Last week we announced that we were 'going for the hat-trick' as Digby Brown Solicitors continued its principal sponsorship of St Mirren for the third year in a row. The announcement saw the extension of the original plan for a two-year deal. 

Involved in the launch video were Fraser Taylor and Kieran Offord who have made the step from the Youth Academy to first-team and Ema Beka, civil engineer and player at St Mirren Women. Digby Brown employees Amy Gannon, Gary Ross and Jenna Neil have all also made similar journeys as Trainees to Associates and Solicitors at the law firm. 

Continue below to read the stories of their respective journeys. 

Fraser Taylor - From the West Stand to the First-Team

What was your journey like from the academy to the first-team?

I came through as a young boy. I was at St Mirren when I was four years-old but left about eight before coming back when I was 11 or 12. Since then I’ve worked my way through the age groups – progressing with all the different coaches – and then got my chance in the first-team.

How important were your coaches/mentors on this journey? 

They were all massively influential through the age groups. They knew I had some sort of ability and always gave me the chance. All the coaches worked extra with me because of my physicality and were all brilliant with me.  

What does it mean to you to represent St Mirren?

It’s a dream. I used to come on a Saturday and watch the players. Then you finally get to know them, work on the park with them, become friends with them. It’s brilliant and it’s something I’ve wanted to do all my life.

When did you know you wanted to be a footballer (work in this profession)?

For as long as I can remember. My mum says that since I could walk, I always had a football and was always kicking it about in the garden. Then I was obviously in at St Mirren from a young age so that was the only real plan I had. I did well in school though so I had a backup, but football was always the number one priority for me.

How important is it for younger players to work hard academically and keep their options open?  

Football doesn’t work for everyone. I’ve not made it at all yet. I’ve only played a couple of games and still have a long way to go. It’s about having that security to do something else if you need to.

What are your ambitions for the future?

I want to play as many games for the club as I can and hopefully make the club some money. I’d like to have a good long career and then maybe come back one day and do as much as I can one day. 

Fraser Taylor and Kieran Offord

Kieran Offord - From the Youth Academy to the First-Team

What was your journey like from the academy to the first-team?

I joined when I was 14. I started at U15s and came through the age groups. Covid happened when I was 16 and that put things on hold for two years. I missed reserve team football and had to jump from U18s to the first-team quite quickly.

When the new management joined, I got pushed up to the first-team permanently and that’s been really good. It was a lot more physically and mentally demanding and the biggest step for me was trying to keep up with those physical demands every day.

What does it mean to you to represent St Mirren?

I love it. It’s a club that’s such a good community and it’s tight-knit. Whether it's the players or the fans, it’s a real community and a welcoming place.

When did you know you wanted to be a footballer?  

As soon as I kicked a ball. I think I’d have been about three. 

How much unseen hard work goes into being a footballer and what are the sacrifices you have to make?

There are a lot of sacrifices to be made. A lot of friends my age will be going out a lot and doing what the seeing as fun at the weekends but for us it’s been about being around a ball a lot, working hard and doing more to progress. 

What are your ambitions for the future?  

I want to see where football can take me and I want to go to the top. I’m quite ambitious. I want to play for Scotland, I want to play in the English Premier League, in the Champions League. I set my goals high and hopefully I can achieve that.

Ema Beka - Balancing playing for St Mirren Women's Team and a full-time career as a civil engineer

What was your journey in football like?

Football has always been my favourite hobby. Academics was always important to me, but from the first time I serendipitously joined a football team at the age of 8, when I happened upon a group playing football near my house, I’ve never not been part of football club, sometimes two. When I moved to Scotland in September 2019, one of the first things I did was find a club to tryout for. I’ve been with St Mirren since October 2019.

How important were your coaches/mentors on this journey?

My football coaches throughout my career have truly influenced my life, within football and out-with. More than technical and strategic skills, I’ve learnt morals of being a team player, finding strength within yourself to perform, and working to achieve progress. I’ve carried all these traits with me throughout adolescence and now adulthood, and I genuinely attribute these learnings to my football career primarily.

What does it mean to you to represent St Mirren?

Representing St Mirren is an honour for me, especially the women’s team. I’ve been with the club since 2019, and in this time I’ve witnessed first hand the effort, dedication, and passion that has gone into establishing the organisation for the Women’s team.

