Main man eyes up the SPL challenge

May 5 2009 by Gordon Bannerman, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

THEY say lightening doesn’t strike twice but try telling that to Alan Main.

Twelve years after partying in the Paul Sturrock era, the goalkeeper, nudging towards his 42nd birthday in December, was at the heart of another bash over the weekend.

The club’s all-time appearance record holder, Main has joined the ranks of Perth legends.

And now he’s got the lure of the SPL to spur him on.

He said: “It’s great to have won two championships with Saints 12 years apart. That makes this one even more special.

“The hard work was done before the Morton game but it was great to win it in style.

“I’d hoped we’d get there sooner, especially after I broke the all-time appearance record a few weeks ago. Now I can really savour what it means. We’ve had a lot of good times this season, including the record run without defeat.

“My three kids were there on Saturday. Nicholas and Josh were just wee boys when we won the last one and they were joined by Christopher for this one.

“It was great seeing the lads with their families. Gary Irvine’s baby is only a few months old. I’m old enough to be his dad but they’ve all been brilliant to me and they were singing my name in the dressing room at the end.

“There have been superb players this season. Guys like Kevin Rutkiewicz, Gary Irvine, Stuart McCaffrey and Liam Craig, filling in at full-back. But it has been about the squad. And the manager genuinely deserves so much credit.

“He has proved his worth. The chairman opted for a young and untested manager and maybe he wasn’t one of the favourites. Now we have proved worthy title winners.

“But I have to go away and start preparing to stake a claim for a start in the SPL. I want to give myself a chance of playing at places like Ibrox and Celtic Park again.”