Sound and football are so deeply entwined. Any memory worth recalling will have some kind of soundtrack playing in the background, whether it be words, music, or indiscernible cries.
It was the same at the SMiSA Stadium on Wednesday night. A plan being discussed, a story being recounted, or even just the whistling of a tune about St. Mirren could be heard in any brief moment of quiet. More on that later.
I had hardly taken a seat when I found myself engrossed in an impassioned account of a supporter’s journey to follow the outcome between Rangers and Dundee, which ultimately confirmed St Mirren’s European qualifying.
“He was away in a bad mood just kicking things,” an irate supporter uttered as he described the terrible situation at Ibrox just as Dundee appeared to be about to cause a major upset.
The grinning Buddie went on, “Then it was 3-2, 4-2, 5-2 and I knew we had done it.” Though it had lost the suspense of the Shakespearean tragedy that had been set up in the first act, it was still a familiar experience that held the attention of the audience.
Walking through the vomittory a little while later, the scene seemed less like a happy recreation and more like the planning of a theft.
A supporter hastily put together plans for a pint and travel briefing for this summer’s European journey. “We’ll need to get a date sorted before the draw, we have to know what we’re doing and how we’re getting there,” he said in a crowded huddle.
It was, to use a term from Stephen Thompson, cathartic. It might not have been the same as a cup win or a last-second winner, but the intensity of emotion that filled the stadium made it impossible not to get carried away.
That also applies to the music that is playing throughout the stadium.
If you were to ask 100 spectators, only few would say that Showaddywaddy or Mrs. Robinson by Simon & Garfunkel would make them cry happily behind closed eyes.
That’s exactly what happened on Wednesday.
I’ve frequently taken up the unstated maxim that you should never become attached to Showaddywaddy unless they’re pressuring you to wear something outrageous.
That life-rule was broken at the SMiSA Stadium as you could feel, see, and almost hear the lumps growing in the supporters’ throats when the goal was achieved.
Fortunately, St. Mirren’s top six triumph showed that they were more than just a one-hit wonder, unlike Showaddywaddy.
On a night when the outcome was completely meaningless, the Northbank group broke into a version of Under the Moon of Love before to James Bolton’s goal to put St Mirren ahead 2-1. Paisley rang with the slightly unusual football cry that St Mirren supporters have long adopted.
It was just another unforgettable event during an incredible season. After a song, there was a St. Mirren chance and festivities. Whoa.
Optimism has emerged as the true theme song for St. Mirren’s season, interspersed with a healthy dose of sheer shock at the unbelievable result.
The UEFA Conference League song was blasting from the speakers as the final home game of the season came to a close, complete with a lap of honour for the players.
Another moment to give you goosebumps—you had to be there.
Bridge over Troubled Water would have made a fitting soundtrack in previous seasons, but this time it was Mrs. Robinson (even though it was overshadowed by fans giving Stephen Robinson much-needed praise).
The music, the stories, and the noises. In the end, that is truly the main point of it all. And with more European football to come, St. Mirren fans will have plenty more opportunities to enjoy, relive, and remember for many years to come.