I can truly see now, the trajectory of the club can only go upwards, to which I am truly grateful to be part of the legacy that will become St Mirren Women’s Football Club.

I’m humbled to have been given this amazing opportunity as a Canadian who travelled abroad to work as an engineer, only to find herself just as dedicated to a football club.

When did you know you wanted to be a footballer?

I never committed to football until I trialled for St Mirren. I decided to focus my efforts on my academic career in Civil Engineering instead, as that was a more secure job prospect for me. I’ve now done my best to manage both my civil engineering career and football concurrently.

How much unseen hard work goes into being a footballer and what are the sacrifices you have to make?

Being a competitive footballer requires a time commitment to attending games, training, personal fitness training, keeping up a good nutrition which involves meal preparation and food logging, game match analysis, and participating in club events.

There’s also mental fitness that needs to be trained to be a footballer - managing your stresses (work, personal, and football) and being able to focus on football requires dedication.

How important is it for players to work hard academically and keep their options open?

I would always insist younger players continue to put just as much effort into their academics as they do football because throughout childhood and adolescence, everyone develops in ways that cannot be anticipated. If football is your true passion, it won’t escape from your grasps, but if you ignore your academics, you can miss pivotal learning years in your education. I’ve always managed both football and my education, and I am proud of myself for putting in the dedication to both because I’ve gained so much joy and fulfilment from both aspects of my life.

What are your ambitions for the future?

I intend to continue playing football wherever life may take me. I may not be in Scotland in years to come, but I will always be part of some club in whatever country I find myself in.

From left to right; Amy Gannon, Gary Ross and Jenna Neil of Digby Brown. 

Amy Gannon - Trainee to Associate

What was your journey like from trainee to associate? 

I can sum it up in three words: varied, challenging, and rewarding. I’ve always felt valued here and supported along the way to reach my full potential which I think is crucial for your development in any workplace.

How important were your supervisors/mentors on this journey?

I can confidently say my supervisors played a pivotal role in my development throughout my traineeship and beyond. I’ve been lucky enough to be supervised by people with different teaching methods and professional styles, which meant I learned to be adaptable.

My supervisors always had the time for me and encouraged my progression within the firm.

What does it mean to you to represent Digby Brown?

The positive impact we have on peoples' lives after their accidents is what I think it means to represent the firm. I’m passionate about helping people and the quality of service we ensure. The specialist reputation of the firm is unmatched in the legal sector and so I’m delighted to continue to represent Digby Brown.

When did you know you wanted to be a personal injury lawyer (work in this profession)?

My brother was in a nasty motorcycle accident when we were younger and this opened my eyes to the impact accidents can have on people and how important it is to seek specialist help. I always knew I wanted to help people in need, so becoming a personal injury lawyer was the perfect fit.

What are your ambitions for the future?

I have a strong desire to progress further within the firm and I’m confident that this is achievable. I feel really fortunate to work somewhere that supports and encourages me to progress.

Gary Ross - Trainee to Associate

What was your journey like from trainee to associate?

I started my traineeship in 2011 and found that it was really varied. Over the 2 years I worked on all kinds of personal injury cases and appeared regularly in court which improved my knowledge of the procedures involved in claims for civil damages.

I then moved into Digby Brown’s Industrial Disease Department after finishing my traineeship and I’ve really enjoyed specialising in this type of work (for more than 10 years now!)

I’ve been fortunate to help clients in cases that involve complex legal and medical issues and found that this helped to develop my specialist knowledge of Industrial Disease.

How important were your supervisors/mentors on this journey?

My supervisors within the firm were crucial in my journey from trainee to associate and I feel like they always supported and guided me to the best of their ability.

The work we do is all centred around being able to help clients as best we can, so being able to ask my supervisors questions and get feedback about my work was very important because at the end of the day the client was benefiting from the best legal advice available.

What does it mean to you to represent Digby Brown?

Representing Digby Brown, to me, means making sure I get the best possible outcome for my clients. It’s important that they trust that they’re in good hands, and I’ve always been proud to be part of a firm with the specialist knowledge to help better the lives of others.

When did you know you wanted to be a personal injury lawyer (work in this profession)?

