Promotion was already in the bag thanks to Falkirk's continuing inability to find a suitable ground, so the pressure was off in some respects. However Love Street was packed full of thousands of expectant Buddies, some seated in the new stand that was officially opened before the game.
The maths were simple - win and it was ours. However, as we all know, St. Mirren don't do things the easy way. The nerves were there for all to see in the first half and the only real Saints chance of note was a long range effort from Hugh Murray that failed to cause Guido van de Kamp any problems. At the other end, Raith should have been in front when Jean-Phillipe Javary volleyed the ball towards goal before Tommy Turner cleared it, possibly from behind the line. Such was the nature of the performance that Paul Rudden was hooked well before half-time, with Ian Ross replacing him.
The only good news at the interval was title rivals Dunfermline were also drawing. Manager Tom Hendrie had his work cut out motivating his players, but whatever he said did the trick.
Six minutes after the break Raith tried to clear a corner. Ross and Alex Burns went for it and the two clashed. Some fans waited for a foul of some sort to be given, but Mark Yardley wasn't hanging about and crashed the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box to put us in front. It was the big man's 19th of the season and he charged over to celebrate in front of the bench, quickly joined by most of his team-mates.
The cheers from the opener were only just dying down before a second arrived. Murray chased what looked like a lost cause, somehow managed to whip the ball in from the by-line and Steven McGarry sent a fantastic looping header over van de Kamp and into the net. The Saints fan was living out all our dreams on the pitch and he probably wasn't the only one crying, although he was the only one who did a cartwheel!
It was another Saints fan who sealed the deal a few minutes later. The excellent Ross delivered another superb corner and there was no stopping Barry McLaughlin as he thumped a header past van de Kamp. Again, it was over to the area in front of the dugout as Trigger disappeared under a pile of bodies.
There could have been more, but no-one cared. Former Saint Brian Hetherston, now sadly no longer with us, amusingly got himself sent off for swearing with 20 minutes left. There were a few near misses for Raith, but no one was bothered. Every time a Saints player got a touch his name was being sung by the North Bank before, finally, the game was brought to a close and the party could really begin.
There wasn't much celebrating on the pitch as the players disappeared down the tunnel, but they soon re-emerged wearing special T-Shirts. One said "The Saints Are Back", the other "The Bubble Didnae Burst" - a dig at the media who had been writing off our chances all season. As Turner lifted the glorious trophy, there wasn't a dry eye in the house. Flags were being waved all around the stadium as the players embarked on their lap of honour, with Hendrie carried on the shoulders of some of his fantastic squad before the traditional charge and dive in front of the North Bank.
In the past decade, I've seen us win the league again, secure SPL safety in dramatic circumstances and beat both of the Old Firm. As games they may be better than April 29, 2000 but they will never match what that season meant. Written off by everyone, the club was set for another season of fighting relegation and the bank. Instead, we charged to the first division title in swashbuckling style.
Oh, there was still one more game against Inverness Caley Thistle to come. It was completely and utterly meaningless - although it was another great chance to party!