{"id":37788,"title":"The Back Five #10","description":"An irreverent, sideways look at the past week in the world of St Mirren FC, with Misery Hunters writer Andrew Christie","content":"

\"ajjnkdai4hzgp3uelh1b46cdnjgynint2zarki2yzvorjt38.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"With the meat grinder of the international break in full swing, we were given a weekend\u2019s reprieve from St Mirren and their ways<\/em>.<\/p>

Much needed, wasn\u2019t it?<\/p>

While the country\u2019s attention is focused on Scotland\u2019s midweek friendly with (the familiar faces <\/u><\/a>of) Northern Ireland, Stephen Robinson and their team will be busy working on a plan of action for How Not to Let That Happen Again Please.<\/p>

Here\u2019s Andrew Christie<\/u><\/a>, Misery Hunters\u2019 metal-faced villain. Sometimes he rhymes fast, sometimes he rhymes slow. Most times he picks five things from the past week in St Mirren and presents them in an easily consumable list format.<\/p>

<\/p>

\"eatsfnjxpha440xhzm70pt2zvddix7rie3mjl8btishclvc2.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"Bacc in The Game<\/h3>

Keanu Baccus scored his first goal<\/u><\/a> for Australia. He definitely meant it, and is some boy for that.<\/p>

Keanu Baccus scored his first goal<\/u><\/a> for Australia. He definitely didn't mean it, and is some boy for that.<\/p>

Delete as appropriate, and congratulations to a player on the precipice of what could be a really exciting career.<\/p>

<\/p>

\"2b4nfj4o0ryxefr31hxjqbp7uvudofc3plf1bowzaftlsdbr.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"Next Levels<\/h3>

The investigation is still ongoing into what exactly happened in East Ayrshire last time out, with Saturday\u2019s trip to Fir Park to face eighth-placed Motherwell giving the squad a great opportunity to right the wrongs of that confounding second half in Kilmarnock.<\/p>

We\u2019ve had a good season so far against Motherwell (W2 D1 L0), making lightwork of Stuart Kettlewell\u2019s men in both the cup and league.<\/p>

With Kilmarnock facing their own tough trip to Tynecastle<\/u><\/a> at the weekend, a St Mirren win in North Lanarkshire could put us back in pole position in the race for fourth.<\/p>

Speaking of righting wrongs\u2026<\/p>

<\/p>

\"6bygucx7atysde6mqyo9zgbog9hkao47n6rkwbscb9cjojsa.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"Hoop Dreams<\/h3>

Football often hits you in strange ways. Fourteen years ago this week, we lined up against Celtic mere days after a heartbreaking 1-0 loss to nine-man Rangers in the League Cup Final.<\/p>

What followed was a 4-0 demolition<\/u><\/a> of Tony Mowbray\u2019s men that would ultimately see the Hoops\u2019 boss sacked.<\/p>

From the type of defeat that fuels nightmares for decades to come to one of our most impressive wins of the modern era in the space of just three days. How about that?<\/p>

<\/p>

\"4jdk1raf2dqoskbdjyzalukmxyjkidaub8yfqhtxu6n0e5hs.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"Young World<\/h3>

A St Mirren-less weekend meant that attentions could be turned elsewhere. One player who took full advantage of the extra eyes on him was Saints striker and current Stirling Albion loanee Keiran Offord, who scored a 92nd-minute winner<\/u><\/a> in his side\u2019s 1-0 League One win over Montrose.<\/p>

The young striker\u2019s time in Stirling has been up and down; with Binos manager Darren Young too often electing to play the 19-year-old out of position. Hopefully, this composed finish will show Young the quality of forward he has on his hands.<\/p>

<\/p>

\"w0euovduphtwmwbkua1ilm9lm0symy3ufjmq4yrmkkkhqzi3.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"All Caps<\/h3>

During the long, arduous process of his recovery from an ACL injury, there must have been moments when Saints striker Jonah Ayunga\u2019s dreams of representing Kenya felt so far away.<\/p>

Ayunga made his debut as a stoppage-time substitute during the Harambee Stars 4-0 win over Malawi during the week, in what was an incredibly proud moment for player and club alike.<\/p>

Great to see. Hopefully the first of many to come for the big man.<\/p>","urlTitle":"the-back-five-10","url":"\/blog\/the-back-five-10\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/the-back-five-10\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/miseryhunters.co.uk\/blog\/the-back-five-10\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1711307940,"updatedAt":1711357474,"publishedAt":1711357474,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":106606,"name":"Misery Hunters"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/q0ssixaohwilzdsjczlqogciycu1jpi0pk8vu06ndhn1dzrt.png","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/q0ssixaohwilzdsjczlqogciycu1jpi0pk8vu06ndhn1dzrt.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/q0ssixaohwilzdsjczlqogciycu1jpi0pk8vu06ndhn1dzrt.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":17450,"title":"Split The Difference","url":"\/blog\/split-the-difference\/","urlTitle":"split-the-difference","division":106606,"description":"In analysing St Mirren\u2019s defeat to Rangers 4-0 defeat, it\u2019s hard to muster much more than a shrug. With Saturday\u2019s results going the way they did, Saints knew their top-six chances were dead in the water before a ball was kicked at the SMISA on Sunday. While it didn\u2019t render the game totally moot, the champions\u2019 (fairly routine) 4-0 win just felt a bit\u2026 shrug","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ehqfsxzg83wxnfbghjl2bmvlbj1pvf8cwmrzwuvrmxbo2rik.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/ehqfsxzg83wxnfbghjl2bmvlbj1pvf8cwmrzwuvrmxbo2rik.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":13867,"title":"Saints Row","url":"\/blog\/saints-row\/","urlTitle":"saints-row","division":106606,"description":"So much of supporting St Mirren is playing an Operation-style game of trying to dig out positives without setting off the \u201caw here that\u2019s actually not very good is it?\u201d buzzer in the process. Our trip to face St Johnstone on Saturday was very much an example of this. St Mirren (or as we\u2019re officially known up McDiarmid Park after seven goalless years, \u201cSt Mirren nil\u201d) lined up against Callum Davidson\u2019s men off the back of a disappointing home defeat to Dundee last weekend","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/yeldeoiwkla2hlrifenh7rsyn7wtal43zbcb7tzfs4tvw3iu.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/yeldeoiwkla2hlrifenh7rsyn7wtal43zbcb7tzfs4tvw3iu.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":14868,"title":"Should Auld (Firm) Acquaintance Be Forgot","url":"\/blog\/should-auld-firm-acquaintance-be-forgot\/","urlTitle":"should-auld-firm-acquaintance-be-forgot","division":106606,"description":"Like spending time with your family over the festive period, St Mirren faced off against Celtic and Rangers either side of Christmas out of anger-soaked obligation rather than desire. A covid ravaged camp (and the SPF\u2019s decision to reject the club\u2019s postponement request) meant that Jim Goodwin was without the majority of his squad for Wednesday\u2019s Celtic clash, calling on the Youth Academy to fill the void of the eleven isolating first team players. With Dylan Reid (2005) Jay Henderson (2002) and Kieran Offord (2004) starting, and a further six academy players making up the bench, many fans were anticipating a long night for the home side","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/eda6pn3ucts5aeoqdan2cd37ekvtcszdu28qlyotgdkzyfcd.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/eda6pn3ucts5aeoqdan2cd37ekvtcszdu28qlyotgdkzyfcd.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}