I actually discovered my passion for personal injury law while I was studying delict in university. I enjoyed the fact that I could combine my interest in helping people with my legal knowledge. Personal injury law deals with cases where people have been hurt because of someone else's negligence, and it’s rewarding to help those people get the damages they deserve.

What are your ambitions for the future?

My aim is to work for Digby Brown long into the future and continue to help people who are going through very tough times.

Jenna Neil - Trainee to Newly Qualified (NQ) Solicitor

What was your journey like from trainee to NQ?

It was a really rewarding process and I really enjoyed having my own clients and case holdings from the start.

All the strategies I learned over the two years are really helpful in practice now as a newly qualified solicitor, and I noticed when I finished the traineeship my confidence increased rapidly.

How important were your supervisors/mentors on this journey?

I think it’s really important to be paired with supervisors who can complement your learning style but also challenge you. This involves a lot of trust and I felt like I could share any concerns I had and work on development ideas with confidence, which has ultimately led me to where I am today!

What does it mean to you to represent Digby Brown?

An accident can be life changing and I think acknowledging this first and foremost is at the core of the work we do. Lending an ear in times of difficulty, taking extra care when discussing sensitive topics, guiding towards helpful solutions and sometimes just being there as a trusted figure when they may have no one else is why representing Digby Brown matters.

When did you know you wanted to be a personal injury lawyer (work in this profession)?

It’s definitely always been an area of law I’ve been interested in. I worked as a Paralegal while I was studying and wrote my dissertation on medical negligence, so I recognised the importance of seeking justice and fair compensation for people and their families who’ve been through difficult, often traumatic situations.

What are your ambitions for the future? 

I’m definitely looking forward to developing my career with Digby Brown. As a newly qualified solicitor, I’m proud that I can keep helping people who’ve been injured through no fault of their own and give them the support they deserve. I feel very fortunate to work for the leading personal injury firm in Scotland.

Mark O'Hara has been nominated for the Scottish Premiership Goal of the Season for his goal against St Johnstone in November. 

The Saints midfield man found the top corner of the net with a sensational strike from 25 yards in our 2-2 draw with the Perth Saints. The effort is also nominated for St Mirren Goal of the Season.

Visit this link HERE to give Mark your vote. Voting closes at 5pm on Friday 12th May with the winner announced at the PFA Scotland Awards on Sunday 14th May. 

St Mirren were defeated 2-1 by Hibernian in the first post-split fixture with an Alex Greive strike not enough for Saints to take anything against the Edinburgh outfit.

Two early first-half goals had the Hibees in control though Saints pulled one back in the second-half through New Zealand forward Greive. The Buddies pressed for an equaliser but couldn't find it and left a rain-soaked Easter Road empty-handed.

There were three changes to the side that lost to Kilmarnock before the split with Declan Gallagher, Greg Kiltie and Alex Greive in for Joe Shaughnessy, Keanu Baccus and Tony Watt. 

The home side got themselves off to the ideal start when Elie Youan put them ahead on four minutes. It was a cheap goal to concede from a Saints perspective as Marcus Fraser couldn't control Charles Dunne's throw-in in the middle of the park which allowed Youan to gather before racing clear and slotting low beyond Trevor Carson.

Hibernian were buoyed by their early goal, but it was Saints who'd go close to levelling on 12 minutes when Mark O'Hara sent an effort just over the bar after being first on to an Alex Greive header.

The hosts doubled their lead on 24 minutes and it was another disappointing goal for the Buddies to lose. Will Fish was unmarked at the back post after Joe Newell's corner had missed everyone initially before finding the Hibees defender on his own at the back stick to nod into the net and make it 2-0.

Both sides had a chance within the space of a minute with 10 minutes of the first-half remaining. Ryan Strain's long-range strike was held by David Marshall before Hibs went up the other end of the park in search of a third with Carson making a terrific save with his feet to deny Youan at the near post. 

Stephen Robinson responded to the first-half showing by making a change at the break with Keanu Baccus coming on for Declan Gallagher.  

Saints started the second-half better but hadn't created any real chances within 10 minutes of the restart. And it was Hibs who had the best chance to increase their lead when Kevin Nisbet met Chris Cadden's low cross, but knocked over from close-range. 

