Paul Kane will forever be a hero with the St Johnstone fans after his vital goal on the last day of the 1998/99 season against Dundee secured European qualification and set up unforgettable nights against Finnish side VPS Vaasa and French cracks Monaco.
The midfielder scored the only goal of the game to beat the Dark Blues in front of a record 10,575 crowd at McDiarmid with hundreds more locked out unable to get in.
His 71st-minute header was enough to move Saints into third place above Kilmarnock, who were only able to claim a point at Rangers, meaning automatic UEFA Cup qualification for the Perth club.
Now, “Kano” has called on the present Saints squad to rewrite the history books by securing European qualification for the second season in a row against all the odds.
He said: “If you look at Leigh Griffiths, Niall McGinn, Michael Higdon, prolific 20 to 25 a season goalscorers, they are the type of player missing from the St Johnstone team. Despite that, they have a chance now with three games to go to get themselves into Europe.
“If they do that, then people will really take notice. To do it two years on the bounce is unprecedented in the history of the club and it would be a big marker and signal a new era if they could do it.
“It would be absolutely fantastic for everyone connected with the club.
“It is even more amazing when you consider they didn’t make the best of starts to the season. When you remember where they were after half a dozen games, and to be where they are now is incredible.
“The two Steves, Lomas (manager) and Brown (chairman), deserve great credit for getting them this far. I think you also have to take into consideration that the team had to be rebuilt last summer.
“Nowadays, there are few players who are going to be at clubs for longer than two or three years. I think the clubs want to keep them hungry and only hand out one-year deals to ensure they keep improving.”
That Dundee game will forever be etched in Kane’s memory but he admits that the personal satisfaction he felt at the time was bettered by the realisation of what it meant to some of the unsung heroes at the club.
He said: “Our qualification all came down to the last game against Dundee and was one of the most memorable matches I played in.
“You saw how much it meant to people who had been at the club for a long, long time, like Doc McCracken and Aggie the tealady. It was huge for the supporters as well and even when I come back now, it is a big talking point with them.
“I think there are still loads of down-to-earth people at St Johnstone and it is a real family club. Even if you have been away from the club for a long time, they still treat you with respect and make you very welcome.
“There is still the bond there between the board, the supporters and the players and it is great they have not moved from that ethos.
“If the current players and manager can recreate what we did that day against Dundee, it would be fantastic and ensure they would forever be in the St Johnstone record books.
“If they do it, it will be an accolade which might not be fully recognised just now but at the start of next season I am sure people will look back and say that was some achievement, making Europe two seasons in a row.”
Before this season’s final game at McDiarmid against Motherwell, Saints have two formidable hurdles to overcome with a Tayside derby at Tannadice on Saturday followed by a trip to champions Celtic.
Kane is hoping there will be a large travelling support heading to the City Of Discovery this weekend and admits the fans’ backing can make a vital difference.
He said: “I think it is a huge game at Tannadice and hopefully there will be a big away support. We used to take a great support when we played both Dundee teams when I was a player.
“It makes such a difference to the team when they have that backing, 100%. There is no doubt that when you are maybe having a bad spell in the game and you are needing a wee boost then the fans can really lift you, especially in derby games.”
Kane admitted that the lack of fans turning up for St Johnstone home games was something that had left him scratching his head in puzzlement considering the level of success Saints have achieved over the last two seasons.
He added: “I think the only disappointing thing has been the crowd aspect.
“I know crowds are down overall in Scottish football but you would think with the two seasons St Johnstone have had and the consistency they have shown, the attendances would be a bit better than what they have been. That’s the only negative.
“I thought there would have been more people through the gates considering how well they have done. The last time we probably had a full house was the Dundee match to get us into Europe.
“It would be great if the public turned out in big numbers for the last home game and roar them into Europe again.”