St Mirren Football Club can confirm that Craig Samson has left the club to take up a role at Sunderland AFC.

Sammy, who has had two spells with Saints, retires after making over 150 appearances for the Buddies between 2010-2013 and 2017-2018.

In his time at St Mirren, Craig won the League Cup, the Ladbrokes Championship and broke the record for consecutive clean sheets at home.

As part of the move, Sunderland have agreed to play a pre-season match against Saints at the Simple Digital Arena in summer 2019.

Craig said: "I’d like to say thank you to the St Mirren fans for the way they’ve treated me and my family.

"It’s the best club I have ever been at. The way they have treated me, and everyone associated with me, has been absolutely amazing.

"I know it’s not ideal timing, but it was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up on.

"We had talked about the option of staying until January and playing until then but we all agreed it was best that we let the club go on.

"I hope the club can do really well and stay in the division as they really deserve it."

St Mirren manager Oran Kearney said: "First and foremost, we’d like to thank Craig for his magnificent service to the club.

"He’s been a great character and an ultimate professional in my time at the club and goes with our best wishes.

"We discussed the option of Craig staying until January, but we feel it is in everyone’s best interests that he takes up his new role with immediate effect."

Everyone at St Mirren would like to thank Craig for all his efforts during his time at the club and wish him all the best in his future.

St Mirren Football Club can confirm that Junior Mendes has rejoined the club as its new sports scientist. 

Junior, who played for Saints from 1996-2000 & 2002-2003 and was part of the Millennium Championship winning side, returns to the Buddies after a spell at Partick Thistle where he was lead sport scientist.

Speaking to stmirren.com, Junior said: "I'm here to oversee the physical preparations of the first team on training and match days.

"That will include nutrition, strength and conditioning.

"There's quite a bit, but it's something I'm looking forward to."

BUDDIEVISION SUBSCRIBERS CAN WATCH JUNIOR'S INTERVIEW IN FULL HERE.

Oran Kearney gives his thoughts on today's 1-1 draw with Dundee at Dens Park.

The gaffer discusses the team's performance, Kyle Magennis' return to the side, the penalty shout at the end and reserves special praise for the travelling support.

St Mirren picked up their first point on the road this season after a 1-1 draw with Dundee at Dens Park this afternoon.

Simeon Jackson opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the first half before Kenny Miller scored an equaliser 13 minutes later to grab a share of the spoils. 

It's a point that keeps The Buddies ahead of Dundee in the Ladbrokes Premiership heading into the international break.

Saints took the lead on 21 minutes from the penalty spot after a wonderful piece of skill from Adam Hammill met Jackson kindly before the forward who was bundled to the deck. The Canadian stepped up, crashing his spot kick in off the underside of the bar to the delight of the 750 plus travelling support. 

Alfie Jones did well to deny Jesse Curran an equaliser on 30 minutes. The Dundee full-back looked well placed to slam the ball home, but for the on loan Saints defender to make up ground well to block Curran's attempt.

But Dundee found a leveller four minutes later. A low ball across the box from Kallman was met by Kenny Miller. The veteran striker didn't need to do more than get his foot on the ball to help it across the line.

The home side finished the half the stronger of the sides but could only muster up a Darren O'Dea header that wasn't troubling Craig Samson.

A quiet beginning to the second half was stirred up near the hour mark with Samson having to push away a deflected Curran effort.

Both sides were struggling to create any real clear cut opportunities that would really test Samson or his opposite number Jack Hamilton. Ryan Edwards and the returning Kyle Magennis, who captained the side, both saw weak efforts held by Hamilton, while ex-Saint Paul McGowan curled high and wide. 

Saints finished brightly and were frustrated to be denied another penalty deep in stoppage time. A free kick from 25 yards was floated into the box by Magennis where it met the head of Lee Hodson. Hodson headed across goal where it looked like it might meet substitute Danny Mullen. The striker went down under a challenge but Bobby Madden was unmoved as the game finished 1-1.

