To receive our full, free St Mirren newsletter straight to your email inbox, click here.
When it comes to St Mirren in Europe, Jamie Langfield was always going to be there one way or another.
The St Mirren goalkeeping coach still vividly remembers watching from the Love Street terraces in the Paisley club's last outing in Europe 37 years ago.
To now be on the pitch in training ahead of the Conference League tie against Valur is something out of his wildest dreams - even if a trip to join the merry travelling band of supporters at Reykjavik bar The Dubliner is an experience he's gutted to miss.
“It’s probably the most excited I’ve been in a long, long time," said Langfield after training at Valur's stadium last night. "As a player it was totally different, you just had to worry about yourself but now I’ve got the goalkeepers to worry about, the other players.
"It’s a different feeling but it’s a feeling that I’ve thought about for a long time and I’m glad it’s here.
“I’m going to embrace the chance we’ve got here."
Asked whether he thought this day would come and to be in the dugout when it happened, he added: “Absolutely not. I remember being at the Mechelen game in 1987/88 after we won the cup and Love Street was packed. It was unbelievable - I know going back to the SMiSA Stadium next week and that feeling we’re all going to have will be incredible.
“But we’re not here for a holiday we want to progress and hopefully do it season on season. I know it’s hard but why not dare to dream.
“I know we’ve got the manager and Diarmuid here and the staff and the players that are capable of doing it and as long as we continue to progress every year I think we can do good things."
Read more:
Langfield is the longest serving member of the football backroom staff in Paisley having joined as goalkeeping coach after a stint as a player at his boyhood club.
And while missing out on the party atmosphere in Reykjavik is a blow, Langfield appreciates the privileged position he is in to be at close quarters with the squad ahead of a historic night.
“Of course, there is that part of me wishes I was there with all the fans we’ve got over," he said. "I know there is quite a few have come over and we’re grateful for them coming.
“I wish I could be in the Dubliner having a right good pint and a sing-song!
“But if you flip it on the other hand, a lot of the fans would like to be in my position being this close to the players and the staff and being on the inside because this is what it’s about.
“I’m probably gutted I’m not there and they’re probably gutted they are not in my shoes.”
For Langfield, and so many inside the building at the SMiSA Stadium, none more so than Tony Fitzpatrick, European qualification is vindication of fierce determination to upset the odds and be bold in their ambitions.
He added: It’s incredible, just the rise in the club.
"I know it took off when Jim Goodwin came in and Tony said what he said and people had a laugh.
“I think what the manager and Diarmuid have managed to achieve with the players for me is honestly just a dream.
“I was lucky enough to play in Europe with Aberdeen, Dunfermline and Dundee as well but to do it with my boyhood club and hometown team is just a dream come true."
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel