For the first time for several years, the Scottish Première table has an old -fashioned look on this subject, at least in the upper half, where the country’s big clubs finally gain their weight.
Those who do not care about the poorly supported intruders report with pleasure that “the natural order” has been restored, the six main positions occupied by lively lights of large cities.
Not that they are too sufficient about our representatives of Glasgow, edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee coming collectively well and finally managing to use their considerable resources.
On the one hand, it took them far too long. For another, it’s not over yet. While Celtic, the Rangers, the Hibs and Aberdeen are guaranteed to finish in the upper half – and Dundee United only needs more point – the sifths of sixth placed seem clearly vulnerable.
With two games to play before the split, the Edinburgh team is just ahead of St Mirren and Motherwell. Hearts have traveled a long way since they fell into the relegation zone earlier this season, but their turnaround under Neil Crichley still has a way to go.
St Mirren is not the kind of team you want to breathe in your neck. It was a difficult season for the Stephen Robinson team, but a demolition of 5-1 from Kilmarnock on Saturday was notified of their intention to finish in the top six for the third consecutive year.
Stephen Robinson overcome adversity to take St Mirren to a top six
Declan John scores the fifth goal of St Mirren in a 5-1 victory against Kilmarnock in Paisley on Saturday
Derek Mcinnes is under pressure after having guided Kilmarnock to a single point from a possible 15
It would be quite a success for St Mirren and for their manager, whose work work becomes so convincing that you have to ask yourself how long it will be before the big club comes to call.
For three years in charge of Motherwell, he took them to two cup finals, in third place and a European place. He also made more than 6 million pounds sterling in players’ sales, largely thanks to his recruitment manager, Martin Foyle.
In St Mirren, where Foyle is once again invaluable, Robinson has shown the same ability to tighten each last ounce from limited resources. In 2023, they finished sixth. Last season, they were fifth, which earned them a European place for the first time since 1987.
This campaign was more difficult. Europe has wreaked havoc, as it has done with Aberdeen, Hearts and Kilmarnock in recent years. And three key summer signatures from Robinson – Shaun Rooney, Kevin Van Veen and Jaden Brown – left the club after justice appearances.
This compromised Robinson’s efforts to bring St Mirren to another level, but he returned to the essentials, returned to the transfer market and fought with inconsistency to put his team firmly in the mixture.
It was not always pretty, especially on this land of Paisley Threadbare, but St Mirren showed against Kilmarnock that they are a direct and powerful proposal when any click.
Two goals from Caolan Boyd-Mance and one by Roland Idowu, Mark O’hara and Declan John haunting Kilmarnock by a day swept by the wind at the Smisa stadium. A late penalty by Bruce Anderson has only served as consolation.
The two remaining games of St Mirren before the split are absent from Dundee and at home of the County of Ross. Motherwell a Kilmarnock and the hearts at home. If the Tynecastle Club wants to stay sixth, it will have to fight for it.
The unexpected match on Saturday in Paisley sent Kilmarnock to a finish at the end of half. More worrying for the side of the Ayrshire, they are just a point above the second Bottom Dundee and, according to their angry supporters, drowns in a relegation play-off.
Derek Mcinnes goes up in the neck for the pitiful record of his team and for their expired football. They obtained only one point compared to one possible that 15 have not won on the road since October.
Rap is that other managers would not survive a 5-1 battery by St Mirren and that Mcinnes will only remain in place because it has a great reputation and because it is too late in the season to take such a drastic step.
Unless there is an improvement soon, the owner Billy Bowie will be under pressure to act in summer. Unhappy fans are informed that Mcinnes took them as far as he could last season and that they are getting back now.
It would be a huge call to Bowie, who knows that Mcinnes is director of the substance. And that it is not easy for provincial teams to be the first six challengers each season, especially now that the big clubs are reaffirming.
It is not easy, but it is possible. Simply ask Stephen Robinson.
