Tears on the bus & tactical tweak – how Robinson hatched St Mirren’s great day

Said in jest, it’s far from the first time Robinson has masterminded a fine St Mirren win. But this was his most important victory.

Danny Lennon, who led the Saints to their first League Cup lift in 2013, said Robinson had “laid the foundations for an incredible era” at the club.

Three consecutive top six finishes and a return to European football for the first time in 37 years brought accolades. But he wanted silverware to show for it.

Robinson had twice taken Motherwell to Hampden finals, falling short against Celtic each time.

He came up trumps in his third final – with no luck involved.

“This is once in a lifetime,” Ayunga added. “I’ve been playing since I was 17, I’m nearly 30, this was the first time I had a chance to win anything.

“The manager deserves it. You see what he’s done year upon year. This is the icing on the cake.”

McMenamin explained: “We came here and believed in ourselves, believed we could beat Celtic.

“We deserved to put our hands on that trophy. It’s the only thing this team hasn’t got in the last few years – top six finishes, Europe. To get silverware now, we’ll go down in history.”

Go down in history they will. This will be a team who are talked about in the highest regard round Paisley. Robinson won’t ever need to buy a pint again.

“I think I’ve got the freedom of Vienna’s nightclub, I know that,” he laughed on his way to the town centre party.