Over the last few weeks a group of volunteers from within SMISA's membership have been in at the Paisley 2021 Stadium cleaning the Family Stand. While the front of the seats are cleaned by the club each year, the backs are not. The volunteers have been in cleaning these with power-washers and they have also cleaned the stairs, banisters and the advertising boards to make the area look much nicer ahead of Saturday's game against Dumbarton.

The Club's thanks go to volunteer squad members Bert Downie, Ian McLaren, Ken Docherty, Gordon Black and SMISA committee member Jim Crawford for all their hard work. 

The guys are keen to expand the numbers and if anybody has a few hours to spare and would like to join them, your help will be hugely appreciated. The team are back in at the stadium this week tackling the West Stand. For more information, email jim.crawford@smisa.net 

We are pleased to announce the launch of the second phase of the club website development project with the new St.Mirren "e-store" going live today here at stmirren.com.

The e-store allows our supporters and local businesses to pay for goods and services online using our new secure payment processing platform.

Initially in this phase we are rolling out online bookings for Matchday Hospitality and also opening up the remaining player sponsorship packages at a reduced rate for both individual and corporate sponsors to the end of the season.

This is only the beginning. We will be looking at all the services provided by the club and hosting as many of these online as we can, making purchasing as quick, easy and convenient as possible.

Today you will be able to book corporate hospitality for the Dumbarton game this coming Saturday and also for the Chinese/Indian Buffet we are running for the later kick off match against Dunfermline on the 19th of November. In fact all our home league games to the end of the year are available to buy including the perfect Christmas present of a day out at the derby game vs Morton on Hogmanay!

More matches will be added to the system during the course of the week.

The e-store can be found under "Shop" in the main menu and you will see online payment buttons on the relevant service pages too.

Naturally it works perfectly on mobiles and tablets so you book your services wherever you happen to be.

Click here to have a look around and create an account for easy future payments on the system.

Bookings are of subject to VAT which will be calculated at the time of order and all corporate transactions are subject to a £1.50 per ticket booking fee. All major credit cards are accepted and business customers can reserve services online using company purchase orders.

Where season ticket holder discounts are available please enter the applicable season ticket numbers in the box provided when processing your sale.

Jamie Langfield admits a result against Morton would make his 50th start for St Mirren all the more sweet as the Buddies head to Greenock tomorrow night. The goalkeeper will make the milestone appearance in the derby match if he's selected by manager Jack Ross and Langfield says he's very proud to be closing in on 50 games for the Saints.

Speaking to stmirren.com after Saturday's match against Hibernian, the 36 year-old said: "For me to play 50 times for my local team that I supported is a massive achievement and something that I'm very proud of. 

"It's a great milestone to reach and it would be even sweeter if we get the result on Tuesday night and we can really kick-start our season.

I feel as fit as I ever have," he continued. "I may have the body of a 36 year-old, but I have the mindset of an 18 year-old. Adjusting to the player/coach thing was hard at the start, but I'm really enjoying it. I have a great bunch of goalkeepers to work with and I'm also working with the academy now, so I'm seeing what's coming through and it's things like that that I really do enjoy. But first and foremost, I'm a player and whenever the manager needs me I'll be there giving 100%. I may make mistakes, but I'll give everything." 

Langfield made several stops throughout Saturday's game and saved a second half penalty from Grant Holt, but said that it didn't mean all that much in the end due to the fact the side still lost. However, he believes that the Saints squad is a talented one and will hopefully kick on.

It's great that you maybe give yourself a wee chance to go up the other end and maybe nick a goal, but at the end of the day it hasn't really counted for much. When your luck is against you and your confidence is down because you've not got a result the quality of a Hibs shows. We've got that in our squad, but we need a result to go our way just to get it out and let it flourish. 

The effort from the team is incredible and some of our play as well is brilliant, but we're just not getting that wee bit in the final third, that wee bit of quality that Hibs had. They've got that by winning games and breeding confidence and hopefully that's what we need to get because as a squad we've got those players." 

