Stephen Robinson fully believes his talented Buddies can pass their way back to European football this season.
St Mirren haven’t featured on the continent since they made it through to the second round of the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1987, narrowly losing out to eventual winners Mechelen.
After soaring up to fourth in the Premiership table after toppling Aberdeen 3-1 for the second time in three months, the Saints are sitting pretty in fourth spot with a game in hand still on both Hibs and the Dons.
With third, fourth and fifth place in the Premiership set to bag a Europa League or Europa Conference League spot this season – depending also on who wins the Scottish Cup this year – Robinson insists his side have the quality required to replicate his achievement at Motherwell and bring European nights back to Paisley.
Robinson told Renfrewshire Live Sport: “I’ve got high expectations because I have a lot of belief in the players. We have character, so who knows.
“We have to stay in the division first and we are 13 points away from relegation. We have to keep our standards high and our quality will then shine through.
“We got into Europe with Motherwell on a similar budget, and got to two cup finals on a lesser budget, so anything can be achieved when you believe and stick together.
“That is the key to it and I don’t think the squad gets the recognition for the talent they have. We are happy to go under the radar though and see where it takes us.
“We have good technical players in the team and we don’t get the credit for that. We have such technically good players in the side and we move the ball and break well.
“Keanu Baccus was outstanding. We have a lot of talent on show.
“The group have a real belief in themselves and each other. It’s a small squad but it’s a quality squad.”
Former Dons players Curtis Main and Declan Gallagher were both on the scoresheet as St Mirren piled even more misery on abject Aberdeen last night at Pittodrie.
Robinson was particularly pleased for his hard-working striker Main, who has added a clinical edge to his game in recent weeks after some hard work on the training ground to improve his scoring touch.
Robinson said: “I’m delighted for Curtis because he works his socks off, gives us a real presence and a lot of what he does goes unnoticed.
“But he’s getting goals now and we’re all delighted for him. We’ve worked with him over the last six weeks in terms of movement and runs across the box and it’s coming good for him now.
“I’m delighted with the performance, it’s difficult to play against ten men and we have had problems with that before.
“We moved the ball well and created numerous chances.
“Aberdeen scored with their first venture up the pitch, but the character showed there and we got our just rewards in the end.”
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