Saints' Relentless Attack Cracks the Fifers' Defence (1957)

(first published in the match programme for St. Mirren v Motherwell, 7^th December 2024)

St. Mirren faced East Fife at Paisley on 7^th December 1957 in what would be both sides' fourteenth League match of the season. It was safe to say that the Buddies' season thus far had been a bit of a rollercoaster.

After some promising results in the League Cup section and in opening league matches, St. Mirren fell to five straight defeats during the month of October. Just after the run ended with a 5-0 home victory over Airdrie in early November, Saints' popular centre-half Willie Telfer ended his ten-year career at Love Street when he transferred to Rangers. Despite initial misgivings about the move, St. Mirren remained undefeated for the remainder of the month.

The Fifers' League form had seen them maintain a higher position than St. Mirren right up until the December clash, by which time both sides were sitting mid-table on ten points and Saints had nudged ahead with a slightly better goal average.

Issue no. 171 of St. Mirren's eight-page programme was produced for the fixture against the men from Methil. The full match details appeared on the cover together with advance notice of the following week's home match against Queen's Park. As was the norm for winter fixtures before the widespread use of floodlighting, the matches kicked off at 2.15pm.

It was disappointing to note that, even at this advanced stage of the season, not all of the programme advertising space had been taken up and page two was almost entirely blank.

On the opposite page and continued on page six, the "Club Notes" welcomed the visitors and stated that their reputation for being doughty fighters was currently being tested to the limit. Two weeks previously, they had suffered a 0-6 home defeat to Third Lanark before bouncing back to gain a creditable 3-3 draw against Rangers seven days later.

Saints themselves had experienced their own problems against the Cathkin men on the previous Saturday. It was not until after goalkeeper Campbell Forsyth had saved Thirds' second penalty award with the scores tied at 1-1 that St. Mirren really went to town. Peter McKay scored twice in the final 25 minutes to maintain their four-match unbeaten run.

One of the reasons proposed for Saints' recent run of success was the fact that the side had remained unchanged since Telfer's departure. The players were getting to know each other's play and Jackie Neilson's captaincy was proving to be an inspiration. In the forthcoming match against East Fife, he would be in direct opposition to his brother Tommy for the first time.

In the only other content of the sparse issue, the centre pages of the programme accurately listed the twenty-two players who were to take the field, whilst the Half-time Scoreboard on page seven listed the other Scottish matches being played that day.

Despite its age, this issue can still be obtained for a reasonable price.

It was customary in those days for a clash of colours (or stripes) to be resolved by the home side and the winter gloom forced St. Mirren to take the field in their scarlet change shirts. Before a crowd of around 8,500, the home side started off in aggressive mood and both Tommy Gemmell and Willie Devine came close with early efforts. After fifteen minutes of such pressure, the same two players manufactured Saints' opening goal, Gemmell's cross being converted by Devine's header from close range.

The Methil men responded and a free kick presented Tommy Neilson with a chance which grazed the upright. However, St. Mirren soon reapplied the pressure and a move involving Willie McCulloch, Duncan McGill and Peter McKay forced East Fife 'keeper Ronnie McCluskey to acrobatically prevent McKay from doubling the lead.

The second half began in similar fashion and McCluskey was again forced to save from McKay. During a brief respite, East Fife gained two corners at the other end but in each case Alex Duchart and Jimmy Bonthrone dallied too long on the ball and were crowded out.

With fourteen minutes remaining, St. Mirren finally increased their lead when Devine intercepted a stray pass from Bonthrone to find McCulloch. The outside-left evaded a tackle from Neil Bowie before firing one of his "specials" into the far corner of the net. Six minutes later, Devine set up McKay to secure the points with Saints' third.

The win shunted St. Mirren one place higher in the league and they would extend their unbeaten run in the following week with a 3-1 home win against the Spiders, but they would remain in the bottom half of the table for the rest of the season. East Fife ended in second bottom place above Queen's Park and both were relegated.

A sad postscript to the East Fife game came when Love Street groundsman "Malky" McAulay collapsed and died whilst tending to the pitch on the morning after the game. He was 56.