Stephen McGinn says his return to St Mirren has been the best spell of his footballing career.
The midfielder rejoined the club in January after leaving English side Wycombe Wanderers.
He was quickly made club captain by manager Jack Ross and played an integral part in helping the Buddies secure their Ladbrokes Championship status.
And with survival achieved, the 28 year-old's one year contract extension has been activated.
Staying in the league has triggered my extra year," he told stmirren.com. "I wanted to come here, get back to enjoying my football again, wanted to play for a manager that I trust and it's exceeded my expectations. I've absolutely loved the four months.
"What the players, the fans, the manager have done here has turned it into the best spell of my career. I really hope we can keep it together because the sky is the limit with the potential of some of the young players in the team.
"We knew they would start fast and for the first 10/15 minutes Hibs were brilliant. We said at half time that this was going to happen again and to lose a goal inside the first minute was a nightmare. But I think it shows the character that the whole club has shown since January that it did take going 1-0 down to have the reaction to bring it back to 1-1.
"We have so many young players in this team and the performances they are delivering under pressure, they are going to have big careers."
Much has been made of the Saints support and with over 1800 travelling through to Edinburgh, the skipper wanted to thank them and believes they have played just as big a role in keeping the Buddies in the league.
"It's hard to describe," he said of how he was feeling after St Mirren completed one of the great escapes in football. "I was getting emotional at the end when I was going over to see the fans.
"It's something I've been thinking of for three or four months. With the backing we've had from the fans since I have come in, they've played a part as much as any goal scored, clean sheet or win.The goal celebrations and the celebrations at the end will live with me forever.
"The only thing I can have a wee complaint with about the fans is that I was sure it was 2-1 to Ayr! They celebrated twice and whoever celebrated the awarding of the penalty before it was scored needs to have a look at themselves," he joked.
It was a family affair for McGinn, with brother John receiving his winner's medal as part of the Hibs team that finished the season as Champions.
It was the ideal situation," he said. "It was a day I'll be able to look on with fondness. We managed to stay in the league and John has got his championship trophy so it was a great day for us both. He set up the first goal which I wasn't happy with and I'll be having a word with him. But I'm delighted for him, they've deserved it and it was brilliant to play in that atmosphere."
