Steven Thompson: Patience of a saint

His career is full of memories but Thompson has been waiting 25 years to repeat glory day as a fan

WITH Scotland caps, European ties, Cup final appearances and league titles already lodged in his memory bank, it might almost seem a tad greedy that Steven Thompson now wants a fairytale ending to his career.

But that hasn’t stopping the enthusiastic and likeable 33-year-old St Mirren striker picturing himself climbing the steps at Hampden this May to hoist aloft the Scottish Cup. The last time the Paisley club did that, he was in the stands, his ambitions stoked by the atmosphere within the national stadium that day and by the thrill of that 1-0 extra-time victory over Dundee United.

Thompson went on to begin his career at Tannadice and, now, in the 25th anniversary year of that final, the powerful attacker is also eschewing the cliché of one game at a time and looking ahead to 19 May. It’s not arrogance but an endearing fervour which has prompted his reverie.

“We have a very tricky tie to get through first of all at Tynecastle and I know that some people don’t like talking about future games or looking too far ahead but I think you have to dream a wee bit. If you don’t have a picture of it in your head, or a picture of yourself in the final or holding the cup... I don’t know, I think you can use that vision to help get you there and to inspire you. It’s a powerful vision and I think you should think about it and try to aspire to [it]. After all, as kids we dreamed of the same things and that’s what pushed most players into becoming professionals.”

That inspiration came early for Thompson – he was just eight – and, had he been older, it may also have been more unexpected. But a quarter of a century on that Ian Ferguson goal and the minutiae of the Paisley club’s day in the sun still remains a vivid picture in his mind.

“It was one of the first games of football I went to see and to be at Hampden that day, I have some great memories of the atmosphere and a great memory of when Dundee United scored and I thought ‘oh no, we’ve lost’ but it was offside and the goal got chalked off – much to the pleasure of everybody around me in the stand.

“I just remember there being so many people. I had never experienced anything like it. I had been in a football stadium but never like it was at Hampden that day with so many people, and that is the enduring memory, the size of the football crowd.

“That game stuck in my head, the atmosphere and the feeling when we won. It is a special cup and it’s the more traditional of the two cups we have up here and I’ve not played at Hampden for a number of years now and I may never get a chance to play there again. At Rangers you take it for granted you will be there almost every year but here it doesn’t happen that often so it would be nice to get to Hampden again and to get there with St Mirren. It would be the ultimate and I am dreaming of it.

“I have been fortunate enough to play in the Scottish Cup final and the FA cup final and it is the build-up to these games that is exciting. The games themselves can whizz past but in the build-up you can take it all in, sense how much it means to everyone.

“At Cardiff and at Rangers there was an electric atmosphere and people get in touch who you maybe haven’t spoken to in a while but everyone wants to wish you luck and that’s lovely.

“I have been so fortunate because it is a fantastic feeling and I have been fortunate to experience it two or three times but if I was to get there with St Mirren it would be the cherry on the top.”

In the short-term, there is the quarter-final to take care of. That is against Hearts, at Tynecastle, where St Mirren have won only once in their last nine visits.

This season the Paisley men have played Hearts three times and taken just one point from nine. But, two years ago, they did best the capital team in knockout competition – winning the semi-final of the League Cup. And Thompson is hoping that feat will be repeated in the latter stages of the Scottish Cup.

“We are only one game away from Hampden, two games away from the final, so this is a wonderful stage of the cup because there is a real incentive.

“We know that, on our day, we can beat anybody and it’s exciting. The way we lost the quarter final of this season’s league cup to Ayr United still sticks in a few peoples’ throats. That was a good opportunity to get to a semi-final and even a final; we don’t want to miss out on that for a second time in the same season.”

The last meeting between the two clubs, however, resulted in a 5-2 scoreline in Hearts’ favour.

And last weekend’s Carling Cup final also reminded Thompson that dreams don’t always come true. The former Cardiff City player remains in contact with several of those who were usurped by Liverpool in the penalty shoot-out, so he knows underdogs don’t always have their day.

“We just need to believe in ourselves and focus on what is at stake. As for a lot of clubs, the league pressure is on at the minute but it’s nice to have this cup game to look forward to and to have that carrot dangling for us.”

Thompson loves playing at a ground he claims is “the best or at least one of the best for atmosphere”.

Those who don’t fear the compact nature of the Tynecastle arena, or the vociferous support, favour the trips there.

“You will find that 99 per cent of players rise to occasions like that and cherish them. It will be a great game and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Thompson’s enthusiasm is obvious as he talks of the tournament and an eager anticipation of Saturday’s tie. “Against Hearts this year we drew our home game, which we possibly could have won, and then in the games there, we let ourselves down on both occasions but, despite the scorelines, we were never really overpowered in any of the games.

“The 5-2 game was such a strange game. Hearts weren’t in it at all and when we went 2-1 up and they were down to ten men, I could only see one outcome but I have never played in a game like that before. It was extremely strange the way it unfolded.”

Thompson believes Saints are definitely due a result at Tynecastle.

“We know we can compete against them and we can beat them, it’s just a question of going and doing it. But everybody has to realise how big an occasion it is. If we win, we are in a semi-final at Hampden. Forget finances, forget league positions, this is a chance for some prestige for the players and the club.”

And on the 25th anniversary of their last cup success it would be as fitting a time as any for Saints to continue on to Hampden and eventually win the silverware, says Thompson.

“Although, I have another year on my contract so if we don’t manage it this year, I wouldn’t mind if we did it on the 26th anniversary instead!”

The dream is still alive and, in that dream, Thompson undoubtedly scores the winner.