{"id":38808,"title":"The Back Five #14","description":"Misery Hunters writer Andrew Christie takes you on a journey through the past seven days of St Mirren Football Club.","content":"

\"gidsvo8biv4zoixk0r0yfcki9re1eberrnpwon8mcpanxhhw.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"With the semi finals of the Scottish Cup taking place at Hampden, we found ourselves with a welcome weekend off. <\/span><\/p>

Did you do anything nice?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Ah cool. That sounds good.<\/span><\/p>

Mine was alright, yeah. <\/span><\/p>

Not much, mainly I noticed five things about St Mirren and arranged them in an easily digestible short read format. Thanks for asking.<\/span><\/p>

I\u2019m Andrew Christie<\/u><\/a>, here with the latest edition of The Back Five.
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\"oglrowwzwzdgnrbzbetdgugvpxqqpddkq8wj77ywjfuw0m5m.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"Fifth Harmony<\/h3>

With Aberdeen exiting the Scottish Cup to Celtic, the battle for the last European place has become a straight shootout between St Mirren (fifth) and Dundee (sixth). <\/p>

Five games now stand between one of us and the Uefa Conference League:<\/p>

St Mirren - Rangers (H), Dundee (A)<\/strong>, Hearts (H), Kilmarnock (H), Celtic (A)<\/p>

Dundee - Celtic (H), St Mirren (H)<\/strong>, Hearts (A), Rangers (A), Kilmarnock (H)<\/p>

While points may well be won across the other fixtures (I have a wee feeling about us at home to Rangers, y\u2019know), our visit to Dens Park on May 4th has all the feelings of a cup final. Both clubs have had remarkably similar<\/u><\/a> seasons, playing remarkably similar<\/u><\/a> football, but with two points and five goals of a lead, it is St Mirren who find themselves in the driving seat going into the split. Our fate is very much in our own hands.<\/p>

In achieving consecutive top six places, this St Mirren squad have already cemented themselves in the club\u2019s history. Achieving that European spot would elevate them further still. <\/p>

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\"f10vlmstingpsrcmw7xnkbrgnyxuvhcgvck4nv5dhhlgedqu.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"Knight and Day<\/h3>

My favourite goal.<\/u><\/a> The culmination of my favourite season.<\/p>

I remember so clearly in the aftermath of this goal a switch flipping in my brain. Football went from \"a thing that happens on Saturdays<\/em>\" to \"I'm in love and I'm going to let this thing ruin my life forever<\/em>\".<\/p>

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\"mwkeoj2it1u1mobhbul8hnaoa2uotfqzgmzzuajo2ivdwc7r.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"Blue Nos<\/h3>

Here he is, wheeling a \"good time to play them<\/em>\" cliche into the room like a long-given-up teacher with a TV and a hangover.<\/p>

As previously mentioned, we kick off our post-split fixtures with the visit of Rangers to Paisley.<\/p>

Recent results have exposed potential cracks in the Light Blue resolve, with dropped points away to Ross County (3-2), Dundee (0-0) and even their far-from convincing cup semi-final win over Hearts revealing a side potentially struggling with the pressures of their title race.<\/p>

Under Stephen Robinson, St Mirren have made a habit of taking the game to Old Firm opponents. While the results haven't gone their way yet this campaign, the performances have been excellent - compact in midfield, flooding the channels, and looking to unleash forward players in behind. <\/p>

Injuries and form issues have forced Rangers into plenty of square pegs in round holes, disrupting their defensive structure. And when their full-backs get too gung-ho joining attacks, they've been ruthlessly punished by the lack of central coverage. In fact, in their past six games, Rangers have been conceding a league-worst two counter-attacking shots per 90 minutes. Can you say Toyosi Time?<\/p>

Having dropped frustrating points recently, Rangers may be there for the taking on Sunday. Expect to see a focused, fired-up St Mirren outfit looking to take full advantage of a fragile Gers mentality.<\/p>

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\"4cvmlxicorjlnjllb4hkcwxqstw9ykciqmkt21fbetcbzamw.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"Ethan Hunt<\/h3>

