St Mirren striker John Sutton hopes that lifting the Irn-Bru Cup this afternoon will spur his side on to complete the great escape from relegation to League One.

The Buddies’ recent revival has raised confidence among their followers that they could yet avoid the drop after being anchored to the foot of the Championship table for the majority of the season.

By contrast, their form in this competition has been excellent, with an away victory at Hibs the highlight as they have stormed their way to the final at Fir Park.

Now Sutton thinks that a victory over Dundee United today could have a major effect on how the rest of the season pans out, and hopefully avenge some of his own recent cup final heartaches.

“Getting a bit of silverware would be great for us at this stage, we could take that confidence into the rest of the season,” Sutton said.

“I have won it once before here and we won the league that season, so it would be great to win it again.

“Back then you think you will be in other finals all the time but it doesn’t work out like that, although I’ve been fortunate to get to two since.

“I didn’t manage to win either of them so it would great to get another medal.

“Do I go into this one thinking it might be my last? Not really, but you never know what the future holds.

“I think I was 21 when we won it the last time and at that stage everything is in front of you.

“I have been really lucky in my career with who I’ve played for and what I’ve been able to do.

“I lost a final for Motherwell against Celtic and then a bigger disappointment was the one for Hearts against St Mirren.

“I’ve not really mentioned taking the chance to the younger ones that much, they know all that anyway and are up for it.

“When you get to a cup final you want to win it.

“I know people think it isn’t as big as the Scottish Cup or the League Cup, which it isn’t, but look at the teams who have competed in it the last few years.

Rangers won it last season, you have had Hearts and Hibs playing in it as well.

“Rangers only won it once in all the years they were in it, so it would be a good achievement it we can lift the trophy.”

Sutton, of course, is no stranger to Fir Park, having spent many happy years there as a Motherwell player as well as enjoying an unforgettable moment at the stadium in the black and white of St Mirren.

Back in 2007, he scored the winner as the Saints sealed a memorable 3-2 comeback win that kept his side in the top division, and he is looking forward to going back to the venue today.

“Tam Cowan texted me the other night saying ‘welcome back to the theatre of dreams’,” he said.

“Obviously Fir Park is a place I know well and I think the pitch is a lot better now than it has been for a long time.

“It should be a great atmosphere, it’s a tight ground and we’ve sold our allocation.

“It’s also good for the fans, they have been brilliant with us this season and it would be nice to give them something back for the support they’ve shown us.

“It was a tight game against United the last time and they will be looking at it thinking they can turn it around.

“But we are playing with confidence, the results were not as good as we would have liked, but we have gone into every one thinking we could take something out of it.

“Even the Celtic game we thought we could get something from so it will just be a case of going out and being positive this weekend.”