain top flight status this season.

Now working as chief executive of the PFA Scotland players’ union, Wishart played for three years at Love Street from 1989 to 1992 at a time when St Mirren’s fortunes on and off the park were dwindling.

However, the 44 year-old, who also played for Motherwell twice, as well as Falkirk, Rangers, Hearts, Clydebank and Airdrie, is confident another ‘great escape’ this season will help Saints to buy the time they’ll need to map out their blueprint for future success.

Wishart said: “Maintaining SPL status is a must this season for St Mirren.

“And, if they can do that, then I’m sure St Mirren will build, slowly but surely, and become a team like the one I supported in the early 1980s, when they were challenging for the league title.”

Wishart is usually the man-in-the-middle when it comes to looking after a player’s best interests, especially if a Scottish club finds itself in difficulty for one reason or another.

In recent months, he’s had to wade in to help out stars at the likes of Hearts and First Division Livingston when the first team players failed to get paid on time.

And, last year, he spent a large part of his time negotiating with administrators when they took over at doomed Gretna and players at the Raydale club were axed.

More recently, Wishart has been keeping a close eye on the developments at Broadwood after Clyde were threatened with eviction by North Lanarkshire Council following a cash wrangle.

As a result, he’s more qualified than most when it comes to discussing the current money crisis dragging Scottish football down.

But Wishart is delighted to see that St Mirren are bucking the current trend and are now the only debt-free club in Scotland, with a brand new stadium and new training facilities on the way too.

It’s especially pleasing for Wishart, who fully acknowledges that, during his time with the Buddies, the spending on players was somewhat excessive.

He said: “It’s great for me to see St Mirren debt-free – not only as a former player but as a supporter too.

“I’m delighted to see them doing so well.

“St Mirren had so many years when they were in financial difficulties and I think my name still gets mentioned by the chairman Stewart Gilmour in dispatches from the boardroom!

“Hopefully, all that spending that went on during my time has stopped.

“During my time at St Mirren, it wasn’t the most successful period on the field for me because of injuries and illness but I still hold fond memories of my time there and I’m just delighted to see them debt-free again.”

Wishart was an ardent supporter of the board’s decision to sell Love Street and move to Greenhill Road, rejuvenating the club in the process.

He explained: “I think the new stadium is terrific. The board of directors made a huge decision really to take the club out of Love Street and run the risk of the wrath of the fans.

“But they built a fantastic new stadium in Greenhill Road and it’s fit for purpose.

“Their new training facilities in Ralston, which should be ready later this year, will add to it.

“All these things should help Gus MacPherson attract new players as well because it will be a great environment to play and train in.”

Wishart knows it was a wrench for Saints fans to leave Love Street but he insists the move to Ferguslie Park was necessary to eradicate the debt, which stood at £3.2million when Gilmour and the other directors took charge.

He said: “Love Street was a fantastic old stadium and we all have fond memories of it.

“My father was at the last game against Motherwell and he’d not been there for a few years. He was standing in almost the same place where he and his father stood nearly 50 or 60 years ago when they watched St Mirren.

“It was an emotional day but I don’t think there is one St Mirren fan out there who thinks it was the wrong decision to move.

“The new stadium has a great atmosphere and the board made it just right in terms of its size. It gives the place a great atmosphere when it’s full.”

Wishart is also hoping that Buddies boss MacPherson and his assistant Andy Millen can enjoy a slightly larger player budget next season if they keep Saints in top flight football for the third year running.

He said: “Gus and Andy have done a fantastic job in the last few years on a tight budget and I’m sure they will enjoy a wee bit more funding next season, although not an awful lot more.

“Guys like Stewart Gilmour and George Campbell, who are on the board of directors, no doubt had a few sleepless nights over the move to Ferguslie Park because there was a lot of pain to get the club to where they are now.

“We have to remember that those people behind the scenes had to put up with an awful lot and they deserve credit. Here’s hoping they enjoy it now.”