St Mirren Football Club is delighted to announce that the Family Stand at the Simple Digital Arena will officially be renamed the Tony Fitzpatrick Family Stand.

Tony is one of the most decorated figures in St Mirren history having made 458 appearances in two spells as a player between 1973-1979 and 1981-1989.

Tony made his St Mirren debut in a Drybourgh Cup fixture against Hibernian in 1973 and after making his mark in the first team was named first team captain by Sir Alex Ferguson whilst still a teenager. 

In the 1976-77 season, Tony captained the side to the First Division title. His performances caught the eye of the national team with a call-up to Scotland U21s in April 1977, while he made the provisional Scotland squad of 40 for the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.

After moving to Bristol City in 1979, Tony returned to his beloved St Mirren in 1981 and made his second Saints debut in a 3-1 win over Celtic in the League Cup.

During his second spell as a player Tony was part of the 1987 Scottish Cup winning side as well as European campaigns in the 1980s where Saints faced the likes of Feyenoord, Slavia Prague.

Tony was named player-manager of St Mirren in 1988 and made his final St Mirren appearance against Hamilton Academical at Love Street in October 1988 as he looked to concentrate on management.

Tony would leave his post as manager in March 1991, but returned for a second spell as gaffer in September 1996 until December 1998.

In 2016, Tony returned to the club once again, this time as Chief Executive, replacing the outgoing Brian Caldwell. In Tony’s time as Chief Executive the Buddies won the Ladbrokes Championship securing promotion back to the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Speaking to stmirren.com about the renaming of the stand, Tony 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. 

"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.

"Slowly but surely we are doing more bits and pieces that make the stadium feel like our home. I would like to do something with the other stands as well and that's something we will involve the fans with. 

"I'm sure Tony was voted the number one Saints player of all time and he's the second highest appearance maker of all time so I think it's perfect."

A more formal presentation will be made prior to our match against St Johnstone on Wednesday 4th March.

St Mirren Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Peter Urminsky on an 18-month deal.

The 20 year-old Slovakian goalkeeper joins the Buddies following the expiry of his contract at Spartak Trnava.

Peter had been on trial with Saints over the past two weeks and impressed enough to be offered a contract.

Speaking on the signing, St Mirren goalkeeping coach, Jamie Langfield, said: "Peter is a young lad, but he has an exceptional presence at six foot five and has a lot of attributes that we can work on.

"There aren’t many goalkeepers going about at his age with his size and stature. Myself, Gus [MacPherson] and the manager spoke about it at length and it was something we wanted to get done.

"I’m going to work tirelessly with Peter, as I do with all the goalkeepers, to hopefully make him better.

"Peter has just turned 20 – he’s a young pup. He’s here to learn, to get better and hopefully push on for next season."

Conor McCarthy says time getting to know each other off the pitch has helped himself and Akin Famewo gel together instantly on the field.

The centre-half duo have only conceded one goal in the three games they've played together thus far.

Having both signed at the beginning of January, the pair were thrown straight in with Kirk Broadfoot & Gary MacKenzie still injured and Sean McLoughlin having returned to Hull City.

Given both were moving to a new country there was time spent in a local hotel which has helped the pair become acquainted. 

And Conor believes that, along with time on the training pitch, will see their partnership become stronger.

We were staying in the hotel together so we were spending a lot of time together and it has given us a good chance to get to know each other," Conor told stmirren.com. 

"On the training pitch we have been working hard as a pair and I think that can only improve as the weeks go on."

Conor became St Mirren's first signing of the January transfer window when he joined the Buddies on a two-and-a-half-year deal from League of Ireland side Cork City.

It's been a baptism of fire for the 21 year-old defender who was just getting set for pre-season in his home country after their season finished in October.

But Conor says he's enjoyed his start to life at Saints and feels his match fitness is starting to improve.

It's been very good," he said.

"I haven't played since the end of October but I think my sharpness is coming.

"My legs are a bit sore at the moment so I'll look forward to a bit of rest and recovery and get back at it on Tuesday. 

"I've been thrown in at the deep in with the games but I'm looking forward to having a full week of training and then the match at Easter Road on Saturday."

The Buddies picked up their first point of 2020 in yesterday's 0-0 draw.

Conor was named man-of-the-match and was pleased with the side's performance in what was a difficult match.

It was a tough afternoon," Conor confessed.

"Aberdeen are a very physical side and I think we equipped ourselves very well and were unfortunate not to come away with three points. 

"I think both defences came out on top. As I say on another day we could have taken three points but that's football."

The next meeting of The St Mirren Business Club is due to take place in the Westmarch Suite at the Simple Digital Arena this Thursday (30th January).

