UEFA CUP 1st Round, 1st Leg
14th September 1983
St. Mirren Park, Paisley

St. Mirren 0-1 Feyenoord

Guillit 29

ATT: 10,211

Referee: Svein-Inge Thime (Norway)

After a 3 year exodus from Europe, Saints are handed an extremely tough return to the UEFA Cup after being drawn against Dutch giants Feyenoord, who were on course to win the double in the Netherlands with only 2 defeats all season.
Similar to Saints last opponents in Europe back in 1980, St Etienne, the Dutch side is packed with international players and genuine superstars. The starting XI at Love Street contains 9 current internationalists and one future internationalist, including one of the greatest players to ever play the game, Johan Cruyff, and one of the best players of the 1980’s and early 1990’s, Ruud Guillit, who would set up the only goal of the match when his cross was deflected past Thomson.
Saints on the other hand had Scotland international keeper Billy Thomson and future international players Stevie Clarke and Frank McAvennie in the starting XI, but the squad was very young in general compared to 1980, and manager Ricky McFarlane surprised everyone by including Phil McAveety and Rowan Alexander from the start.
Despite what looked on paper a massive gulf between the sides, Saints created and missed a number of good opportunities as they went toe to toe with the Dutch side, and had it not been for a number of good saves from Juup Hiele, would have taken a positive result into the second leg.
The match is won on the half hour mark when Guillit beats McAveety and his cross is turned past Billy Thomson by an outstretched Mark Fulton.

Cairters Corner – St Mirren database

Johan Cruyff