The St Mirren Ticket Office will be open tonight (Thursday 1st August) between 5pm-7pm for fans wishing to purchase tickets for Saturday's match away to Hibernian.

Hibernian have confirmed that they will have a ticket pod located at the South Stand on Saturday which will be open from 1pm with cash and card options for Saints fans.

Prices will be £23 for adults and £14 for concessions (Over 65, Student, under 18). The £12 under 12 ticket will not be available at the pod.

Any tickets purchased from the St Mirren ticket office must be picked up by 2pm on Friday 2nd August.

St Mirren Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Sam Foley on a two-year deal subject to international clearance.

The 32-year-old midfielder joins St Mirren on a free transfer having departed English League Two side Northampton Town at the end of last season.

Sam becomes the Buddies' fifth signing of the summer following the signatures of Dean Lyness, Tony Andreu, Oan Djorkaeff and Ilkay Durmus.

Speaking on his signing, Jim Goodwin said: "Sam is a good, experienced, central midfielder.

"He can play on the left and the right of midfield but I’m bringing him in to be a central midfielder.

"He gives us a bit of aggression, a bit of experience, has good energy & fitness levels and is a very tidy footballer.

"We can’t have enough of those types of players. You need good, honest, experienced professionals who are going to bring out the best in the younger kids."

St Mirren Football Club is delighted to announce the signing of Ilkay Durmus on a two year-deal from Austrian side FC Wacker Innsbruck subject to international clearance.

Born in Germany, Ilkay had spells as a youth player at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and VfB Stuttgart before moving to Turkey to sign for Gençlerbirligi in 2012.

The wide midfielder, capped by Turkey up to U20 level, has also had spells at Antalyaspor, Floridsdorfer AC, SC Austria Lustenau and SV Ried.

Speaking to stmirren.com after taking part in his first training session, Ilkay said: "I’m happy to be here. I spoke to the manager and he told me about St Mirren and it was very positive.

"I looked at videos of St Mirren from last season and it looked good so I wanted to come here."

St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin said: "I’m delighted to have Ilkay in.

When I done my assessment on the team in my first couple of weeks I felt that we lacked a little bit of pace throughout the team. Ilkay gives us that in abundance.

"He is a very attack-minded, old-fashioned winger and players like that excite me and I think he’ll excite supporters as well.

"He’s direct, he’s positive, he puts a great ball in so he’s one to be very excited about.

"He’s a couple of weeks behind with regards to pre-season training but we’ll get him up to speed and I think he’s one that the fans will certainly get off their seats to watch.

"There’s been a lot hard work going on behind the scenes. I know people have wanted things to happen quicker and I’m the same. Tony [Fitzpatrick] wants things to happen quicker, Gus [MacPherson] wants things to happen quicker. Tony and Gus in particular are working very hard and I can't stress enough how good Tony and Gus have been for me in my first month in the job. 

"I've given them a long list and a list of players that may be sometimes is a little ambitious. But at the end of the day I want to bring in good players and I want to bring in players that will excite the fans and I want to make us more than competitive. 

"We’re doing all we can and we are making some very good offers to some very good players. I think the players we have already added have enhanced the group and I think the ones that we have identified will make us better again."

Tickets for St Mirren Colts' Caramel Wafer Cup First Round tie against East Kilbride on 6th August are now on sale from the St Mirren Ticket Office and the Online Ticket Shop.

We will only be opening the Main Stand for this match as demand is expected to be low.

St Mirren Colts v East Kilbride
Caramel Wafer Cup
Venue: The Simple Digital Arena, Paisley
Date: Tuesday 6th August 2019
Kick-off: 7:45pm

The tickets prices are as follows:

Adult - £10
Concession - £5
Under 16 - Free

The St Mirren FC Youth Academy are offering a fantastic opportunity for a Head of Sports Science & Medicine to oversee the academy youth squads (U11-U18) and the reserve league squad.

Reporting to the Head of Youth Development, you will be given the platform to work in a vibrant, intelligent and challenging sporting environment with the potential to develop and become the best at what you do. The role will be on a full-time permanent basis.

You will be a highly reliable and enthusiastic individual who is able to motivate and enthuse others. You will also be willing to work irregular hours to include evening and weekends, (as and when games are scheduled). To be a positive role model within the club, have exceptional record keeping and organisational skills, and be willing to travel to away games with the squads.

In addition to working with the Reserve League and Academy squads, you will have the opportunity to manage the Youth Academy Physiotherapy Clinic and work with our highly skilled First Team Physiotherapist to gain invaluable experience of working within a professional sporting environment, assessing acute injuries and developing and progressing rehabilitation programmes.

