The Queens speller, who finished in the top-10 the past two years, churned through words like glassophagine and chalumeau with only a sly smile, indicating he'd studied them many times over.
His players, evidently, had paid attention to his words and a Kenny Deuchar header followed by two goals by Cillian Sheridan means only a freak run of results for Falkirk and St Mirren combined with a complete collapse by St Johnstone could see them relegated on goal difference.