Our guest speaker on the evening will be Gillian Cumming, senior solicitor at Just Employment Law.

5.30pm - 6pm 
Tea, coffee and refreshments served

6.30pm - 7 pm
Presentation by Gillian Cumming, Just Employment Law

7pm - 8pm
Networking

The Business Club offers the chance for our sponsors and business partners the opportunity to network in unique surroundings.

Events are held frequently, taking different formats and with a selection of quality guest speakers covering a wide range of themes.

The Business Club is completely free to join with members receiving invites to a series of exclusive events throughout the year.

The Business Club is a unique and exciting opportunity to get like-minded local and national businesses together and gives our sponsors and business partners the opportunity to promote their businesses and services to each other.

If you are interested in attending the event or looking for more details please forward your full name and company details to commercial@stmirren.com or phone Commercial Manager Campbell Kennedy (direct) on 0141-840-1337.

Tickets are on-sale now for St Mirren's trip to Edinburgh to face Hibernian in the Ladbrokes Premiership this Saturday.

Tickets are available at the St Mirren Ticket Office and online. 

The match and tickets info is as follows:

Hibernian vs St Mirren
Ladbrokes Premiership
Venue: Easter Road, Edinburgh
Date: Saturday 1st February 2020
Kick-off: 3pm

Ticket Prices

Adult - £23
Concession* - £14
Child** - £12

*65 & over, 12-17 year-old and full-time student with valid ID.
**2-11 years-old, under-2s go free.

Wheelchair/ambulant disabled are priced at regular match price depending on age etc. Carers go free with wheelchair users.

Ambulant disabled must be in receipt of Higher Rate DLA or Enhanced PIP for a personal assistant. If a PA is needed and proof can be provided this will be free of charge. Ambulant/wheelchair tickets must be purchased direct from St Mirren.

A ticket pod will be in operation on the day for the sale of away tickets located next to the South Stand. 

The St Mirren Ticket Office opening hours for the remainder of this week are as follows:

Mon, Jan 27th - 10:00am - 2:00pm
Tue, Jan 28th - 10:00am - 2:00pm
Wed, Jan 29th- 10:00am - 2:00pm
Thu, Jan 30th - 10:00am - 2:00pm
Fri, Jan 31st - 10:00am - 2:00pm
Sat, Feb 1st - CLOSED
Sun, Feb 2nd - CLOSED

St Mirren Ticket Office Tel: (0141) 840-6130.

St Mirren Ticket Office E-Mail: tickets@stmirren.com.

Jim Goodwin gives his reaction to St Mirren's goalless draw at home to Aberdeen this afternoon.

Pretty football was rarely on display in Paisley as Saints and Aberdeen played out a goalless draw.

The Dons had the better of the first half and could have had a penalty when Conor McCarthy appeared to pull back Sam Cosgrove at the edge of the box. Despite the visitors being on top, it was the Buddies who should have been in front at the break as Jon Obika intercepted a slack backpass only to hit the post.

Saints improved after the break with Ilkay Durmus and Tony Andreu going closest with Aberdeen chances few and far between as the spoils ended up being shared.

Durmus and Andreu were back in the team in place of Paul McGinn and Kyle Magennis, the latter out for the season after he suffered a horrific knee injury against Rangers during the week. There was some good news on the bench though with Kirk Broadfoot returning to the squad after recovering from injury. Cosgrove led the attack for the visitors, who handed a debut to new signing Matty Kennedy.

Junior Morias had an early shot blocked for the Buddies, with Ash Taylor heading wide from a corner at the other end. Buddies keeper Vaclav Hladky is normally pretty reliable with his feet but sold Akin Famewo short with a pass that allowed Niall McGinn to pounce with the goal gaping, the on-loan Norwich City defender getting enough of himself in the way of the forward's shot to divert it over for a corner. Another uncharacteristic mistake from the Saints goalie allowed McGinn to get a cross in but Hladky recovered just in time to gather the ball as Cosgrove lurked dangerously.

The chance in the opening few minutes was pretty much all the Buddies had to show for their efforts in the opening quarter, Cammy MacPherson failing to find the target from long range in a rare attack. The Dons fans were screaming for a penalty moments later as McCarthy pulled back Cosgrove, however the officials were unmoved. Replays suggested it was a foul, the main issue being whether it was inside or out of the area. Another great chance for the visitors came when a corner wasn't properly cleared and the ball found Scott McKenna just inside the box, the big defender seeing his scooped shot deflected over off McCarthy.

With all the Dons pressure, a Saints goal would have been totally against the run of play – yet one should have come five minutes before the break. Dylan McGeouch was short with a back-pass and it was picked off by Obika who had plenty of time to steady himself as he bent a shot around Joe Lewis only to see it agonisingly hit the post before being hacked to safety. It was the closest either side had come and the Buddies had another chance just before the interval, McCarthy heading a MacPherson free-kick straight at Lewis.

Durmus fired an early sighter well over as hostilities resumed, Lewis then getting down well to save Andreu's shot from the winger's cross. Hladky was barely troubled when Cosgrove's header from a corner found the target before Saints had another chance, Morias' long throw being knocked down to skipper Sam Foley whose volley failed to find the target. Durmus had scored the winner when the sides met in Paisley at the start of the season and he seemed determined to do some more damage, this time curling a shot over the bar from a tight angle.

The visitors hadn't threatened much in the second half but some neat passing found Lewis Ferguson at the edge of the box only for him to shoot wide. Some frantic defending just about got Saints off the hook at a free-kick as Aberdeen pushed on, sub Ryan Hedges lashing a shot wide and Hladky saving Funso Ojo's long range effort. However, while they had plenty of the ball, they created few chances and on the basis of the second half Saints fully deserved their point.

Full-Time: St Mirren 0-0 Aberdeen

St Mirren: Hladky, Flynn, McCarthy, Famewo, Waters, MacPherson, Foley (c), Andreu (Cooke 80), Durmus (P.McGinn 90), Morias, Obika
Subs Not Used: Lyness, Broadfoot, Erhahon, Henderson, Mullen

Aberdeen: Lewis, Logan, McKenna, Taylor, Considine, Ojo, McGeouch (Hedges 72), Ferguson, N.McGinn (Anderson 85), Kennedy, Cosgrove
Subs Not Used: Cerny, Devlin, Campbell, Gallagher, Main

Referee: Don Robertson
Assistant Referee: David Doig
Assistant Referee: Ralph Gordon
Fourth Official: Grant Irvine

Attendance: 5,302

Gallery pictures by Allan Picken © - Allan Picken Photography

Tickets for our William Hill Scottish Cup at home to Motherwell will go on-sale tomorrow morning (Saturday 25th Jan) from 10am. 

Season ticket holders seats will be reserved until midnight on Tuesday 4th February after which time seats will be released and sold on a first come first served basis.

St Mirren v Motherwell
William Hill Scottish Cup
Venue: The Simple Digital Arena, Paisley
Date: Saturday 8th February 2020
Kick-off: 3:00pm

Prices
Adults - £20
Concessions - £10
12 and under - £5

We are sorry to confirm that Kyle Magennis will face a significant spell on the sidelines after suffering a cruciate ligament injury in Wednesday night's match against Rangers.

The St Mirren Academy graduate has made 107 appearances for Saints since making his debut in 2016.

All at St Mirren wish Kyle all the best in his recovery. 

Our match day programme, published in partnership with Curtis Sport, will be available from the Club Shop ahead of Sunday’s game.

This issue, for the Ladbrokes Premiership fixture against Aberdeen, is a 52 pager with a £3 cover price.

This latest edition includes the following:

Front Cover – Jon Obika.
The Gaffer - Jim Goodwin looks back on recent games and ahead to the match-up with Aberdeen.
Last Time Out - Allan Picken's pictures from St Mirren's 3-0 Scottish Cup win against Broxburn Athletic.
The Opposition – Brian Corry casts an eye over Derek McInnes' Aberdeen side.
St Mirren Programme Archive - Derek Drennan highlights programmes from St Mirren's matches in the now defunct Drybrough Cup.
100 Seasons at the Top - Cairters Corner looks back on St Mirren's fortunes over the 1960s.
They Played in the Stripes – David Cochran tells the tale of Bobby Torrance's St Mirren career.
Matchday Gallery - Pictures of the post match presentations from the recent home match against Broxburn Athletic.
English Title Winners - Liam Harding highlights Chelsea's top league successes.
Centre Page Poster – Ryan Flynn.
Fans Corner - Ticket prices, travel clubs update, match info, dates for fans to keep in their diary and introducing our match mascots.
Player Kit Sponsors 2019/20 – Check in to see who is sponsoring your favourite player's shirt for the season.
Stats and Picture Quiz - Player appearance stats and picture quiz on players who graduated from the St Mirren Academy to the first team.
Panda's Fun Page – Some puzzles to keep the youngsters entertained during the half-time break.
Football Bloody Hell - Alan Gallacher debates if there is a right way or wrong way to play football.
Marketing Matters – Campbell Kennedy updates on the latest events and happenings at the club's Commercial Department.
St Mirren Fixtures & Results 2019/20 – A handy reference page of all the fixtures and results for this season.
Team Lines – The two squads and match officials for Sunday’s match.

To buy this issue or to place your programme subscription for the 2019/20 season click HERE.