Duties Include

• Provide pitch side Physiotherapy at both home and away matches
• Assess acute injuries
• Devise appropriate rehabilitation programmes
• Attend the Youth Academy Physiotherapy Clinic
• Attend staff in-service training

Essential Qualifications

• BSc/MSc in Physiotherapy 
• HCPC Registration
• Sports First Aid Certificate (Recognised by the Scottish FA)
• Membership with the Protection of Vulnerable Groups Scheme (PVG)

Desirable Qualifications

• CSP Membership
• MSc in Sports Therapy/Medicine
• Experience of working in professional sport in a medical setting

Salary

Competitive Dependant on experience and qualifications.

How to Apply

Please send a CV with covering letter to recruitment@stmirren.com.

Applications will close on Friday 23rd August 2019

Paul McGinn hopes supporters will continue to back the Buddies as they did last season ahead of next week's Ladbrokes Premiership opening match against Hibernian.

The defender, who was named St Mirren Player of the Year last season as Saints avoiding relegation via the play-offs, believes the fans' support was pivotal for the team last season.

And while he admits everyone is disappointed after being knocked out of the Betfred Cup, he hopes supporters will show the same encouragement when the league season gets underway.

It's normal to get frustrated," he told stmirren.com.

"As players we get frustrated as well especially when you are coming up against teams that are in leagues below us.

"But hopefully the fans will realise that the team that will be playing in the league will be different.

"I had always been at teams that if you were down near the bottom the fans were on your back straight away.

"It was pretty surreal that our fans weren't like that last season. I'm hoping that they will be the same again this season and in the low points they'll be behind us. We do really appreciate it."

McGinn says the Buddies have to move on from the Betfred Cup exit, but pointed out that other Premiership teams have struggled in it this season due to how quickly the competition comes around.

A few of the other Premiership teams were the same," he said.

"That's what happens when you don't get much of a break and with the new cup you are straight in at the deep end. There's no time to work on sharpness or anything like that so you just need to live with it and hope you get the better of the other teams. We didn't and we just need to take it on the chin and get on with it. 

"We've had three or four games in nine days so the sharpness should be there now. Even though it's a small squad just now the boys at the heart of it should be sharp now and there are no excuses."

Tickets are on-sale for our trip to face Hibernian at Easter Road on the opening day of the 2019/20 Ladbrokes Premiership season.

The match and tickets info is as follows:

Hibernian vs St Mirren
Ladbrokes Premiership
Venue: Easter Road, Edinburgh
Date: Saturday 3rd August 2019
Kick-off: 3:00pm

Prices

Adult - £23
Concessions* - £14
2-11 years old - £12

*over-65s, 12-17 and students with valid ID

Ambulant disabled supporters will be charged the regular match price for their age and if they can provide proof that they are entitled to a carer this will be provided free of charge (i.e. higher rate for mobility purposes on DLA/PIP).

There are only four wheelchair and carer tickets available and these can be purchased either over the phone or by attending the Ticket Office in person. Wheelchair users will be charged the regular match price for their age and a carer ticket will be provided free of charge.

Any tickets purchased from the St Mirren ticket office must be picked up by 2pm on Friday 2nd August.

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

Tue, Jul 30th - 10:00am - 2:00pm
Wed, Jul 31st - 10:00am - 2:00pm
Thu, Aug 1st - 10:00am - 2:00pm and 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Fri, Aug 2nd - 10:00am - 2:00pm

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

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

St Mirren's Betfred Cup campaign came to an end after a goalless draw away to Albion Rovers. 

Saints had to win and hope results elsewhere would go our way to have any chance of qualifying for the next round, but couldn't find the breakthrough during a stuffy 90 minutes against the League Two side.

Jim Goodwin was forced into one change from the side that drew 0-0 with East Kilbride on Saturday. Stephen McGinn, who picked up a knock during that draw, was replaced by Cody Cooke. 

Already depleted, Saints were dealt an early blow when Cammy MacPherson had to be replaced on seven minutes after picking up a shoulder injury. On came 18 year-old Nick McAllister who almost nabbed himself a debut goal just four minutes after taking the field. He floated in at the back post to get his head on the end of an Oan Djorkaeff cross but nodded over.

The Buddies could have found themselves ahead on the half-hour mark with Jack Baird and Kyle Magennis going close. A corner in fell kindly to Baird who cracked a low effort into the post. The Albion defence couldn't get the ball away which allowed Magennis to nod over goalkeeper Chris Smith. Just as it looked set to creep over the line a Rovers defender was there to clear.

Saints continued to press for an opener and again went close twice in quick succession on 38 minutes. Albion keeper Smith made a terrific fingertip stop to turn a powerful Cody Cooke attempt by the post. The ball fell to Djorkaeff on the edge of the box after Magennis had a shot blocked from a corner. The Frenchman wasn't far away with his attempt, curling just wide of the keeper's left-hand post. 

The hosts went close with five minutes to go before the interval when Ross Clarke sent an effort just over the bar from the edge of the Saints box.

