St Mirren Football Club can confirm that Josh Heaton has joined English side Kidderminster Harriers on loan until the end of the season.

The defender joined Saints on a three-year deal in the summer from Darlington and has made two appearances for the Buddies.

Everyone at St Mirren would like to wish Josh all the best during his loan. 

St Mirren Football Club can announce that Adam Hammill has departed the club to join Scunthorpe following the expiry of his contract.

Adam joined St Mirren on a short-term deal in October and made 12 appearances scoring four times.

An opportunity has arisen for Adam closer to home and the midfielder goes with our best wishes.

The club would like to thank Adam for all his efforts during his time in Paisley and wish him all the best in his new opportunity.

Tickets are on sale for our William Hill Scottish Cup match against Alloa Athletic at the Simple Digital Arena on Saturday 19th January 2019.

Tickets, which are on sale at the St Mirren Ticket Office and online, are priced at £17 for adults, £9 for over-65s and £4 for under 16s for Saints’ first match of the new year.

We are disappointed that we could not come to an agreement with Alloa for cheaper ticket prices.

We had wished to charge minimum prices, however, as per Scottish FA rules, both clubs have to agree on a price and if an agreement cannot be reached then charges which are normally made for regular fixtures of the home club apply so we had to agree to compromise.

The Buddies will be back following a three-week break as St Mirren Hall of Fame inductee Jim Goodwin brings his Alloa side to Paisley.

And with the January transfer window in full effect by the time the game comes around we expect a few new players in the squad so get your tickets now as we look to progress to the Fifth Round. 

Season ticket holders will have until January 11th to purchase their own seats after which time all seats will be sold on a first-come-first-served basis.

St Mirren Football Club can confirm that Ian McShane has left the club to join Ladbrokes Championship side Falkirk.

Ian joined St Mirren in July 2017 from Ross County and played a pivotal role in our Championship winning side. 

In his time at Saints, Ian made 49 appearances scoring five goals.

We would like to thank Ian for all his efforts at the Buddies and wish him the best for the future. 

We can confirm today that Jordan Kirkpatrick will leave the club to join Alloa Athletic on January 1st 2019 subject to the completion of paperwork.

Jordan signed for Saints from the Wasps in May 2017 and went on to make 17 appearances in his time at the Buddies.

We would like to thank Jordan for all his efforts at St Mirren and wish him the best for the future. 

As we approach the new year it is customary to reflect and to make resolutions for making positive changes going forward.

2018 was a year that saw us fulfil our goal of bringing Premiership football back to Paisley and whilst it has been a somewhat turbulent return to the top flight to date I am confident that the huge amount of work that has gone on over the last few months will pay dividends in the second half of the season.

Oran and his backroom team have been travelling the length and breadth of the UK and beyond scouting potential targets and I am sure we are all looking forward to him putting his own stamp on the squad.

There are no guarantees in football but you can rest assured that we will give the management team every help we possibly can as we seek to improve the playing squad in what is going to be a very busy January transfer window.

One of the bright spots of the season so far has been the emergence of our youth players. Ethan Erhahon has quickly become a regular in the first team and if Cammy MacPherson had not been restricted by injuries I am sure we would have seen a lot more of him. Cammy Breadner and Sam Jamieson have both made their first team debuts this season.

Here’s a quick update on a few other things happening in and around the club since my last update.

Stadium and Academy lighting

We are about to start the process of changing all the lighting at the stadium and academy to low energy LED fittings. This will pay for itself over the next 5 years and it is something that is much needed especially in the car park where half the lights are either missing or not working.



I would like to thank club sponsors Consilium Contracting Services for their assistance in working with the club to specify and install the lighting and Resource Efficient Scotland who are helping finance the process.

Academy Pitch

The new pitch at the academy is now complete. It has already raised the standard of the junior academy and reserve team training and will now be vital to the first team when the weather dictates that they cannot use the grass.

We spent a lot of time researching the best surface with academy manager Allan McManus travelling as far afield as Holland. The financial input from SMiSA members allowed us to go the extra mile and lay what is now one of the best surfaces available at any level.

We would also like to thank Scottish Football Partnership for their financial assistance.

Tunnel Project

The project to personalise the tunnel is now complete with the addition of a board celebrating the Championship winning team from last year, some upgraded lighting and the laying of Astro turf.

Our thanks to club sponsors Rearo for working with us to design and manufacture the boards. I am sure seeing all the successful saints teams of the past inspires the players as they pass through the tunnel.

We have also installed a camera in the tunnel to help add to the atmosphere at the start of the game. We have had a few software issues that meant it wasn’t working at every game but it will become a regular feature going forward.

Match Day Entertainment

The Paisley Panda is not just the club mascot.

Colin Bright, ably assisted by our club SLO’s, is the driving force behind all the good things that happen to entertain families on match days.

Thanks to donations from the Fans Council, SMiSA and the Kibble we have been able to provide face painters, balloon artists and buskers as well as half time entertainment.

The feedback we get from the families coming to the games is excellent so keep up the good work guys.

St Mirren Trust

The St.Mirren Community Trust (shortly to be renamed The St.Mirren Charitable Foundation) was set up in 2013. However, without adequate initial funding it's aims and objectives stalled.

Recently, the opportunity arose to employ a consultant in Gayle Brannigan who had extensive experience in trust management and we felt that she would be the catalyst to getting it up and running and doing good things in the local community. As a result the club invested an initial start up sum to get the charity moving forward and within the last few months we have seen several projects completed  by the charity with the help of the club and key business partners.

The board of the trust now consists of Saints director Alan Wardrop, Paul McNeil of the SFA, Gavin Whyte of Sigmoid Consulting and is chaired by Sir Ian Reid who has unrivalled experience in running and developing trusts.