Full Time: Dundee 1-1 St Mirren

St Mirren: Samson, Hodson, Jones, Ferdinand, Erhahon (Smith 82), P.McGinn, Magennis, McShane (S.McGinn 61), Edwards, Hammill (Mullen 66), Jackson
Subs Not Used: Rogers, Baird, Willock, Cooke

Dundee: Hamilton, Kerr, Ralph, Woods, Kusunga, O'Dea, Kamara, C.Miller (Nabi 64), Kallman (Moussa 72), Curran, K.Miller (McGowan 77)
Subs Not Used: Parish, Inniss, Spence, Lambert

Referee: Bobby Madden
Assistant Referee: Alastair Mather
Assistant Referee: Graham McNeillie
Fourth Official: Greg Aitken

Attendance: 5,552 (773 St Mirren supporters)

Gallery pictures by Allan Picken © - Allan Picken Photography

It’s 12th versus 11th tomorrow in the Ladbrokes Premiership as St Mirren travel to bottom side Dundee.

The Buddies go into the match sitting one point above Jim McIntyre’s Dark Blues.

THIS SEASON

It’s been a tough start to the season for each side with both seeing managerial changes in the early part of the season.

Oran Kearney has been in charge of St Mirren since September, while Jim McIntyre replaced Neil McCann at Dens in the middle of October.

Saints’ only league win so far this season came against tomorrow’s opponents on the opening day of the season. A Danny Mullen double came either side of an Elton Ngwatala strike to get St Mirren off to a winning start on their return to the Premiership.

The Buddies other Premiership point came at the Simple Digital Arena in Kearney’s first match as Saints gaffer as they drew 0-0 with champions Celtic.

Dundee’s three points came from a 2-0 win away to Hamilton in September. Andy Boyle and Karl Madianga scored for the Dark Blues that afternoon.

Saints come into tomorrow’s match on the back of a 2-0 loss to Rangers at home last Saturday. While Rangers ultimately picked up the points thanks to two late goals, the Buddies would have been encouraged by a good performance against Steven Gerrard’s side.

Dundee were edged out by Motherwell last weekend with the Fir Park side scoring in the second half to give them a 1-0 win that kept tomorrow’s hosts bottom.

PREVIOUS

St Mirren have won on their last two trips to Dens Park. The last visit came in January 2017 with goals from John Sutton and Jack Baird helping the Buddies to a 2-0 win in the Scottish Cup.

The last league meeting between the two at Dens was in 2014 and also saw Saints come out on top thanks to a Kenny McLean double and a wonderful solo goal from Stevie Mallan securing a 3-1 win.

Dundee's last win over St Mirren was back in January 2015 with second half goals from Gary Irvine and Iain Davidson giving the Dee a 2-1 win at the Simple Digital Arena.

WHAT A WIN WOULD MEAN

With Dundee failing to pick up a single point at home in the league this season, and Saints having not taken a point on their league travels this season, something has to give tomorrow afternoon.

A win for St Mirren would give Oran Kearney his first as Saints gaffer and see the Buddies move four points clear of Dundee – and potentially move to within three points of 10th place Hamilton depending on their result against St Johnstone.

If Dundee pick up all three points it would give Jim McIntyre his first points as Dundee boss and see his side leapfrog Saints into 11th.

Tomorrow afternoon (Saturday 10th November) St Mirren head to ‘The City of Discovery’ to face Dundee in a Ladbrokes Premiership fixture at the Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park.

The info on Travel Clubs heading to the Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park for the match is as follows:

Tile Bar Supporters Bus

The bus for Dundee will leave Abercorn Street at 12:00pm (noon).

Bus tickets are available from the bar.

Chivas Travel Club

The bus for Dens Park will leave The Court Bar at 12:30pm

A few non members bus tickets are available from the Court Bar.

North End Travel Club

The bus to Dundee will leave the Sneddon at 12:30pm

Bus tickets are available in The Brewer's Tap, £8 each.

Cockles Wilson Supporters Bus

The bus for the Dundee game will leave at 11:30am.

If anyone would like a place on the bus then please contact Fraser Burns on the Cockles Wilson Bankhouse St Mirren Supporters Club pages on Facebook and Twitter.

