Season 1971-72

Following relegation Saints began the next season in a positive fashion with four wins from six League Cup section matches, to finish on top of the table.

In the quarter final they saw off Stirling Albion comfortably 5-0 on aggregate.

​On the 6th October 30,000 fans saw Saints face Celtic at Hampden Park in the semi final. The Second Division side matched Celtic all through the first half, however just before half time Hugh McLaughlin was harshly sent off and in the second half Saints ten men could not contain the Parkhead side and they lost 3-0.

The League campaign started well with six wins in the first seven matches. This run was made possible by the strikers being on top form. Leading the way was Bobby McKean with hat-tricks against Stenhousemuir (4-2) and Hamilton (6-2) and Ally McLeod hitting all three in a 3-0 win at Forfar. This good form continued and by the beginning of December Saints were second in the league just two points behind Cowdenbeath and the top scoring team in Britain with 44 goals from 15 matches. A defeat by Cowdenbeath on the 4th December started a slump in form which saw just two points from five matches over the festive period.

On the back of this run manager Wilson Humphries announced his resignation on the sixth January!

His place was taken in an interim capacity by 1959 Cup winning hero Alistair Miller and one of his first tasks was to complete the signing of his 1959 colleague Tommy Bryceland. After a week, Miller decided that he did not want the job on a permanent basis and stepped down to be replaced by Bryceland in a Player/Manager role.

His manager-ship started well with five straight wins, but three defeats followed in four games and the promotion challenge faded. Despite winning the final six games the highest they could finish was fourth.