Danny Mullen should have given Saints the breakthrough on 45 minutes when Ryan Flynn sent the forward one-on-one with Smith but the goalkeeper made a good block to keep it level at half-time.

Magennis, captain for the evening in the absence of Stephen McGinn, went mightily close to breaking the deadlock five minutes into the second half. The midfielder met a Tony Andreu header around 25 yards from goal and crashed a volley agonisingly past the post with the keeper beaten. 

And it was a volley that could have had the home side ahead with just over 20 minutes to go. A ball was floated across the Saints box where it met Roberts in acres of space. The Rovers number seven caught the ball sweetly but smashed his attempt off the bar.

St Mirren Youth Academy graduate Cammy Breadner was brought on with just over 10 minutes to go and looked to have made an impact when his super ball into the box was turned home by Danny Mullen with just six minutes remaining. However, the lineswoman raised her offside flag to keep it 0-0.

There were further late chances for Mullen and Magennis who both almost snatched a late winner for the visitors, but, for the second match in a row, St Mirren were taken to penalties. Bryan Wharton and Smart Osadolor missed for the hosts while Paul McGinn, Andreu, Flynn and Magennis netted for Saints giving us the bonus point as we ended our Betfred Cup campaign on six points.

Full-Time: Albion Rovers 0-0 St Mirren (St Mirren win 4-3 on penalties)

St Mirren: Hladky, MacPherson (McAllister 7), P.McGinn, Baird, Erhahon, Flynn, Magennis, Djorkaeff (Breadner 79), Andreu, Cooke, Mullen
Subs Not Used: Lyness, Walker, Glover

Albion Rovers: Smith, Lynas, Clarke, Wilson, Fagan (Wharton 77), Morena, Roberts, Fotheringham, Osadolor, East, Stewart (Phillips 76)
Subs Not Used: Carlin, Paterson, Gordon, Krones

Referee: Barry Cook
Assistant Referee: Kylie Cockburn
Assistant Referee: David Ingram

Attendance: 512

Jim Goodwin gives his thoughts on another frustrating night for Saints as they were held to a goalless draw by Albion Rovers.

St Mirren travel to Coatbridge tonight to take on Albion Rovers in our final Betfred Cup group stage match.

FORM

Saints go into tonight's game on four points having won one, drawn one and lost one of our first three Betfred Cup matches.

The Buddies bounced back from a 3-2 loss at home to Dunfermline to beat Edinburgh City 1-0 at the Simple Digital Arena last Wednesday night.

Oan Djorkaeff's late penalty on his first St Mirren start got Jim Goodwin his first win as Saints manager.

Saints were then held to a frustrating 0-0 draw away to Lowland League side East Kilbride. Following the 90 minutes, East Kilbride picked up the bonus point after winning 6-5 on penalties.

Albion have taken three points from their opening two Betfred Cup matches. They edged out East Kilbride 1-0 at K-Park on match day one thanks to ex-Saint Jordan Stewart's 25th minute goal, but fell to a 6-0 loss away to Dunfermline last week. 

PREVIOUS

The Buddies last faced Albion Rovers in a Challenge Cup tie at Cliftonhill in September 2016.

Saints looked like they were heading for a shock defeat when Albion raced into a 2-0 lead with just 13 minutes played. But three goals in eight minutes from Lewis Morgan, Stephen Mallan and John Sutton put the Buddies in the lead.

Rovers would equalise just two minutes after Sutton had made it 3-2 and the game went to extra-time. Lawrence Shankland's 98th minute header was enough to see St Mirren into the next round with the Buddies reaching the final of the competition that season.

Saints are unbeaten in their last 11 matches against Albion Rovers stretching back to 1971. Since a 2-1 win for Rovers in September 1971, Saints have won 10 and drawn one of those meetings.

WHAT A WIN WOULD MEAN

Only a win would keep up Saints' feint hopes of qualification alive. The Buddies must pick up three points that would see them end the group on seven points. No club has qualified for the next round on seven points since the introduction of the groups let alone won a group with that total. 

However, it could be enough to win group H. For that to happen Dunfermline would have to lose to East Kilbride in their final match, while Edinburgh City would also have lose against Albion Rovers in one of their remaining two matches as two East Kilbride wins would see the Lowland League side top the group on eight points. Are you still with us?

Below is the only set of outcomes from the final four matches that would see St Mirren top the group:

Albion Rovers v St Mirren - St Mirren win
Edinburgh City v East Kilbride - Edinburgh City win
Dunfermline v East Kilbride - East Kilbride win
Albion Rovers v Edinburgh City - Albion Rovers win 

Those results would see Saints top the group on seven points, while Albion, Dunfermline and Edinburgh would end up with six points and East Kilbride with five. It's complicated!

TEAM NEWS

Gary MacKenzie could miss tonight's match after sitting out Saturday's draw with East Kilbride.