Caolan Boyd-Munce insists he had flashbacks to Bergen when he saw the size of St Mirren’s Scottish Cup black-and-white army.
The Buddies took almost 1,400 fans to Dumfries for last Saturday’s 3-1 fourth-round victory which set up a last-16 tie next month at home to Hearts.
Northern Irish international Boyd-Munce and his team-mates emerged from the tunnel and were met by an enthusiastic support which packed out practically the whole East Stand at Palmerston.
And the 24-year-old – who scored the match-clinching third goal – admitted memories of Saints’ Euro trip to Norway to face SK Brann came flooding back as he eyes going all the way to the national stadium.
“It was class,” Boyd-Munce said of the travelling fans at the weekend. “There’s something special about the away days. Bergen was one we’ll never forget and something the boys still speak about.
“It was similar albeit a slightly different arena down here but the same noise. It was brilliant.
“We would love a cup run. Last season, we got to the quarter-finals of the League Cup and we all really enjoyed that. We just want to get to Hampden and put the club on the map again.
“It’s the unticked box. But you can’t look past what your objectives were and skip past them. You need to add to your priorities and not change them.
“I was on the bench for Northern Ireland when we played Scotland at Hampden so it would be a joy. It’s one of the things I wanted to tick was to play at Hampden – to win there would be even better.”
Boyd-Munce has scored twice this term and is hoping to add to his tally as the season progresses with Saints pushing for a hat-trick of top-six Premiership finishes.
“Adding more goals to my game is something I’ve been thinking about 100 per cent,” added Boyd-Munce, who hit the headlines last month with a Boxing Day winner over Rangers at the SMiSA Stadium.
“Sometimes it’s split-second decision-making which is what I’ve tried to improve. I think I’ve now realised the weapon I do have and it would be stupid not to use it.”
Don’t miss the latestRenfrewshire headlines –sign up to our free daily newsletter here