The Buddies should have had a goal back just after the hour mark when Strain's cross deflected into the path of the unmarked Curtis Main. Had the striker managed to get a proper connection on the ball it would have found the net, but he could only get the faintest of touches which allowed Hibs goalkeeper Marshall to hold. 

However, St Mirren would pull one back four minutes later with Main the provider as he flicked Carson's long kick on for Greive who burst through and knocked through Marshall's legs to reduce the deficit. 

Saints pressed for an equaliser with Lewis Jamieson coming on for goalscorer Greive and the St Mirren Youth Academy graduate was close to drawing us level in the final few minutes when he drilled an effort into the side-netting on 89 minutes. 

It wasn't to be for the Buddies who return to action at The SMiSA Stadium next Saturday against Hearts. 

Full-Time: Hibernian 2-1 St Mirren

St Mirren: Carson, Fraser, Gallagher (Baccus 46), Dunne, Strain, Kiltie, O'Hara (c), Gogic, Tanser, Greive (Jamieson 82), Main
Subs Not Used: Urminsky, Shaughnessy, R.Taylor, Kenny, Flynn, Boyd-Munce, Offord

Hibernian: Marshall (c), Hanlon, Fish, Egan-Riley, Cadden (Miller 90), Jeggo, Doyle-Hayes (Campbell 30), Newell, Stevenson, Youan (Hoppe 90), Nisbet
Subs Not Used: Johnson, Cabraja, Devlin, Henderson, McKirdy, Rocky

Referee: Matthew MacDermid
Assistant Referee: Calum Spence
Assistant Referee: Stuart Stevenson
Fourth Official: Chris Fordyce
VAR: Euan Anderson
Assistant VAR: Daniel McFarlane

Attendance: 16,334

Header image by Kenny Ramsay

"We gave ourselves an uphill battle.

We want to win next week and certainly won't be giving up on anything.

"We lost today as a team and we'll bounce back again next Saturday as a team."

The manager gives his reaction following today's narrow defeat away to Hibernian.

An exciting opportunity has arisen within St Mirren Football Club. We are looking for a physiotherapist to work alongside our first-team and academy to join our ambitious team.

Reporting to Head of Medical, Gerry Docherty and Academy Director, Allan McManus, your role will see you provide the highest standard of evidence-based care, in line with the department's strategic plan.

You will provide effective Physiotherapy to the Under-18s squad and Youth Academy, while assisting the first-team when required as directed by the head of department and contribute to the overall success of the Medical and Football Science department.

The role will be on a full-time permanent basis. To download the job description please click HERE.

If you’re interested in this exciting & challenging role please send an up-to-date copy of your CV and cover letter to: keith.lasley@stmirren.com by Friday 19th May 2023. 

Interviews will be held at a date to be confirmed and only those invited to interview will receive return notification.

SMISA members and fans will be aware that an election process is underway to fill vacancies on the SMISA Board. One of the candidates referred to a grant application, initiated by Kibble, for funding under the auspices of the Scottish Government Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF). Given the nature of the wording within that candidate statement, the Club Board wish to clarify the details regarding this matter, including the diligence undertaken in September/October 2022.

During the September 2022 Board meeting the Directors became aware of, and discussed, a proposal to build a Wellbeing Centre in Ferguslie Park and a funding application to the RCGF. All St Mirren Football Club Directors were in attendance. A Stage 1 Application had been submitted for RCGF funding and it was successful in moving to Stage 2 of the process. The application cited Kibble, The St Mirren Charitable Foundation and Renfrewshire Council as leading the application, the Club nor the Charitable Foundation had been engaged prior to the submission as this was very early stages of the process. It should be noted that historic discussions and meetings around the development of the Ferguslie Master Plan, including the potential development of a Wellbeing Centre, had taken place with Club Board members, Renfrewshire Council senior officials and other stakeholders.

From the discussions that took place at the St Mirren Football Club Board meeting on 29 September 2022 it became clear that the matter would require further conversation with the Charitable Foundation and that the Club should maintain interest in this matter to establish if the project offered any tangible benefit going forward. It was agreed that timely and appropriate discussions must take place regarding any potential projects in future to ensure that all stakeholders, directly involved or otherwise, were aware of the approach that was being taken.