St Mirren travel to 'The City of Discovery' tomorrow to face Dundee at the Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

Additional Information for Travelling Fans

The referee on Saturday is Bobby Madden and he will be assisted by Alastair Mather and Graham McNeillie. The Fourth Official will be Greg Aitken. 

St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation in conjunction with SPFL Trust and Salvation Army are delighted to announce they will be hosting a 'Festive Friends' event within the Simple Digital Arena on Christmas Day.

Festive Friends is a wonderful community program created to accommodate elderly people, and those in need, who will be isolated and alone on Christmas Day.

The event has been very positively received by other partner organisations within Renfrewshire such as RAMH, Active Communities, Shelter, ROAR, Renfrewshire Foodbank and Star Project who are all keen to nominate men & women they feel will greatly benefit from experiencing the day.

Our good friends at the Salvation Army have kindly offered to partner on the day and provide the wonderful hearty festive meal for all of our special guests and the great team at SPFL Trust have agreed to award funding towards some of the costings.

This very fun-filled Christmas Day will commence at 12noon where all of our senior Buddies will be shown into the 1877 Supporters Club.

We will have live music, games & entertainment, some special legends dropping by to share funny stories and great memories of St Mirren’s history, the provision of a delicious three course Christmas dinner from the Salvation army and a visit from Father Christmas and the elves to provide a small festive gift.

The Salvation Army and all of St Mirren FC Women’s Team have kindly offered to volunteer on the day as we will require helpers in the lounge and more importantly volunteer drivers to ensure the safe pick up and drop home of our Festive Friends.

St Mirren FC Charitable Foundation wish to invite all of the fans, local community, business partners and friends to nominate individuals they wish to attend the event and nominations are now open, simply email gayle.brannigan@stmirren.com to enter.

To add to the magic and ensure the success of the day we will require small Christmas gifts to be donated and also additional funds to be raised. The more funds we raise and the more gifts we receive the more nominations we can accept.

Should you wish to donate a gift please email gayle.brannigan@stmirren.com and to make a Festive Friends financial donation please use our JustGiving page.

Thank you for all of your support.

Paul McGinn admits Saturday's defeat against Rangers was hard to take.

But the full-back hopes the side will show the same fight when Saints travel to Dundee on Saturday. 

The Buddies had chances against Steven Gerrard's side and contained them well before an 80th minute Daniel Candieas cross found its way into the back of the net, with Alfredo Morelos added a second in the dying embers. 

Up next for St Mirren is a trip to Dens Park to face bottom side Dundee and McGinn wants to see the side take Saturday's positives on the road with them.

 Speaking to stmirren.com, McGinn said: "It's sore.

Everyone can see it's a cross that does us. It's that old thing that when you're down there that's the way things seem to be. 

"It was a lot better though and I think the fans appreciated it a lot more. 

"We went back to four at the back and decided to get at them and I thought we did that. That's definitely encouraging.

"We need to take it on the road now. On the road hasn't been good enough and we need to first and foremost fight.

"It's another team who won't be high on confidence so we have no excuse in terms of that and we'll look to go and get the three points."

Lee Hodson has played at left-back for Saints for the majority of the season but was ineligible to play against Rangers due to his loan deal. 

With Hodson ruled out and Adam Eckersley not quite ready to return to action, 17 year-old Ethan Erhahon was pitched in for his first Premiership start.

McGinn was impressed by the St Mirren Academy graduate and hopes to see him kick-on. 

I thought Ethan was brilliant," McGinn said. 

"He must have been nervous as he got thrown in at the deep end and I thought he was magnificent.

"He did really well against Ryan Kent and even on a booking.

"Sometimes with Ethan you wonder if he is interested to be here as he's got that sort of laid back presence about him.

"If he can get that fire in his belly he'll be a top player."

A gallery of pictures from the Westmarch Suite from Saturday following St Mirren's match against Rangers in the Ladbrokes Premiership. 

Thanks to our match sponsors Maximum Approach, associate sponsor Brian Adams Transport, match ball sponsors Imperial Commercials and our captains armband sponsors Inchlea Motors.

Gallery pictures by Allan Picken © - Allan Picken Photography