Forthbank was packed. Soccerbase may only give the attendance as 2,606 but at least two thirds of that were Saints fans. The entire away stand was full and one of the stupid bits of terracing behind the goals had to be opened - and it quickly filled up as well.
Mark Yardley was dropped after his penalty miss the week before against Airdrieonians. Alan Combe was back after more than a month out with injury - a month in which we picked up just two points. Murray was wearing number 11 rather than his usual 7, which had been given to Steven McGarry. It was only Shuggy's first season in the first team and he'd scored two goals from midfield. But goal number three was going to be the most important.
He hit the bar with a header in the first half while Stirling keeper Mark McGeown had a good game. However, in the 56th minute Shuggy exchanged passes with Tom Brown before letting fly with a fantastic effort into the top corner. The Saints fans went wild, with those in the stupid section behind the goal running on the pitch. Shuggy got booked for over celebrating - did anybody care?
The Saints support were now in full voice, urging their team on to victory. Both teams had chances and Stevie Watson should have wrapped things up late on when sent clean through on goal, but due to being unfit and generally slow (he'd only just come on as a sub!) he duffed his effort wide. Not that it mattered as final whistle went before the goal kick was taken.
There was still one more highlight of the day though. Everyone got back to their cars just in time to hear Ally Mitchell (who ended up at Saints six years later) score a last minute winner for Kilmarnock at Ibrox to effectively end Rangers' chances of ten-in-a-row. While it was unfortunate it would be Celtic that would profit, it was amusing hearing Rangers get robbed the way they had done to so many teams over the years.
Saints had done their part. Stirling were down. With Ayr and Partick - the teams second and third bottom - playing each other on the last day of the season it meant we were safe. When it mattered most we had performed, got three points the club's very existence depended on and lived to fight another day. It turned out to be the start of a Saints resurgence - two years later, almost to the day, we were back in Scotland's top flight. Having been so close to extinction it was a genuine fairy tale.
Perhaps I'm too fond of these lookbacks when milestones like league wins come up. Perhaps the extinction part is overplayed. However, May 2, 1998 is an important date in Saints history because it meant we never had to find out what would have happened had we gone down to our lowest ever placing. We never had to find out if part-time football and housing developments on Love Street were the future and for that reason alone it should be remembered.
Here's the team from that day:
STARTING ELEVEN
Alan Combe: Signed from Cowdenbeath in 1993, this turned out to be his second last game before he signed for Dundee United in the summer. Had a spell with Bradford before signing for current club Kilmarnock.
Brian Smith: A useless rightback who came through the youth team. Released that summer and ended up in the juniors.
Barry McLaughlin: A Saints fan who came through the youth team. Solid defender who won the league with the club in 2000 before going to Kilmarnock two years later. A spell at Ayr followed before he ended up with junior side Irvine Meadow.
Norrie McWhirter: The captain and longest serving player at the time. Was with the club when the Scottish Cup came to Paisley in 1987 and various injuries robbed him of a far greater career. Played his last game at the end of the 1998/99 due to injuries and allegedly falling out with Tom Hendrie. Retired in 2000 and assisted both Campbell Money and Paul Lambert at clubs.
Paul Fenwick: Another who left that summer when he signed for Morton and received a hostile reception when he returned to Love Street. Fell by the wayside as Hugh Scott wrecked the club before moving to Hibs. Retired in 2004 to be a physio in his native Canada.
David Winnie: In his second spell with Saints, having left in 1990 and played for Dundee and Aberdeen. A poor, one-off season back before he signed for Ayr. Also had spells playing and managing in Iceland and managing Dumbarton.
Steven McGarry: Another Saints fan from the youth set up. Won the league in 2000 before going on loan to Boston and moving to Ross County permanently in 2002. Moved to Motherwell in 2006. Has scored against us twice since leaving Love Street!
Tommy Turner: A midfielder at this point in time having played for a number of clubs, including Morton and Partick Thistle. Was shunted to Queen of the South on loan after problems before returning when Hendrie arrived. Was made captain and lifted the first division trophy after being moved into defence. Left in 2002 for Gretna (before they got the cash) and drifted into junior football. Was still playing a year or so ago!
Tom Brown: Signed from Kilmarnock in 1997 as part of a deal that saw Martin Baker go to Rugby Park. Scored some good goals but was a bit hotheaded. Injury in 2000 saw the end of his Saints career and he played for Alloa and Dumbarton before retiring.
Junior Mendes: Incredibly fast and frustrating former Chelsea youngster. Helped the team to the first division title in 2000 before signing for Dunfermline that summer in a move that didn't go down well. Returned to Love Street in 2002 before signing for Mansfield six months later. Has had a nomadic existence in the English lower leagues ever since.
Hugh Murray: The hero of the day. Has been with us all his career - apart from a spell in 2002 when he left to try his luck in England and returned having failed to find a club. Last year was his testimonial year, something he deserved for his goal at Stirling more than anything else.
SUBS
Stevie Watson: A former Rangers midfielder who, liked Brown, was a bit hotheaded. Left in the summer of 1998 and ended up in Hong Kong before signing for Falkirk in 2001. Went to Partick Thistle before going junior at the end of his career.
Andy Roddie (not used): Had played for Aberdeen and Motherwell before signing for us earlier in the season. Like Watson, left for Hong Kong in the summer and returned to Scotland a few years later. Played with a number of clubs up north before retiring last year.
Mark Yardley (not used): It wasn't apparent then, but he was to become a legend. Signed from Cowdenbeath a few years beforehand and missed a penalty the week before against Airdrieonians that could have been costly. Much maligned for misses and the like but in 1999-2000 he was lethal when paired with Barry Lavety. 19 goals followed for the big man as he found incredible form. Much maligned for his weight, he chipped in with a few goals in the SPL as well as some good link-up play. Left in 2003 for Albion Rovers - his last goal being a fantastic solo effort against Morton, who he always seemed to score against. Almost helped Albion Rovers to promotion to the third division at Morton's expense (he scored against them for Rovers too!) that season but stopped a year later. Recently appeared on STV's Postcode Lottery Challenge or whatever it's called.
MANAGER
Tony Fitzpatrick: Spent most of his playing career at Love Street, lifted the first division when Alex Ferguson was the manager and was part of the Scottish Cup winning side of 1987. Had a reasonable first spell as Saints manager and came back in 1996. Decent first season but not so good after that and he was sacked at the end of 1998. Briefly reappeared as a manager during Clydebank's final season and was also involved in Livingston's youth system for a spell.
In 2006, the first Saturday in May (the equivalent of May 2, 1998) saw Shuggy score in against Dundee United in a crucial relegation match! It's also ironic that for tomorrow's game he's suspended!