The goalkeeper also firmly believes that Jack Ross and James Fowler are the right men for the job and has been impressed with the training since the manager took over last month.

He said: "He's brought a youthfulness, a right togetherness, his demands are very high and you can see the way the boys are working. A lot of people talk about fitness, but I don't think it has anything to do with fitness. I just think we are looking a bit sharper and now it's all about breeding confidence in the team to get the results and I'm sure he and James Fowler and the men to do it." 

Tonight (Tuesday 1st November), St Mirren head along the Clyde to Greenock to face Jim Duffy's Morton side at Cappielow Park.

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

Cockles Wilson Supporters Bus

The bus for Cappielow will leave at 6:45pm.

Bus tickets are now available from the Bankhouse.

Tile Bar Supporters Bus

The bus for the Morton game will leave at 6:45pm.

Bus tickets are now on sale.

North End Travel Club

The bus to Greenock will leave the Sneddon at 6:30pm.

Bus tickets are on sale in the Brewers Tap, £5 each.

Chivas Travel Club

The bus will leave the Court Bar at 6:45pm for the match at Cappielow.

Tickets for this bus are on sale from the bar.

* Proof of status must be shown

** Children Under 12 gain free entry if accompanied by an adult.

Any wheelchair spaces need to be booked direct with The St Mirren Ticket Office as the spaces are limited – the cost is £15 for the wheelchair user and carer.

Additional Information

Tonight, Tuesday 1st November, St Mirren head to Greenock to face Morton in the Ladbrokes Championship.

The gate prices have now been confirmed for the fixture at Cappielow Park and these are shown above.

This match will be pay-at-the gate with cash turnstiles in the Wee Dublin End of Cappielow Park.

The referee tomorrow is Euan Anderson and he will be assisted by Graham Chambers and David McKniff.

For directions to Cappielow Park click here

Video of interview with St Mirren manager Jack Ross after today’s 2-0 loss away to Hibernian.

Ben Gordon made his first start for St Mirren this afternoon in the match away to Hibernian. An outing of mixed emotions for the defender.

“I was obviously happy to play but disappointed with the result at the end, but I’m happy to get my first start and hopefully take it from there.”

It has been a strange couple of months for Ben having been out on loan to Alloa who were managed at the time by Jack Ross and now being brought back to Saints, again under manager Jack Ross.

“It was a strange one. I’ve played the game for quite a while and I would say I’m an experienced player and you try and learn to not be surprised in football but it was one of those where you play it by ear and sees what happens. There were obviously lots of rumours and as I say it was a strange one, but you get your head around it and get on with things.

“It [coming back to St Mirren from being on loan] was one that kind of happened naturally, I didn’t try to force things, I just wanted to see what was going on. I obviously went to Alloa to get games and I did that while I was there under the gaffer. It was just something that happened naturally and I’m happy to be playing football.

“With him bringing me to Alloa it showed me that he had seen me play and that he was happy with how I played football so that gives me confidence but once you come back it is like playing for another gaffer and you hope to pay him back for putting you in the team.”

With Andy Webster and Gary MacKenzie out due to injury today, Ben had the opportunity to stake a place in the centre of St Mirren’s defence.

“Hopefully as that’s how football works, you hope to go in when you get a chance and look to hold your place and keep the jersey but we’ll see how things go and develop. But, yes that is what you hope to do when you get a chance.”

After Morton on Tuesday, Saints will face one of Ben’s former clubs, Dumbarton, next Saturday but he admits that playing against former clubs is something that doesn’t bother him too much.

“It’s been a while since I played for Dumbarton but I play against former clubs just about every season now so it’s not a huge deal for me now. But it is a big game and we need to get points on the board as soon as possible.”

Despite the poor run of form for Saints Ben believes that the atmosphere at the club under the new gaffer is a positive influence.