Regarding the suggestion that St Mirren Football Club was expected to offer its land for the proposed Wellbeing Centre, this was not the case. The application was unspecific as to the precise location of the proposed building, but a crucial element of the plan was that the Wellbeing Centre would be built on one of several long-term derelict sites in the Ferguslie area, not on land owned by St Mirren.

Given the need to align other stakeholders, a meeting with the Charitable Foundation took place, and subsequently the Charitable Foundation Board agreed to support the Stage 2 application for RCGF funding, given the complementary nature of the establishment of a Wellbeing Centre in the area.

The Club Board, having confirmed that alignment on the proposal had been achieved, was content that the matter had been concluded appropriately from a St Mirren Football Club perspective. As highlighted, a watching brief on the progress of the application was applied to establish it there were any opportunities for the Club arising from the initiative. The Club Board will always be supportive of any regeneration and development of the area surrounding the stadium if it is complementary to the best interests of the Club.

Notification that the application was unsuccessful was received in January 2023, and the matter is now closed.

It is also worth noting by way of background information that the Club own a parcel of land adjacent to the stadium. Any sale or transfer of that asset, or any other element of the St Mirren estate, would require to be subject to a robust process. This would include being professionally valued, recommended by a majority of the Directors and approved by Club Shareholders as part of the legal Shareholder Agreement.

To reiterate the information outlined above regarding the RCGF application, no St Mirren Football Club land was ever part of the application or discussion hence these arrangements were never required.

There have been other parties who have proposed the development of the stadium facilities and these, when they have been suggested, have been treated in a similar manner to the RCGF application by the St Mirren Football Club Board.

Like all fans, the Club Board are looking forward to the next five games that see our Club in the Top Six of the SPFL for the first time, we want everyone to enjoy the games, get right behind the team and are looking forward to a positive end to one of the most successful seasons in our Club's history.

St Mirren travel to Edinburgh on Saturday to face Hibernian in cinch Premiership action as we head into the final five matches of the season.

Hibernian vs St Mirren
cinch Premiership
Venue: Easter Road
Date: Saturday 6th May 2023
Kick-off: 3pm

There are no match day sales. Tickets must be collected from the St Mirren Ticket Office by 2pm on Friday, however, if you do not collect your ticket from the St Mirren Ticket Office before 2pm on Friday, SLO Karin Pointon will be positioned outside the away stand at Easter Road on Saturday with pre-bought tickets. Please bring photo ID when picking up tickets from Karin. 

You can follow the action on our Twitter page @saintmirrenfc. 

UK subscribers to St Mirren TV can listen to live audio commentary as part of their subscription. St Mirren TV international subscribers can watch live on tv.stmirren.com as part of their subscription. International subscriptions start at £14.99 per month or £149.99 per year for access to all of our cinch Premiership matches.

Please note there is no PPV for Saturday's match. 

• This is a ticket only game which is with no tickets being sold at Easter Road. Please arrive early to the stadium due to numerous roadworks around the stadium and down Leith Walk! 
• Avoid the Holyrood area due to significant police presence due to the King's coronation.
• Coach parking in Regent Road
• Turnstiles will open at 2pm. Turnstile Numbers 3-6. There will be search lanes at Easter Road for queue management and safety and to prevent any congestion at the turnstiles. Please comply with stewards instructions.
• Kiosks will be card only.
• Please sit in your allocated seats.
• Flags should be within regulations (2m x 1m) and must have a fire certificate. No offensive or political flags will be allowed. Please display all flags/banners to the CCTV cameras before entering the stadium. Please be guided by the stewards on placement of any flags/banners.
• No balaclavas or face coverings will be allowed on entering or within the stadium. Refusal of entry/ejection will occur if face coverings are seen.
• No pyro! No smoke cannisters!
• No bags bigger than 30cm x 30cm allowed. Any bags bigger needed into the stadium for medical purposes please email slo@stmirren.com before the game
• No surfing banners or telescopic poles allowed.
• Drum will be allowed inside stadium and will be required to be searched prior to entry.
• Searching will be in place.
• Any inebriated fans will not be allowed to enter the stadium.
• No smoking anywhere inside the stadium and no pass out is allowed.
• Please be mindful when parking on the streets and not to block any driveways.

