IF anybody should mourn the sad demise of Love Street then it is Tony Fitzpatrick.

IF anybody should mourn the sad demise of Love Street then it is Tony Fitzpatrick.

Not only did Fitz turn out in over 300 league games for St Mirren in two spells at the club as a player, he also spent two stints in the dug-out as manager.

On top of that, he has stood on the terraces and sat in the stands, willing his beloved Buddies to prevail, both as a young boy and as a fully-grown man.

Yet, while Tony admits something special has been lost forever leaving the Paisley ground after 115 years, he feels the move to Ferguslie Park is for the best.

Gus MacPherson's men will play their first match at their new multi-million pound stadium tomorrow - and their former captain anticipates a decidedly bright future there.

He explains: "It is sad to be leaving Love Street after so many years there. I have a lot of great memories of playing there over many years.

"But I think the St Mirren directors have set the club up for a number of years with the deal they struck to sell Love Street and the new stadium they have built. I have been along to see the new ground and it really is looking great.

"I used to pop into Love Street from time to time. It was becoming a bit tired and run down.

"The set-up at the new stadium is far, far superior. I have no doubt the players, and the other people who work at the club behind the scenes, will love it.

"The dressing rooms and the training facilities in particular are excellent. It is very modern. I think it will help them when it comes to attracting new players to the club."

Not, of course, that a few decent footballers haven't graced the hallowed turf at Love Street - which has started to be demolished by workmen - over the years. Fitzpatrick, now running his own company, Kan-Do Sports, was one of several special talents to don the black and white stripes in a halcyon era for the Buddies.

He well remembers the unique atmosphere the rickety old ground generated during big games of the 1970s and 1980s and, in particular, during some cherished forays into European football.

Tony recalled: "I can totally understand why stadiums have had to be modernised and made all-seated. Safety is the most important thing now.

"But the atmosphere you used to get with the old terraces can never be replicated. It is just totally different. We played in some great games, when the terraces were just totally full.

"The games I always remember were the European ones, the matches against Feyenoord and Slavia Prague. There were huge crowds for those matches. The games against Morton, the local derbies, were always pretty special, too."

Fitzpatrick, who was appointed skipper as a youth by the now Sir Alex Ferguson (left) feels their legendary former boss was partially responsible for those glory nights.

He says: "It is a real community club, a real family club. That is something Fergie instilled when he took over.

"They were playing against clubs like Queen's Park and Stenhousemuir - and struggling against them, too - when he was appointed in 1974.

"He just transformed the whole place. He went out in the streets, in places like Foxbar and Ferguslie Park, trying to drum up support for the team.

"I made my debut against Berwick Rangers in front of a crowd of about 2000. Within a couple of years we were playing in front of crowds of 15,000.

"Fergie did it using young players, too. Guys like myself, Frank McGarvey, Billy Stark, Lex Richardson and Peter Weir, and many, many more. His teams all played fast, free-flowing attacking football as well.

"That is something he has done at Aberdeen and Manchester United. It was a pleasure to be part of that."

Some of Tony's old muckers took great pride in returning to Love Street as guests of honour for St Mirren's final game against Motherwell earlier this month.

Sadly, Fitzpatrick missed out due to illness. He will, though, be at the league game with Kilmarnock at Greenhill Road tomorrow and hopes to witness the first of many triumphs.

He groaned: "It was so disappointing for me not to make the last game. I had a chest infection and pleurisy and had to call off on the Friday.

"I spoke to all the boys who did go - McGarv, Lex and the rest - and they all said it was a fantastic day.

It brought back so many special memories for those guys. A lot of them played for other clubs in their careers, but St Mirren is a special place. There is something about Love Street. It was more than a football ground."