As St Mirren struggle in the nether reaches of the First Division, already on to their second manager of the season, let us cast our minds back to Saturday May 16, 1987, when the Paisley Buddies were the kings of Scotland. A crowd of 51,782 turned up at Hampden to watch Alex Smith’s homegrown side take on Dundee United in the Scottish Cup final.A few hours later, 30,000 people were partying in Paisley to celebrate the 1-0 victory, courtesy of Ian Ferguson ’s extra-time winner. St Mirren’s first Scottish Cup win since 1959 was the last time an all-Scots side lifted the trophy.

“The streets were lined all the way in from Hampden,” says Tony Fitzpatrick, St Mirren’s most experienced player on the day. “The feelgood factor that night is something I’ll never forget.” [The numbers refer to a photograph, which is not carried on the website.]

1 Tony Fitzpatrick
Holder of St Mirren’s appearance record, he joined the club as a 16-year-old and, apart from a year with Bristol City, spent his entire playing career at Love Street. He was a second-half substitute in the final and went on to manage the club twice. After his second period as manager, he co-founded the Total Soccer Experience coaching school in Paisley and is now youth development director with Livingston

2 Paul Lambert
The 17-year-old Lambert had only just broken into the first team. He signed as a 13-year-old schoolboy and became captain while still a teenager. He was sold to Motherwell, before joining Borussia Dortmund and helping them win the 1997 European Cup. He then joined Celtic, where he became captain of club and country. He retired from international football after Scotland lost their Euro 2004 qualifying play-off with against Holland.

3 Ian Cameron
He sat a law exam on the morning of the final. Joined Saints on an S-form and, at 21, was yet another of the homegrown youngsters. After leaving Saints, he played for a string of clubs, including Partick Thistle and Clydebank. Lives in Glasgow and is a partner in a law firm

4 David Winnie
Winnie was only 21 when he played in the final. He was sold to Aberdeen, before serving Hearts, Middlesbrough and Dundee. Fitzpatrick then took him back to Love Street before he moved on to Ayr United. Winnie also played for Canberra and then KR Reykjavik, where he was the first foreigner to be voted footballer of the year. He managed KR before returning to Scotland as Dumbarton boss. He is a student at Paisley University and a part-time youth coach with Rangers

5 Brian Hamilton
Hamilton was 21 when he played in the final. He subsequently joined Hibs, with whom he won Scotland under-21 honours, and had spells with Falkirk and Clydebank. Now a youth and community coach with East Renfrewshire Council

6 Campbell Money
The goalkeeper, nicknamed ‘Dibble’ because he was once a police cadet, succeeded Billy Thomson, who was in goal for United in the final. Money is regarded as the best goalkeeper never to win a Scotland cap. After a spell as assistant to Jimmy Bone at Saints, he joined Stranraer as player-manager, leading them to the only trophy in their history: the 1997 Bell’s Challenge Cup. He is now manager of Ayr

7 Bobby Holmes
In 1955, aged just 18, he played in Scotland’s first under-23 game against England, but a broken leg cost him his place in the full squad. He then missed St Mirren’s 1959 triumph after breaking his foot. When he finished playing he qualified as a physiotherapist, serving Dumbarton, then Saints. He was also physio for Motherwell when they won the Scottish Cup in 1991. Now retired, he lives in Erskine

8 Frank McGarvey
McGarvey quickly established himself in the St Mirren first team, and was signed by Liverpool where he won the first of seven Scotland caps. Signed by Celtic in May 1980 and scored the winning goal in the 1985 Scottish Cup final against Dundee United. He rejoined Saints, going on to become joint manager with Fitzpatrick. Went to Shotts Bon Accord and doubled as an occasional strikers’ coach with Saints. Now working in the building trade

9 Alex Smith
He was a mere six months in the job at the time of the final. He was sacked the following season after St Mirren went out of the Cup Winners’ Cup to Mechelen, the unheralded Belgians who were the eventual winners. Smith took charge of Aberdeen, where he came closer than anyone to matching Alex Ferguson’s achievements. He also managed Stenhousemuir, Dundee United and the Scotland under-21 team. He is now reunited with Bone, his assistant in 1987, as manager of Ross County and is also chairman of Scotland’s Managers and Coaches Association

10 Derek Hamilton Almost totally obscured in this picture by Smith, Hamilton joined Saints from Aberdeen in 1983. After St Mirren, he returned to junior football with Irvine Meadow. He has had his share of problems and was last heard of in a homeless person’s hostel

11. Billy Abercromby
The captain was another homegrown player in the successful final side. A tough-tackling midfield dynamo, he had iconic status among the fans. “Aber’s gonnae get you,” was their chant if an opponent fouled a Saints player, and he generally did. One altercation with Stevie Kirk of Motherwell saw him pick up three red cards. A serious knee injury early the next season ended his St Mirren career, although he subsequently played for Partick Thistle. Life has not been kind to him since he quit football, but he is still a welcome visitor to Love Street

12 Kenny McDowall
His career was blighted by injury but he was a talismanic leader of the line. Bone appointed McDowall and Money as joint assistants and the board’s decision to sack McDowall as a cost-cutting exercise in 1996, shortly after his testimonial match, precipitated Bone’s departure and Fitzpatrick’s return. McDowall had a spell as a part-time SFA staff coach with the under-17 and under-19 squads, before joining Celtic, where he is their under-21 coach

13 Neil Cooper
The central defender joined from Grimsby. He also served Hibs and after his playing career ended, he moved into coaching with Aberdeen. He then had a spell as Forfar boss, before Steve Paterson took him to Pittodrie to oversee his under-17 and under-19 teams

14 Tommy Wilson
The right-back joined Saints from Queen’s Park. He moved on to Kilmarnock and is now an SFA staff coach, specialising in youth development

15 Ian Ferguson
The goal-scoring hero of the Cup final was released by Aberdeen as a boy, but snapped up by Clyde, from whom he joined Saints. Only 19 at the time of the final, his cool extra-time finish at Hampden showed his class, and he earned a dream £850,000 move to Rangers the following season, where he was a mainstay of the nine-in-a-row years. In 2000 he moved to Dunfermline, and last year headed to Australia where he is a player-coach with Northern Spirit