McKean Nets a Hattrick of Penalties (1974)

(first published in the match programme for St. Mirren v Hibernian, 16^th February 2025)

On 16^th February 1974, St. Mirren hosted Brechin City in a rearranged Second Division match. The date had been set aside for Scottish Cup Fourth Round ties, but as Saints had been eliminated by Stranraer after two Third Round replays and Motherwell had taken care of the Angus club at the first attempt, both sides had a free Saturday.

During the first months of 1974, the country was in the midst of an energy crisis and the need to conserve resources meant that various restrictions were introduced from New Year's Day, including a three-day working week. On the football front, many Saturday kick-off times were brought forward and midweek matches were played in the afternoon, all to avoid the need for floodlighting. Indeed St. Mirren's Scottish Cup Third Round Second Replay against Stranraer, played at Ayr's Somerset Park on Monday 4^th February, kicked off at 2.15pm.

St. Mirren's match programme for the League game against Stranraer on 29^th December hinted at the impact of the upcoming restrictions and also created some confusion for future readers. It announced that it would be impossible to produce a programme for the next home match (on 5^th January), but that one would be printed for the home match against Raith Rovers on 19^th January.

Saints were due to play Brechin on 5^th January, but as the visitors were engaged in a Second Round Scottish Cup tie, it was agreed to bring forward the Raith Rovers League match by two weeks to fill the gap and, indeed, no programme was issued.

The Scottish League then instructed St. Mirren and Forfar Athletic to use 19^th January to fulfil a fixture at Station Park which had previously been postponed due to Saints' involvement in the knockout stages of the League Cup back in September. Forfar did not issue programmes at that time.

Throughout January and into February, only the first Stranraer Cup tie at Stair Park on 26^th January saw a programme issued. The replayed Cup matches, together with League fixtures away to Queen's Park and at home to East Stirlingshire went programme-less.

It can be reasonably assumed that the lack of programmes was due to a combination of predicted weather forecasts and the ongoing working restrictions.

The visit of Brechin on 16^th February therefore saw Saints' first home programme of 1974. It was four pages shorter than the usual 12-page issue, printed black on white, and reduced in price from 5p to 3p. The front cover displayed the match details on a red background and featured an image of Bobby Reid in aerial action against East Stirlingshire in the last home match.

Page two featured a welcome to the visitors and stated that, despite their lowly position in the League, the Angus side would be looking to avenge their 4-2 defeat by Saints at Glebe Park earlier in the season.

On the opposite page, Manager Willie Cunningham bemoaned the fact the Saints had missed out on a lucrative Scottish Cup tie against Ayr United however, with the near certainty that League reconstruction would become a reality before the end of the year, his focus was now on the side gaining League points.

The centre pages listed the players and match officials. In the St. Mirren side, the only difference between the listed and playing starting XI was that Tony Fitzpatrick replaced Alan Hughes, with the latter appearing on the substitute's bench. The away side showed several changes.

Page six listed the current St. Mirren playing staff with their appearances and goals categorised by competition and the opposite page presented the Half-Time Scoreboard and current Second Division table, in which Saints occupied ninth position and Brechin bottom. Roughly three pages were occupied by adverts.

A crowd of 2,123 witnessed a unique piece of Saints' history as Bobby McKean became the first Post-War player to score a hattrick of penalties in one match, matching Davie Lindsay's feat against Rangers in 1904.

After only three minutes, John Dickson was pulled down by Billy Britton and McKean stepped up to open the scoring with the first spot kick. In the 28^th minute, McKean's goal bound shot struck the wrist of the visitors' John Sime and the right winger despatched his second penalty into the same corner of the net as the first to double the score.

Just before the interval, Brechin's Clark Sutherland had to be carried off following a challenge by Sandy Clelland. Before substitute Geoff Coutts could take the field the referee, apparently taking exception to remarks made by Brechin's former Saint Jim Young, sent the centre from the field of play.

The second half was littered by infringements and four more players were booked, two from either side.

With four minutes remaining, McKean completed his hattrick of penalties after he himself was nudged off the ball in the box and he stepped up to make the final score 3-0.