We will explain more about the trusts aims and objectives in a separate article but already we have seen a pilot scheme for young entrepreneurs from Renfrew high school, a festive friends program which in conjunction with the Salvation Army provided Xmas dinner at the stadium for people who would otherwise be spending Xmas on their own and the siting of a men’s shed within the attenuation area behind the dome (thanks to club sponsor Cruden for providing one of the cabins and doing all the preparation work).

The next program they are working on, FFIT, is an SPFL Trust program which uses football as the engagement tool to encourage participants to sign up to a free 12 week training course which would be taken at the stadium. It's aimed at men & women between the ages of 35-65 who are at overweight and as such at potential risk of developing diabetes and other coronary heart disease related conditions.  If you are interested in joining the programme contact the trust via Gayle Brannigan at gayle.brannigan@stmirren.com

SMISA Director

David Riley has been part of the SMiSA committee since the club takeover and after the recent election becomes their representative on the club board. We look forward to welcoming David into the boardroom.

Dave Nicol has been an excellent choice as the first ever fans representative on the board and we have asked Dave to continue on the board to assist David to integrate smoothly into his new position.

And Finally……

Whilst it was perhaps easy for fans to turn out in such large numbers as we closed in on the Championship title it is at difficult times like the ones we have faced recently that fans truly become "supporters".

It’s been a difficult time for you all and yet the backing we continue to receive, both home and away, has been absolutely fantastic. It really does make a huge difference, something that Oran and the players have all acknowledged.

There were a lot of fixtures in December, a notoriously expensive time of the year for us all and yet we still had great numbers following the Saints at all our matches. Over 1,000 at Kilmarnock was terrific commitment.

None of this is ever taken for granted and everyone at the club is desperate to give you better results on the park to reward your efforts.

I’d like to personally thank you for all your support and wish you and your families all the very best for 2019.

COYS!!

Oran Kearney gives his thoughts on today's 2-1 loss to Kilmarnock and discusses the upcoming winter break & January transfer window. 

He also thanks the fans for their brilliant support with more than 1,000 Buddies at Rugby Park this afternoon.

St Mirren were edged out by Kilmarnock in the final game of 2018 as the Ayrshire side won 2-1 at Rugby Park.

Two quick goals from Stuart Findlay and Jordan Jones had Killie in control, but Simeon Jackson pulled one back for Saints. But the Buddies couldn't find an equaliser 

It was a disastrous start for Saints with the home side opening the scoring with just four minutes on the clock. Stuart Findlay got away from his marker to get on the end of a Chris Burke corner and head beyond Dean Lyness.

Kilmarnock doubled their lead on 11 minutes when Greg Stewart danced through the Saints defence and teed the ball off to Jordan Jones who swept home from close range. 

Killie kept on the offensive with Greg Taylor having a shot blocked and Stewart, causing the Buddies problems down the left side, teeing up Eamonn Brophy who fired over inside the opening 20 minutes.

But Saints managed to weather the storm and even pulled a goal back on 22 minutes. Adam Hammill's ball into the box from the right was met by Simeon Jackson who guided his header into the bottom corner.

St Mirren finished the half strongly and had a big chance to level just after the half hour mark after Cammy Smith robbed Findlay of the ball inside the Kilmarnock box. The forward laid the ball across the box into the path of Hammill who smashed over the bar. 

Very little was created by either side in the second half. Stephen O'Donnell smashed an effort off a Saints defender on 56 minutes, while Lee Hodson had a powerful effort drive blocked on the edge of the Kilmarnock box. 

Greg Stewart had the best chance of the second 45 when he drove through on goal but his effort was straight at Lyness. 

Oran Kearney made a change with just over five minutes remaining when Sam Jamieson came on for Cammy Smith. But the Buddies couldn't fashion any chances in the remainder of the game to take a point back to Paisley.

Full Time: Kilmarnock 2-1 St Mirren

St Mirren: Lyness, P.McGinn, Baird, Jones, Ferdinand, Erhahon, Hodson, S.McGinn, Hammill, Smith (Jamieson 83), Jackson
Subs Not Used: Rogers, Flynn, Breadner, Kirkpatrick, Glover, McShane

Kilmarnock: Bachmann, O'Donnell (Millen 56), S.Boyd, Findlay, Taylor, Power, Dicker, Burke (McKenzie 83), Jones, Stewart, Brophy (Ndjoli 75)
Subs Not Used: MacDonald, Waters, Tshibola, K.Boyd

Referee: William Collum
Assistant Referee: Frank Connor
Assistant Referee: Daniel McFarlane
Fourth Official: Grant Irvine 

Attendance: 7,131 (1,002 St Mirren fans)

This Saturday (29th December), St Mirren bring the curtain down on 2018 as they head to Ayrshire for a Ladbrokes Premiership match-up with Kilmarnock at Rugby Park.

The info on Travel Clubs heading to Rugby Park for the match is as follows:

Tile Bar Supporters Bus

The bus for Kilmarnock will leave at 1:30pm from Abercorn Street.

Bus tickets are now on sale from the bar.

Chivas Travel Club

The bus for the game against Kilmarnock will leave The Court Bar at 1:30pm

Non members bus tickets are available from the Court Bar.

Cockles Wilson Supporters Bus

If you would like to travel on the bus please contact Fraser Burns on Facebook or Twitter.

North End Travel Club

The bus to Kilmarnock will leave The Sneddon at 1:00pm.

Bus tickets are on sale from the Brewer’s Tap, £6 each.

St Mirren travel to Ayrshire on Saturday to face Kilmarnock at Rugby Park in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Additional Information for Travelling Fans

The referee on Saturday is Willie Collum and he will be assisted by Frank Connor and Daniel McFarlane. The Fourth Official will be Grant Irvine.