“When a new manager comes in you get a bit of a lift and you hope that training will pick up and sharpen, and training has been good and people have enjoyed it so hopefully we can take that into the games, high tempo and pressing, and get points on the board.”

St Mirren were unable to replicate their IRN-BRU cup victory against Hibernian as they fell to a 2-0 defeat at Easter Road in the Ladbrokes Championship.

Saints started the match well with some early pressure down the left wing from Lewis Morgan. The young midfielder won the visitors a free kick within the first minute of play when John McGinn brought him down five yards outside the box. Stevie Mallan stood over the set piece however, the Saints number 10 could not find the target.

Only a minute later, Morgan was through again. The quick midfielder cut inside the Hibs defence and unleashed a powerful shot which was agonisingly wide.

It was then Hibs turn to pile on the pressure as they too saw a shot go just wide as Andrew Shinnie’s rebound was off target.

With seven minutes on the clock, Hibs opened the scoring through Martin Boyle. Shinnie played the ball over the top of the St Mirren defence and Boyle latched on to it as he broke forward. Langfield advanced in hope of blocking the shot but Boyle nicked it over the keeper and into the net to make it 1-0.

St Mirren tried to respond to conceding and came within inches of scoring once more. Saints’ corner was headed towards goal by Lawrence Shankland but it was headed away by the Hibs defence, only as far as Clarkson who blasted just wide of the target.

Hibs doubled their lead just after the half hour mark, Grant Holt the scorer this time. The original attack was from Boyle who was crowded out by the St Mirren defence but the ball came to Holt on the edge of the box who managed to find a pocket of space to stroke the ball home to make it 2-0.

Half-Time: Hibernian 2-0 St Mirren

The Buddies made a half time change in the hope of turning the match around which saw Kyle Magennis come on to make his debut taking the place of Ryan Hardie.

Saints had some early pressure in the second half but were unable to make it count. Lewis Morgan got the better of David Gray on the left wing and played the ball into the box. Jason Naismith was waiting but his header was not powerful enough to trouble Ofir Marciano in the Hibs goal.

Boyle remained the danger man for Hibs as he found himself through on goal again after Gary Irvine misjudged the bounce of the ball. However, the defender was joined by Jack Baird in putting pressure on Boyle and in the end the forward skewed his shot wide. 

St Mirren continued to look for a way back into the match as David Clarkson made way for John Sutton. 

Kyle Magennis had a chance to make his mark as the ball fell to him perfectly on the edge of the box but the young substitute’s shot was blocked and cleared from danger.

Things looked to get worse for St Mirren when Hibs were awarded a penalty with 15 minutes left to play. Gary Irvine was cautioned after he was judged to have fouled Grant Holt. It was Holt who stepped up to take the spot kick but was unable to convert it as Jamie Langfield got down to pull off a great save.

St Mirren made their last change as Kyle Hutton was replaced by Calum Gallagher but the changes weren’t enough to see St Mirren score and after a goalless second half, the match finished in Hibernian’s favour.

Full-Time: Hibernian 2-0 St Mirren

Hibernian: Marciano, Gray, Hanlon, Fontaine, McGinn (Bartley 76), Fyvie, Holt (Graham 83), Stevenson, Boyle (Harris 90), Shinnie, McGregor.
Subs Not Used: Forster, Cummings, Martin, Laidlaw (GK).

St Mirren: Langfield, Naismith, Baird, Gordon, Irvine, Hutton (Gallagher 77), Mallan, Morgan, Hardie (Magennis 46), Clarkson (Sutton 64), Shankland.
Subs Not Used: Walsh, McLear, Whyte, Gallacher (GK).

Referee: Don Robertson.
Assistant Referee: Alasdair Ross.
Assistant Referee: Daniel McFarlane.

Attendance: 14,485.

Match report pictures by Allan Picken – © Allan Picken Photography.

Match Gallery Pictures © John Millar.

