Kingsmills

Bloody exciting and bloody nerve Wracking.....

My vote may well have an element of heart over head but that's what being a football fan is all about.

Simple question. Come 10 o'clock tomorrow evening willwe be back in the Premiership?

If it helps at all, it looked to me to be around about 5,398

HT; St Johnstone 0, ICT 0 FT; St Johnstone 0, ICT 1 (scenes !) ICT; Samuels. St Johnstone; Hendry Crowd; 7,402 Yellow; Welsh.

In my view, the only other candidate for our most important game ever is the 'Supercaleygoballistic' game at Parkhead. Not because of the performance or result which were amazing but because I still think that might just have saved us not just from administration but from liqidation with no pathway being offered back to us unlike when Rangers went out of business. Our debts at the time were horrendous and completely unmanageable and I don't think our share of the gate receipts from Celic Park alone would have been enough to save us. The additional income from those 2 televised games against Aberdeen made all the difference and bought us the time, along with David Sutherland's business acumen, to put together a survival plan.

As a football fan for over half a century I have been witness to some big and memorable matches including watching the wonderful Inverness Thistle team of the early 1970s secure consecutive Highland League titles, watching Scotland beat czechslovakia in fron of over a hundred thousand at Hampden to secure World Cup qualification, watching Scotland beat England at Wembley, seeing the Jaggies beat Kilmarnock 3-0 in the Scottish Cup to secure a trip to Parkhead which ultimately did not end well despite a 16 year old Les Fridge performing wonders in goal but was still a great day out compared to our usual away days to the likes of Rothes and Lossiemouth. Then, post merger, watching us beating Arbroath in our very first league game at Telford Street which still felt a bit alien to this old Jaggie. Watching us giving Rangers, whatever became of them? packed with world class players like Laudrup and Gascoigne a good run for their money in our 'home' Scottish Cup quater final at Tannadice. Watching us coming back from 0-3 down at half time to win 4-3 in another Scottish Cup tie against Ayr United in typical Steve Paterson style. Then, being present when we beat tomorrow's opponents to, after a court battle, secure our first ever promotion to the top tier. The anticipation followed by dejection of our League Cup final at Parkhead, the anticipation followed by by elation of our Scottish Cup triumph at Hampden. Sadly for me, I missed both legs of our only European tie to date due to holidays commitments entered into by Mrs Kingsmills over a year before. However, even if I had made those matches, I still think that tomorrow's game in Perth will be the single most important game witnessed in my life.

A breif tribute to Richard Gordon who retires today from his role as presenter of Saturday Sportsound. Despite never having played the game at any professional level, he is one of the most knowledgeable and least biased sports journalists in the country despite, unlike many of his Central Belt colleagues, is quite happy to be entirely open about which team he supports and with a passion. He was also quick to give us praise and credit whenever we merited it and, again unlike many of his colleagues, Jim Traynor in particular comes to mind, he was never condescending or patronising towards us. I hope that he enjoys a long and happy retirement.

It might be fortunate if any ban imposed for illegal gambling coincides with his rehabilitation period.

Not a former player but a former manager. Congratulations to John Hughes who, despite getting the team with the second highest budget relegated, walks away from East End Park with yet another wedge of compensation bulging in his pocket.

I don't remember it being announced but it looked north of 5,000 to me. When I watched the match back on TV it was great not to be able to read the lettering picked out the seats for the first time since goodness knows when.

Or with Steve Paterson who was a master of them in his day.

I rewatched the match on TV this morning at that free kick was every bit as stunning as it looked at the time. Unlike the match at Gayfield which was littered with them, there was only one real moment of controversy. We were perhaps a little fortunate with our first goal. Samuels may just have strayed offside but, if he did, it was marginally. Some referees might have stopped the match for a head knock but the laws of the game permit them to use discretion and Billy had clearly been fouled. Both the referee and the standside assistant got a clear view of the incident and could see that both players were moving and that Billy was actually back on his feet and, as it turned out neither were injured. The cut back from Samuels and the finish from McAlear were sublime. What was most revealing of all was the reactions of both managers in their respective post match interviews. Dodds was honest and candid and conceded that our initial problems were down to him getting it wrong with team selection and formation. In stark contrast, Callum Davidson did not accept at all that he bore any responsibility for the capitulation with his failure to react to our changes and his own inexplicable substitutions instead blaming a single refereeing decision which, as I indicated above, could have gone either way. As it happens, I think Madden had a good game feeling it necessary to weild only one yellow card in what was a competitive and hard fought game. The Perth Saints are clearly rattled whilst we have gained some confidence and composure. I hope that the boys are given the day off todsy followed by a light training session tomorrow including a spot of penalty practice before travelling down the road on Monday with, assuming we get our team selection and tactics right from the outset, every bit as much of a chance of spending next season in the Premiership as our hosts. Finally, great credit to the large crowd who stayed behind the team even when things were looking hopeless.

Maybe but I bet that within 2 years he will deservedly be playing at a much higher level than either us or his parent club.

To be fair, he acknowledged his mistake and rectified it.

Especially as so many Central Belt pundits have constantly written us off as a bunch of turkeys.

Which ultimately is the only stat that counts.

There is no doubt that we were utterly abysmal in the first half and were very fortunate indeed to go in only the 2 goals down with our promotion hopes hanging by a thread rather than completely ended. There is also no doubt that, by and large, the St Johnstone players are more talented and skillful than ours but they cannot come close to matching us for resilience and determination. That was a Herculean effort in the second half and great credit must go the the manager for his half time substitutions and change of tactics. Who can fail to mention Reece McAlear's two stunning goals. That free kick was positively Ronaldoesque. Special mention as well for Austen Samuels who, after a sticky start, is getting better and better and has played a huge part in getting us this far in the play offs. Ordinarily, a draw would we a good result for the away team in a two legged tie but I am in no doubt at all who will be the happier group of players and coaches this evening. I rember, half a lifetime ago, a Caley team coming from 2 goals down against St Johnstone to force a replay in Perth to which they brought over 3,000 fans. It would be great if we could match those numbers while avoiding the eventual outcome. St Johnstone remain favourites to win the tie but our squad will be boosted by the return of at least 2 influential players and the confidence gained from turning the first leg around. One more huge effort required but we can still do this !

Or get a Now TV day pass for £5.99. The reliability and picture quality will be better than many of the PPVs over the season even if the commentary is worse and no less biased.

Remember, the Premiership team lost both play off legs this time last season. St Johnstone will, if anything, be feeling more anxious than we are. We need to exploit that.

The day has arrived. Let's hope that it a good one for everyone associated with the club and that we travel to Perth on Monday with some sort of advantage.

Ticket sales still look a bit disappointing given just how huge a game this is. Hopefully, a late surge and numerous walk ups tomorrow.

Maybe the missing Scotrail staff will be back from Seville by tomorrow.

Back on topic. Getting increasingly excited and increasingly nervous. Have not felt this way about a football match since the Scottish Cup final.

That has been particularly disappointing.