HIS name is littered throughout St Mirren’s long history and can even be found on street signs in Paisley.
Now, Tony Fitzpatrick love affair with his home town club is set firmly in stone after the Saints announced a stand will be renamed in his honour.
The existing Family Stand will now be known as the Tony Fitzpatrick Family Stand at the Buddies’ Simple Digital Arena home.
Fitzpatrick is one of the most decorated figures in St Mirren history, having made 458 in two spells as a player, before later serving as player-manager, and returning as chief executive in 2016.
It was an emotional moment for Tony who had no idea this was happening today.
— St Mirren FC (@saintmirrenfc) January 28, 2020
A well deserved honour for a true St Mirren legend. pic.twitter.com/7QbmGo5miL
He said: “I feel unbelievably humbled by it. I feel numb. Any time I think about it my head goes fuzzy with it all. I’m still in shock about it, it’s so surreal.
“I remember being a 12 year-old boy looking over Love Street on a summer night thinking about how I wanted to play at St Mirren and to now have a stand named after me is incredible. I’m so proud and so humbled.
“For by Sir Alex Ferguson, my dad was the biggest influence in my life and it was to this day four years ago that I took him into hospital for the last time before he passed away.”
He added to stmirrenfc.com: “I have to thank Gordon Scott and all the directors as well for giving me this honour.
“Generally in life you see so many tributes to people who have passed away but to get this while I’m still alive and still at the club is a major honour.”
Gordon Scott, St Mirren chairman, said: “There is nobody that encapsulates family at St Mirren more than Tony.
“He’s been a player here, he’s been a manager here, he’s been a chief executive and he’s been a massive part of what we have achieved as a club over the last few years. I can’t think of anybody more suitable to name a stand after than Tony.
“He’s the second highest appearance maker of all time, so I think it’s perfect.”
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