ST MIRREN manager Ian Murray has admitted he regrets making uncomplimentary comments about the club’s supporters but stopped short of offering them an apology. Murray was frustrated by the travelling support’s reaction to his team’s 1-1 draw with Raith Rovers on Tuesday night, believing they should have focused more on Stevie Mallan’s 90th-minute free kick equaliser rather than the performance of the team. “Fans are entitled to their opinions but, without being patronising, I think I know a bit more about football than them,” said the Saints boss, comments that have angered a lot of St Mirren fans.

Two days on and Murray admitted he had spoken “in the heat of the moment” and hoped he could start to mend bridges with the supporters, starting with a victory over Rangers in the Petrofac Training Cup semi-final at Ibrox tomorrow.

He said: “This is one of those unique jobs where you make your mistakes in public and pay for it after. I’m old enough and wise enough to know that what I said would get people’s backs up the wrong way. I also felt that people can maybe read too much into things and dwell on it.

“Things were probably taken out of context a little bit in terms of what was said. It grew arms and legs from what was meant. What we should have been focussing on at the time, rather than not winning the game, was a fantastic equaliser by Stevie Mallan in the last minute.

“I regret my reaction immediately after the game in terms of having a go at the supporters. I should probably have concentrated more on the positive side of our team getting the point we felt we deserved away from home. So from that side of it, yes, I regret it. But I also felt the players deserved more credit than they were getting.

“Like any job you make mistakes and try to learn from them and use the experience the next time. We are under pressure straight after a game and have to address our own performance.

“We can come out and say the blandest of things and say, ‘I didn’t see that’ or say we agree with something before going back behind closed doors to disagree. At times frustration just boils over and you say the wrong thing at the wrong time.

“As young managers we all make mistakes and say things, not just to fans, but to players and other people we regret from time to time. But for us it’s done. The moment is gone and we are concentrating on the next game.”

St Mirren have played well twice against Rangers this season with nothing to show for it and Murray is expecting another difficult game as Saints look to book their place in the final, just as they did 10 years ago when they were last in this competition.

He added: “A win of any kind in a semi-final is huge. A win at Ibrox against Rangers in a semi-final is even bigger. It’s unusual to play a semi-final at a venue which is not neutral but that’s the way this cup works and it’s a fantastic opportunity for us.

It will no doubt be an incredibly difficult game for us, but it’s incredibly difficult for them as well. There is a different pressure on them from the pressure on us.

It’s obviously a huge advantage to Rangers being at home, but that’s something we have to go and deal with and get on with it.”