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St Mirren: Tony Fitzpatrick defends manager Danny Lennon

Last updated on .From the section Footballcomments39

St Mirren boss Danny Lennon

St Mirren legend Tony Fitzpatrick insists manager Danny Lennon will arrest their current slump.

Saints have not won a Premiership game this season and last week the League Cup holders lost to Queen of the South.

However, Fitzpatrick, a former Buddies captain and manager himself, believes Lennon is the right man for the job.

"It's ridiculous," he told BBC Radio Scotland. "Six months ago he won a major trophy."

The Paisley side are being kept off the bottom of the Premiership table by virtue of the points deduction given to Hearts for entering administration.

Fitzpatrick - who won the Scottish Cup as St Mirren captain in 1987 - believes it is unfair to call Lennon's position into question, despite the club having secured one victory from their last 13 games.

"I don't think there's any pressure on Danny," said Fitzpatrick. "As a St Mirren supporter, I've seen what the guy has done since he came to the club.

"I'm actually angry about it all. Okay, we've played four games and not won one yet, but you can see the signs are there; one result and everything changes.

"The guy's brought a major trophy to the club for the first time in 26 years and he's developed some great young players."

Partick Thistle scored two late goals to overturn St Mirren's lead on Saturday, but Fitzpatrick insists that recent results are not a true reflection of the team's capabilities.

"I was at the game on Saturday and it was a fantastic game," said Fitzpatrick. "Partick Thistle deserve all the credit, but St Mirren are not as bad as their position at the moment.

"You talk about blame, I don't like that word, blame. Yes, they should be doing better, I'm not getting away from that but to say the guy is under pressure is wrong.

"We've got one of the brightest managers in the game, not only with the work he's doing with the team, but the work he's doing behind the scenes in Paisley.

"It's all about results and Danny has said that himself. But it's only four games."

And Fitzpatrick believes he still has the support of the club's board and supporters.

"Stewart Gilmour and the board have done a fantastic job, I don't even think he'll be thinking in those terms," Fitzpatrick added.

"I'm in Paisley a lot and I know a lot of the St Mirren supporters. Believe me, we're all behind Danny Lennon 100 percent."

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39 comments

  • Comment posted by drawkcab, at 12:45 3 Sep 2013

    Danny the champion of the world

  • Comment posted by U15736505, at 00:43 3 Sep 2013

    @27 the guys married just leave it

  • Comment posted by Ped, at 19:56 2 Sep 2013

    Danny lennon has the worst team in the premiership
    They will be bottom by Christmas and stay there

  • Comment posted by drawkcab, at 18:58 2 Sep 2013

    Danny lennon should grow a beard and moustache

  • Comment posted by U15400232, at 16:38 2 Sep 2013

    I was at the game on Saturday and while we were very poor against Partick, one thing I dont think is going to change our situation is the fans continually giving the players and manager dog's abuse. Danny Lennon won us our first trophy in 25 years last season. That at least, in my eyes, merits him more than four games before getting the sack.

  • Comment posted by U2263596, at 16:02 2 Sep 2013

    If Tony says it, it must be true. I still think we have one of the best young managers in the league. If he went, he wouldn't be out of a job for long. This season will be about patience.

  • Comment posted by drawkcab, at 15:00 2 Sep 2013

    Danny if you are reading this the problem is with the predictabilty of the team formation.

    Pick a team formation at random. And the other managers will struggle.

  • Comment posted by drawkcab, at 14:29 2 Sep 2013

    @6

    It is impossible to have36% of the ball.

  • Comment posted by U15673422, at 14:22 2 Sep 2013

    @DMC49. Do you honestly believe the manager wanted 12 players to leave to be replaced with 5. Finances have dictated this. Even with Hearts embargo I bet Partick and St Mirren have the smallest budget. And no one can blame the board here either. They have done a fantastic job keeping the club debt free with a lovely new stadium and state of the art training facilities.

  • Comment posted by DMC49, at 13:53 2 Sep 2013

    Ok, as a life long fan, i have seen them all come and go. Lennon never blames the players just gives them plaudits, like a certain Mr Fitzy used to do, and loom where he took us. We have brought in 2 goalies, 2 midfielders, a forward and got rid of 12. Saints are by far the worst team in the Div. How lennon could play that forward Sat shows he is under pressure even though he says he is not

  • Comment posted by Paisley_saint_doug, at 12:55 2 Sep 2013

    @ 3 the photo is more classic media shenanigans. They have dozens of photos of Danny on the touchline from Saturday to select from, and chose an unflattering one. If he does get fired this week the same journalists who asked should he get fired will turn round and say St Mirren are villains for firing a cup winning manager within 6 months of that win and after only 4 games!

  • Comment posted by Paisley_saint_doug, at 12:44 2 Sep 2013

    Well said Tony. Last season St Johnstone, ICT and Ross County all had slow starts before finishing in the top 6. The big problem seems to be confidence and a lack of steel to grind out results when they are not playing well. Given that Danny Lennon has delivered our highest SPL finish in 2012 & League Cup win in 2013 it is crazy for the media to whip up Hibs fans after 2 games & us after 4!

  • Comment posted by drawkcab, at 12:29 2 Sep 2013

    Is that a pretend hat he is trying to take off in the picture above.?

  • Comment posted by drawkcab, at 12:00 2 Sep 2013

    Danny Lennon looks ten years older this term and seems to be under stress. Best thing for everyone concerned is to give the man some time out and he will come back refreshed.

  • Comment posted by Socialism is the only answer, at 18:28 4 Sep 2013

    Scotty boy. There is no conclusive eveidence that Wallace came from Elderslie, I know they have a monument to him there, but so does half of Scotland, D minus, have to do better.
    Anyway you can keep your Elderslie its not quite as disease ridden and inbred as Paisley but its too close to them for my likeing. Anything beyond the Thorn is known as a the Deadzone.

  • Comment posted by U15814656, at 21:55 3 Sep 2013

    So the best thing in Paisley is the road to Johnstone. Check your history books, even William Wallace asked for a move from Johnstone to the more residential Elderslie!

  • Comment posted by U14183869, at 13:23 3 Sep 2013

    Tony Fitzpatrick says "six months ago he won a major trophy", which is fair enough but you must push on and not go backwards. A first round exit by lower league opposition, from the same competition they won earlier this year, and only one point gained in the league so far is not an improvement by any means. The team lacks purpose and drive and is too predictable in its play. Change is needed.

  • Comment posted by U14335203, at 12:42 3 Sep 2013

    What have the BBC done to that photo of Lennon?!? He looks like he's wearing a Jewish skull cap!

    Kudos to Lennon for trying to get his team playing good football, but that has to be combined with a bit of steel as well. Unfortunately, having Jim Goodwin kicking lumps out of the opposition does not translate to 'steel'....

  • Comment posted by drawkcab, at 12:35 3 Sep 2013

    Knock knock

  • Comment posted by U14326745, at 10:16 3 Sep 2013

    #29
    Why don't tell us why you think that way and we can pity you in public?

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