Jack Ross says St Mirren won't be going to Easter Road tomorrow to make up the numbers. The Saints travel through to the capital to face league leaders Hibernian and the manager wants his side to be positive and show belief in their ability to take something from the game. The last visit to Edinburgh for the Buddies was a mere three weeks ago with goals from Stevie Mallan and David Clarkson giving the visitors a 2-1 win to progress to the quarter-finals of the IRN-BRU Cup. 

Speaking to stmirren.com ahead of the match, Ross admitted it will be a tough match but one in which the side should be capable of going and giving a good account of themselves.

He said: "When you go away from home to the team that is top of the league then it's stating the obvious that it's going to be a challenge. I think, though, we go there with belief - not just the fact we have won there recently, but the fact we have players that have proven themselves at that level and beyond in the past. That's something we need to tap into to bring them back to that level of self-belief in their own abilities. 

We'll go there to play on the front foot," he continued. "The message this week is not to go there and sit in and hope for the best. I believe that we are a club and a team that should be looking to go and win these games. It's easy to say it, but it's another thing going and doing it."

With no game for St Mirren last weekend, it gave the manager an opportunity to go and see tomorrow's opponents in the flesh along with Morton, who the Saints will play at Cappielow on Tuesday 1st November.

He said: "I went to Hampden and watched the first hour of Morton and then went to East End Park to see Hibs. That was good from a personal point of view because it allowed me to see them with my own eye which I think is always helpful. We'll be prepared thoroughly for the two games but naturally it's easier to prepare for the Hibs game as you've got longer."

The next game is always the most important one and the biggest one so everything we've been doing this week has been working towards Saturday. Once that game is finished the focus turns to the next one."

Ben Gordon returned to St Mirren this week following an emergency loan spell at Alloa. Saints will be without the services of centre-halves Andy Webster and Gary MacKenzie for the trip to Hibs but Ross was insistent that Gordon would have come back regardless.

I wanted to come here and assess the players and squad that I had," he said. "There's also been circumstances with injuries. But regardless, I would have still looked to have brought Ben back. I know his capabilites as a player, I know his character, his attitude and I know how - even while he was with Alloa - keen and determined he was to be successful here. He is a good defender and he will get an opportunity now."

Jack's full interview will be available on St Mirren Radio tomorrow as we bring live commentary from the game at Easter Road. 

Britain’s leading pay-as-you-go energy provider, UTILITA ENERGY, has today been confirmed as the Official Energy Partner of St.Mirren Football Club for the 2016/17 season.

The partnership will see Utilita Energy direct additional funding into the club’s Youth Academy programme to help find and coach the club’s future stars.

For every St Mirren fan who signs up using exclusive promo code ‘BUDDIES’, Utilita Energy will donate £25 to the club’s youth academy.

Each fan will also receive a free and exclusive limited edition St Mirren smart meter In-Home Display cover - and a tariff guaranteed to be cheaper than the Big 6*

Jem Maidment, Utilita Energy’s Head of Communications said:

We’re naturally delighted to become the Official Energy Partner of St Mirren. We are equally delighted that the initial agreement will see money ring-fenced for the development of the next generation of stars.

Having been last year’s Official Presenting Partner of the League Cup, we are massive fans of Scottish football and we’re looking forward to this year’s partnership with St Mirren.

Campbell Kennedy, Commercial Manager at St Mirren, commented:

Utilita Energy are keen supporters of Scottish football and recognise the connection between a club and its supporters.

With this fantastic offer our fans can also play their part in the recruitment and development of our young players at the club with £25 of each sale being donated to the St Mirren youth academy.

Buddies can sign up NOW – head to http://www.utilita.co.uk/stmirren and type in promo code ‘BUDDIES’ when switching - or call 0345 206 8777 and quote ‘BUDDIES’.

*Based on Ofgem medium consumption (12,500 kWh for gas and 3,100 kWh for electricity) and using the best Dual Fuel standard variable prices available to prepayment customers from the Big Six suppliers