THEY may have had to wait more than 40 years to get their hands on their Scottish Second Division championship medals but Bobby Duffy and Hugh McLaughlin are just relieved that St Mirren have finally righted a terrible wrong.

Duffy and McLaughlin were key members of the 1967/68 Saints side that lifted the title under the guidance of Alex Wright.

But, despite playing over 20 games each that season, the duo were the only members of the squad not to receive their gongs.

However, as the club said its final farewell to Love Street by staging a commemorative dinner at the Normandy Hotel in Renfrew, Saints chiefs rectified the situation by making a special presentation to both players.

Emotional

And Express Sports caught up with both men on an emotional and nostalgic evening as they looked back on that title-winning campaign.

McLaughlin said: “Bobby and I were lucky enough to play in a team that won the championship but, in those days, the Scottish League only allowed the club to strike up a certain number of medals.

“St Mirren were always brilliant to me as a club and I thoroughly enjoyed my five years there but there was a sense of acrimony as we didn’t get our medals.

“We deserved to get our medals as we were part and parcel of the team.

“At the time, I said it didn’t bother me but, the older you get, the more it does start to bother you.

“I feel very humbled that St Mirren invited me along to receive this honour after all these years.”

Duffy added: “I think the club was handed 16 or 17 medals for winning the league. As far as I know, the manager got one and so did the trainer and there were 11 medals for players.

“Where the rest went I don’t know but Hugh and I were the only two players who never got medals.

“I was actually quite peeved because you’re looking for some kind of memento if you’ve won a league, something to remind you of what you’ve achieved.

“It’s great that the club has remembered us after 40-odd years and it came as a total shock to be honest.

“About 20 or so years ago, I told my son Derek about what had happened and he wrote to the club to say that I hadn’t got a medal.

“I didn’t know at that time that Hugh hadn’t got a medal either but Derek got no reply and I thought that was the end of the matter.

“I’d just forgotten about it until I got a phone call to tell me about this presentation.”

McLaughlin is full of praise for St Mirren’s current custodians and believes their actions highlight the fact that Paisley has a family club it can be proud of.

He said: “St Mirren have set out to rectify something that was wrong and the fact they’ve gone to all that bother is wonderful. I’m thoroughly humbled to accept my award and am very grateful to the club.

“My son Greg is also over the moon and we have nothing but admiration for St Mirren for doing this.

“I’m not so interested in football these days but this club will always have a place in my heart.”

The tribute dinner at the Normandy Hotel was also a chance for McLaughlin and Duffy to catch up on the old days.

Duffy said: “We’ve been reminiscing about the old times and the nights out we had and the companionship that existed when we played for St Mirren. It was great.”

However, both men revealed the title celebrations back in 1968 were somewhat subdued.

Title

McLaughlin said: “To be honest, there was no big celebration. I would say that, with that team, it was expected we would win the title because there were a lot of really good players at the club.

“We worked hard for that title but there was no presentation and I don’t think I ever saw the championship trophy.

“Some of the boys were handed their medals upstairs in the boardroom but I wasn’t asked to go up and that’s when I found out I wasn’t getting a medal.”

Duffy added: “I think we actually won the title against Arbroath and I remember being in the dressing room after the game but I don’t remember anything much in the way of a celebration.

“It was quite a long time ago but it’s still something I can look back on with pride.”