WHEN author and long-suffering supporter Christopher Brookmyre tweeted that he had “managed to write a novel between St Mirren’s last two league wins” it wasn’t because he had moved into the rather specialist realm of speed writing.

Instead, it demonstrated just how much can be achieved in the space of 234 days, especially when you don’t have the distraction of needing to celebrate your team winning football matches.

St Mirren’s fall from grace has been fairly spectacular – they won a major trophy three years ago and were playing top-flight football just 19 months ago - but in defeating Queen of the South on Tuesday night they did at least shed the unwanted tag of being the only team in senior British football not to have won a league game this season.

Read more: Killie get a bit chilly as Clark splashes cash on ice chamber

The outbreak of joy and relief, among the hardy band that had travelled down to Dumfries as well as from many more commenting on social media, spoke volumes.

It still leaves St Mirren in a position of peril – six points adrift at the foot of the Championship – but there is at least now a glimmer of optimism based on something more tangible than blind hope. Home game against Raith Rovers and Ayr United in the coming weeks will give Jack Ross’ side opportunity to prove this wasn’t a mere blip in an otherwise downwards trajectory and chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick, one of life’s eternal optimists, remains confident St Mirren can extricate themselves from trouble.

“Coming back to win the other night with a goal in the 93rd minute was a very special moment,” he said. “You saw the way all the players and the fans celebrated it together and that was just wonderful to see as it’s not been the best of seasons for the club.

“But I’ve always kept the belief that things would turn around. If there was any doubt it was because we had been playing well recently and not getting the results and then you do start to wonder a bit. But the optimist in me felt that if the boys kept playing like that then they would eventually get their reward and they’ve finally got that with this win.

"Now they have to make sure that wasn’t just a one-off. They need to kick on and put together a string of results and try to get up the table. We’ve had a terrible season in the league and yet we’re still only six behind. So it’s definitely salvageable.”

Read more: Killie get a bit chilly as Clark splashes cash on ice chamber

St Mirren are pinning their salvation hopes on a quartet of talented young midfielders, three of whom have only really become first-team regulars this season. Fitzpatrick calls Lewis Morgan, 20, Kyle McAllister, 17, Kyle Magennis, 18, and Stevie Mallan, 20, “the magnificent four” and believes they can help carry the team further up the league.

It is a double-edged sword, however. As chief executive at a club working its way towards fan ownership, Fitzpatrick would likely need to consider the possibility of a mid-season cash injection a transfer fee would bring. But he insists that selling off the club’s prospects isn’t in his thoughts.

“There are Premiership clubs out there who will have picked up on the quality of these guys but the bottom line is that if we really want to have success at the club we have to hang on to our best players,” he added. “There will be a time when these players move on but that can’t be now. We’re looking to stay up this season and after that I’m already excited thinking about next season and how good these players can become. We don’t need to sell them now.”