Lionel Ainsworth helped ensure Motherwell’s 33-year relationship with Scotland’s top flight has stayed intact.
Now the attacker is praying his own love affair with Lanarkshire does not come to an end after an uplifting four-year romance.
Two years ago Ainsworth was inspired in the play-off Final against Rangers to save the day.
This week, he climbed off the bench and produced another stunning show to stave off a possible return to the two-legged nightmare and book Motherwell’s place in next term's Premiership.
For Ainsworth, though, it was a bittersweet occasion.
The 29-year-old has fallen in love with Fir Park. He’s fallen for the club.
During his time here, he became engaged to fiancee Laura and celebrated the arrival of baby girl Sienna Lilly.
But, as he took the acclaim of the supporters at full-time of the survival-clinching 3-1 win over Kilmarnock, he realised it might be his last appearance on the pitch he’s called home since 2013.
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Ainsworth is out of contract at the end of the month and unsure of his future.
With Stephen Robinson now in a position to start planning for next term, the winger is waiting to find out if he’s part of the plans.
Ainsworth said: “I’m sure the manager will sit down with everyone now and we’ll go from there.
“I’ve had a great four years here and I hope it continues. It would be amazing.
“I got engaged up here, we love the area, we love the people, the fans.
“My daughter was born up here. It’s like our own little bubble but sometimes you have to leave that bubble and go and make one somewhere else.
“Hopefully that’s not the case and all I can say is the next couple of weeks should be interesting.
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“I’ll never forget this place. From Stuart McCall bringing me up here and giving me the opportunity to play in Scottish football, it’s been brilliant.
“He was a great manager, Ian Baraclough continued my stay here and I really enjoyed every moment and I hope there are many more years to come.”
Ainsworth certainly won’t be forgotten by the fans.
Naturally, his inconsistency frustrates but he can turn games and has done so on occasions which have really counted during the relegation scraps of recent times.
Ainsworth scored and then set up a clinching third goal for Elliott Frear in the win over Killie to spark joyous home scenes.
It was, however, a late cameo for the player as he said: “I thought I was in the starting 11 then I got to the ground about six o’clock and was told I wasn’t.
“That was a bitter disappointment but it’s football and you have to adapt to it.
“I’ve had ups and downs this season but I knew if I could get on the pitch I would just get on with it.
“I’m paid to do the job, so whether it is starting or coming off the bench, I have to do it to my full potential.
“I just wanted to do it for me and my family.
“I said to Elliott before the free-kick, I’ve got to put this one on target.
“The gaffer said the other day that if someone could step up and put one in the back of the net he’d take it, so it was better late than never for me.
“We shouldn’t have been in this situation. That’s been a bit disappointing but boys have shown character, especially in games where we have performed and should have won but didn’t.
“That luck was there with us on Tuesday night.”
Robinson immediately insisted afterwards that just surviving isn’t enough for Motherwell and Ainsworth agrees.
The target is to push on and return to being a top-six club.
Ainsworth said: “We’re all happy but realistically we shouldn’t have been in this situation.
“When we were warming up against Hamilton last weekend I said that to one of the boys.
“I’m not saying we should be up in the top three but we definitely are better than third bottom.
“Being in that situation, you go through some mad stages, even watching games you see things happening and when it’s not going your way, you need that little bit of luck.
“It came down to the second last game of the season but we’ll take it.
“The main thing is this football club stays at a good level. I don’t want to be relegated while I’m here.
“Against Rangers, it was also a great finish, but Dan Twardzik said we should never have been in that situation.
“The teams that I’ve played in for the last four seasons have all been brilliant and I suppose we just have to show character as a team, new boys coming in and gelling really well.
“The boys who have been playing every week have been absolutely brilliant.
“We’ve been warriors in the changing room, everyone has been together and is enjoying it, we go out there every day training with each other and we enjoy it.
“We knew we were in a situation and we’re just glad to come out the other end.”