Former St Mirren ace calls for stability following Alan Stubbs departure

FORMER St Mirren striker Craig Dargo says the board need stability and a long term plan before they appoint Alan Stubbs’ successor. 

The Englishman was appointed to lead the Paisley club back into the Scottish Premiership as Championship winning boss Jack Ross headed for English League One outfit Sunderland. 

But, a 4-1 defeat at Tynecastle on Saturday signalled the end of the former Hibs boss' short three month reign in charge and means that the Buddies have now had six managers since League Cup winning manager Danny Lennon left in 2014. 

READ MORE: Alan Stubbs leaves St Mirren after less than three months in charge

And Dargo, who also played for Inverness, insists it takes time for players to get used to new ideas. 

He said: “These guys have come in and signed for St Mirren for Alan Stubbs.

“So, for him to up and leave it’s going to cause a little bit of unrest with those players. It’s because of the timing of it having left after such a short space of time.

“Sometimes if you’ve been at a club for a year and the manager changes you might be out of favour so it helps you because it’s usually a clean slate, and you can play again.”

Alan Stubbs, pictured with Jack Ross, lasted only ten games with St Mirren (photo: Allan Picken) 

When Dargo was just starting out at Raith he went through several changes of management, one lasting just eight days, and he admits he didn’t know what he was doing.

He continued; “Jimmy Nicholl had left, and the youth team coach came in, and he was only in for a short space of time. Then Tommy McLean came and he was only in eight days, and he left. So the club was in a bit of turmoil.

“It was difficult, you didn’t know if you were coming or going. I think you need that stability to be honest. I have been there and I know what it feels like.

“When you know who your manager is, and you have that routine. You know what he’s looking for in terms of shape, and you know what he is looking for from you individually.”

The ex-hitman now working for the Ayr United Academy, played in the 2010 League Cup final defeat to nine man Rangers under Gus MacPherson. 

Could former boss Gus MacPherson be the answer to the Buddies' problems? 

And he thinks the club could do a lot worse than go back in for the Queens Park boss.

“There’s pluses and minuses for every appointment. The plus for Gus is he knows the club. He knows what is expected of him," he continued. 

READ MORE: Craig Samson urges St Mirren to forget last season

“The supporters know Gus, they know what he is all about, he is a winner. He knows with the club in a precarious situation, he knows how to keep a team in the league. He’s tried and tested.

“Would it be a good appointment? I think it would be. Would he keep them in the league? That’s a different story. He would be the safe choice. They need to get it right.”