Manchester City and Chelsea<\/u><\/a> are the latest English giants sniffing around one of Scottish football's brightest prospects - 17-year-old St Mirren left-wing-back Ethan Sutherland. The youngster is currently on loan at Alloa, where he has been in impressive form, recently notching his sixth assist in 14 games.<\/p>

Sutherland is an agile left-footer with an industrious style complemented by excellent crossing and passing ability. Despite being defensively raw at times, his time at Recreation Park has seen the evolution of a stellar modern-day wing-back. Sutherland feels like a player with the footballing world at his feet. The defensive side of his game will be ironed out as he grows and matures, and his dynamism in possession, pinpoint crossing, and prowess in the final third suggest his offensive output will only increase.<\/p>

It is, however, a bit frustrating to see so many young Scottish talents lured so hastily down south before they've stamped their mark domestically. As appealing as any offer from City and Chelsea would be, one hopes Sutherland takes his chance in the St Mirren first team to further develop before making the inevitable leap to bigger and better things.<\/p>

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\"c8ptvhvpenwts97jxg4czhcms8ezecx59fhgvkpjlnrhy3xk.png.png?w=1140&v=2\"Trophy Ayes<\/h3>

The day after this game\/subsequent night out (six years ago this week<\/u><\/a>), the jukebox in the pub I worked in glitched and played Hurt by Nine Inch Nails on repeat until I had a panic attack behind the bar and had to go home. <\/p>

The best of times.<\/p>","urlTitle":"the-back-five-14","url":"\/blog\/the-back-five-14\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/the-back-five-14\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/miseryhunters.co.uk\/blog\/the-back-five-14\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1713818606,"updatedAt":1713975215,"publishedAt":1713975215,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":106606,"name":"Misery Hunters"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/1tubcgglclxgmjcsbqhdeyxzll6m6rwslr4bohjorwxjua2n.png","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/1tubcgglclxgmjcsbqhdeyxzll6m6rwslr4bohjorwxjua2n.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/1tubcgglclxgmjcsbqhdeyxzll6m6rwslr4bohjorwxjua2n.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":"","metaDescription":"","keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":17026,"title":"Connor Roll","url":"\/blog\/connor-roll\/","urlTitle":"connor-roll","division":106606,"description":"A massive week for St Mirren\u2019s season kicked off \u2013 as great tales so rarely do \u2013 in Dundee last Wednesday evening. Stephen Robinson took his Saints side to Dens buoyed by the return of creative fulcrum Connor Ronan to the squad following his suspension. It was the 24-year-old who would prove to be the difference, his dramatic 93rd minute winner - a fine diving header from an inch-perfect Jay Henderson cross \u2013 sending the travelling fans wild and keeping Saints\u2019 top six dream aliveWhile the 1-0 win was far from a classic, the performance was slightly closer to how Robinson has talked of wanting his side to play","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/2dgzuiqxl5ezaaflq1l8c7bxfxk19arzzwpp5mk12vg186jo.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/2dgzuiqxl5ezaaflq1l8c7bxfxk19arzzwpp5mk12vg186jo.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":20857,"title":"The Many Saints of Nae Luck","url":"\/blog\/the-many-saints-of-nae-luck\/","urlTitle":"the-many-saints-of-nae-luck","division":106606,"description":"St Mirren\u2019s run of three consecutive wins met St Johnstone\u2019s run of three consecutive losses on Saturday. Mix that in with a bit of general bad Perth vibes and Callum Davidson\u2019s side\u2019s 3-0 win was a result that was met with a widespread \u201caye that sounds about right\u201d.","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/6sssv11z9ljscfqjbdqi68uanjs5kqfhybuqswtdlfyze5mp.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/6sssv11z9ljscfqjbdqi68uanjs5kqfhybuqswtdlfyze5mp.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":39134,"title":"The Back Five #16","url":"\/blog\/the-back-five-16\/","urlTitle":"the-back-five-16","division":106606,"description":"Get ready for another edition of 'The Back Five' - Misery Hunters writer Andrew Christie's weekly, irreverent look at all things St Mirren FC","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/sjeel85ocjmfh9gkftivdgyslhckqdmcx1wqyt1htcqsovvv.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/sjeel85ocjmfh9gkftivdgyslhckqdmcx1wqyt1htcqsovvv.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}