Unseen Killian Phillips moment epitomises beauty of St Mirren team

The Herald Scotland

09-05-2025

It was simply one of those moments that evokes a visceral reaction. It's passionate, it's euphoric, in some ways it's an out-of-body experience where you don't even realise what is happening before it does. Some might even call it cathartic.
Pause for a moment, regain full control over your voice and body, breathe and blink.
It's just a throw-in. To an end, that's all it was.
It wasn't a match-winning strike, it wasn't a penalty save, it wasn't the full-time whistle.
But, boy, did it mean something - and not just the meaning which can be derived from the fury it created amongst the unhappy visiting supporters.
It was the perfect representation of what it means. It was St Mirren all over, in recent seasons at least.
Desire to win, commitment to the last and connection from the stands to the field.
It's not the first time Phillips has celebrated a foul to relieve pressure or throw in to gain control, and those packing the SMiSA are desperate for it not to be the last.
Under Stephen Robinson, there is a fat chance of it being the latter.
Phillips was recently named Player and Young Player of the Year through a fan vote for the annual Black and White Army awards.
It was recognition well deserved for a player who has demonstrated his undeniable quality this season.
A physical presence, commanding in the midfield engine room but with quality to boot, Phillips is the microcosm of this St Mirren team.
Just last week, after the 2-2 draw with Rangers, Robinson smirked: "Some fantastic play in our build-up, but you guys will never mention that...it will just be that we were direct.
"We played some super football as always."
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He's right. Heck, scroll back a few paragraphs, and the first quality of Phillips mentioned is his physicality.
For too long, that has been the basis of any credit handed out to St Mirren.
You could mark a bingo card with the cliches dished out about being resolute in defence, disciplined in the press or a quip about the back three really being a back five.
This St Mirren team is far beyond stuffy and organised.
Of course, the foundation is a solid defensive record, certainly, there are times when a longer pass is preferred to risky build-up play from the back, but simply offering a pat on the head to a so-called direct team? Give me a break.
Watch Mandron's goal on Saturday, which demonstrated sublime technique, opportunism and killer instinct. It's fair to suggest Mark O'Hara's lofted ball into the box wasn't taken from the Total Football playbook, but the finish was expertly executed and that of an intelligent striker, not some big number nine type, as Mandron is often misrepresented.
Take Phillips winning that throw, it comes from pressing, harrying, some physicality, but also some shrewd play, quick feet and unrelenting desire.
Robinson is right that St Mirren don't get the credit they deserve for their qualities on the ball, but it's the work off it that resonates so strongly and makes this team a pleasure to watch for those inside the stadium and following them around the country.
"That's credit to the players, to have that desire, and so they should," said Robinson after the 1-0 win over Aberdeen.
"People pay good money to watch them every week, and we will never give anything less than that."
Even if St Mirren go out and play like Barcelona this weekend, Robinson will still have the right to call out the lack of praise over the course of the season or, worse still, any condescending plaudits when they come.
Given the choice between free-flowing, silky football and this St Mirren team? I'll stick with celebrating throw ins.