Typically, St Mirren operates quietly within its own confines, but reaching a national cup final against one of the dominant forces in Scottish football thrusts the club into the limelight, capturing the attention of media and fans alike.
The topic igniting intense debate and provocative social media reactions is the contentious idea of selling our limited ticket allocation for the League Cup final at Hampden.
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Firstly, St Mirren supporters have no entitlement to dictate how Celtic manages their ticket distribution for the final in December, nor should they.
While we need not delve into the specifics of how St Mirren’s tickets are sold or the rationale behind those decisions, it’s crucial to acknowledge that there are valid reasons for doing so that don’t warrant explanation to outsiders on December 14.
Although I understand the principle of advocating for an initial 50/50 ticket split before adjusting based on sales, I can accept a slight imbalance given the differences in season ticket numbers.
However, any discussions around reaching that split should end there.
I’ve been directly told that a season ticket holder at Celtic Park “contributes more to Scottish football” and thus deserves a seat at Hampden more than a non-season ticket holder from SMISA Stadium who will be present at the final.
If that’s your view, then that sense of entitlement must be weighed against the competition among those seeking tickets within the Celtic allocation. The journey of any St Mirren supporter attending the final should not matter; their competition lies solely within their fellow Buddies.
Cup finals hold different meanings for St Mirren and clubs like Celtic and Rangers.
For the latter, reaching a final each season is almost customary. A missed ticket today can often be found again next year.
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For us, it’s a different tale. I was born in 1989, two years after St Mirren last lifted the Scottish Cup, and 24 years before our lone League Cup victory.
The semi-final against Motherwell marked my return to Hampden since the 2013 final.
This is our moment. This is what we strive for, yearn for, and hope to witness—an opportunity to experience first-hand the historic journey of our club.
My generation grew up hearing stories of ’87, and by the time 2013 came around, we were old enough to become parents ourselves, eager to share the tales.
Numerous young fans in Paisley may look back on next month as the pivotal moment they became lifelong St Mirren supporters.
Many others view this event as their sole chance to stand alongside parents or grandparents, creating cherished shared memories that we all yearn for.
As a club and a community, St Mirren—and even Paisley—holds the undeniable right to ensure our ticket allocation is maximized, allowing as many dedicated, lapsed, casual, and potential fans as possible to be present at Hampden Park on Sunday, December 14.
To suggest otherwise is preposterous, and it’s imperative we do everything we can to enhance our presence and contribute to the atmosphere of the final.
Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters