As we approach the end of the first round of fixtures I thought it an ideal time to give you all an update on happenings around the club.
I’m the first to admit these posts haven’t been as frequent as they should be and I’ll do my best to improve on that going forward.
New management team
I am delighted with how our new management team is settling in and feel very positive about the season ahead. The professionalism and commitment that Jim and Lee have brought to all aspects of the job has been a breath of fresh air.
There is very little to choose from between most of the teams in the division as was evident on Saturday when I felt we more than matched the team currently sitting third in the table on their own patch.
I feel we haven’t quite got the rewards our play has deserved to date but I am very confident that our luck will turn and narrow defeats will become draws and wins in the weeks ahead.
Recruitment
The unfortunate timing of our previous manager’s departure meant we found ourselves behind the curve a little when it came to recruitment.
We made a conscious effort though to look beyond this season and target players who we felt would improve our squad in the long term rather than just getting numbers in quickly.
I appreciate that we could have communicated this better at the time and that supporters were frustrated at the perceived lack of activity but believe me when I say a huge amount of work and due diligence went in to getting the players we wanted.
We firmly believe that the process and model we are using now is one that will bear fruit going forward. This is one of the most critical aspects of first team operations and it’s one we have been determined to improve on given the journey we have been on in recent seasons.
Academy
The other major part of our footballing operation of course is our Academy and I was absolutely thrilled with the run the young boys put together in the Challenge Cup.
The fantastic work that Allan McManus and his team put in across all age groups is absolutely crucial to the club going forward and it was pleasing to see the boys getting some recognition for all their hard work with a memorable trip down to Wrexham.
We have substantially increased investment in the academy over the last few years with a view to becoming recognised in the 'Elite' level academy status. We are very close to that now and will be applying to the SFA for this accreditation at the end of this season.
We had young players representing the club at various international levels for Scotland during the recent fixtures.
Kyle Magennis and Kyle McAllister were with the under-21s, Ethan Erhahon with the under-19s, Jay Henderson with the under-18s and Dylan Reid & Kieran Offord with the under-16s.
There can be no greater reward for the coaches at the academy than seeing all their hard work coming to fruition with their players getting international recognition.
Season tickets and new mobile ticketing system
Our season ticket sales have once again seen an increase from last seasons record sales at the new stadium (if 10 years old can really still be counted as being new!)
It is really encouraging to see the increasing number of younger supporters who are following us both home and away.
As you will have hopefully seen we are delighted to have launched mobile tickets for games at the Simple Digital Arena. We will initially run the system along with the existing paper tickets to ensure we have no issues.
The next stage of that evolution will be to allow season ticket holders to use their phone to gain entry instead of having to carry their smartcards.
Paisley Panda
I mentioned the increase in younger people coming to our games.
The pre-match family entertainment hosted by our SLO’s and the Paisley Panda go a long way to making sure that youngsters have a positive experience of the football club.
A big thank you to the Kibble, SMiSA and the St Mirren Fans Council who once again have provided the financial support to help us provide the best experience possible.
Sound system
We had a few issues last season with our sound system and as it is a vital part of the safety at the stadium it was felt that now was the time to upgrade.
Whilst the previous system was really just a PA system used to carry announcements the new platform, which was installed in September, is designed for both music and voice so you should be hearing the benefits of this investment on match days.
We have installed trackside connections to allow us to have a better quality of live music pitch side during games and have also introduced sound outside the ground on a match day to help build the atmosphere as you come into the stadium.
Kibble partnership
We continue to expand our working relationship with the Kibble.
They use both the Dome and the 1877 Club on a daily basis and continue to sponsor both the academy and pre-match family entertainment on a match day.
Women’s Euros
It was an honour to host the pre-season Woman’s Under-19 Euro Championship.
To have a European final at our stadium is something we should all be proud of and reflects well on both the stadium and our staff who ensured that all of UEFA’s requirements were exceeded.
Pitch lighting
Tommy Docherty does a marvellous job in maintaining one of the best pitches in the division.
The area of the pitch which always gets the most wear and tear and struggles to maintain grass coverage are the goalmouths.
We have invested in growing lights which will ensure growth in these areas throughout the season ensuring we can provide a quality surface throughout the season.
Website
Thanks to everyone who took part in our recent survey regarding the official club website. We were really encouraged with the positive feedback we received.
We’ve already taken on board some of the improvement suggestions that were given with regard the site navigation and menus and will continue to refine and improve things going forward.
We know that some fans get frustrated when news is posted elsewhere first but that is unfortunately a sign of the times we live in.
We can only post news of player signings when contracts have been concluded and signed so nothing is official until you read it on our own website or on our social media channels!
Support
Although my updates aren’t as frequent as they should be there is a recurring theme to them all, and that is to thank you all for the support you have been giving the team as usual.
The noise and atmosphere that over 1,000 of you brought to Kilmarnock on Saturday was first class and typical of the vibrant support that we are proud to have behind us home and away.
It’s never taken for granted and it’s always very much appreciated.
KTF & COYS Gordon