Voting is now open for our 2022/23 Social Media Player of the Year sponsored by Ultimate Home Solutions and our Goal of the Season sponsored by Consilium Contracting Services.

Voting is open until 5pm on Friday 12th May and the winners will be announced at our Player of the Year Awards Dinner at the Normandy Hotel on Sunday 28th May 2023. 

VOTE HERE: 2022/23 Social Media Player of the Year
VOTE HERE: 2022/23 Goal of the Season

Individual places are available at £85+VAT per person, with a minimum of two places on a shared table basis. Tables are available in multiples of 10 at £850+VAT or 12 at £1,020+VAT.

To reserve packages or enquire about Event and award sponsorship as well as commemorative brochure advertising opportunities, contact Commercial Manager, Campbell Kennedy on 0141 840 1337 or email commercial@stmirren.com 

St Mirren Football Club is delighted to confirm Ryan Flynn has triggered an extension clause in his contract and will remain at the club for the 2023/24 season. 

The midfielder - affectionately termed Flynniesta - is our longest serving first-team player having joined the club in January 2018 when we were on our way to winning promotion to the Premiership.

Ryan has since gone on to make 139 appearances for Saints – with 23 of those coming this season – and has taken his first steps into coaching after undertaking his UEFA B Licence. 

The 34-year-old joins the likes of Greg Kiltie, Marcus Fraser, Mark O'Hara, Trevor Carson and Richard Taylor in extending their contracts in recent months. 

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson said: "I think Ryan brings vast experience and quality to the club.

He’s shown he can still go into the team and do well in numerous positions. As a squad player, he’s fantastic, and as an experienced professional, he’s exactly what we need at the football club.

"He’ll get involved in a little bit of the coaching in the first-team as well and I want him to be a part of what we are doing. 

"It's vital to have experienced players," the manager continued. "They dictate the tempo of training, the gym work and the attitude around the place.

"The older boys in the squad are the ones who do a bit for me in terms of helping manage the players and it’s important he stayed given his quality and what he offers on the pitch as well." 

Digby Brown Solicitors is set to continue its principal sponsorship of St Mirren Football Club for the third year in a row.

The announcement extends the original plan for a two-year deal with the Paisley team.

The personal injury firm said it was delighted to commit to another year with Saints after being impressed with not only the team's performance in achieving top six but also the club’s commitment to community, inclusivity, and equality.

Today’s announcement continues their commitment to the historic kit deal which saw the Women's team and boy's academy wearing the same strip as the Men’s first-team – believed to be a first in top flight Scottish football history.

Keith Lasley, Chief Operating Officer at St Mirren FC, said: "We’re delighted that Digby Brown are extending their partnership with the club.

Both Digby Brown and St Mirren share many values in terms of the promotion of our people within our businesses and the focus on our people’s development.

"We hope we can both help each other grow and continue what has been a successful relationship so far."

Fraser Oliver, Chief Executive at Digby Brown, said: "When we first agreed to sponsor St Mirren, we were still partly in lockdown and looking to find new ways of marketing the Digby Brown brand.

It was completely new territory for us but here we are at the end of two seasons - we don’t feel ready to walk away yet.

"The whole team at St Mirren have been brilliant in this second season, not just the players but everyone in the business – we have done great things together.

"At Digby Brown we take pride in knowing we are one team, and the passion of fans and the surrounding community is something that really resonates with everyone here at the firm.

"We still feel like there is more to achieve together and we look forward to another successful season as principal sponsors with St Mirren."

We entered our first year of sponsorship with Digby Brown in 2021, with the firm’s logo featuring on all home and away jerseys.

The 2022/23 season saw massive demand for the black Paisley-patterned away top which had eager Buddies queuing around The SMiSA Stadium. The strip was also a favourite of hit-maker DJ Ewan McVicar who was involved in its launch and proudly wore the new jersey every night at his summer Ibiza gigs.

Last year the bond between Digby Brown and the Saints was on display as First Men’s Team - Alex Greive, Scott Tanser and Greg Kiltie – attended the firm’s annual Spinal Injuries Scotland BBQ and Activities Day.

The players were able to engage and experience first-hand how the firm supports the spinal cord injury community through adaptive sports.

The firm also hosted a bumper giveaway of three highly sought after away shirts which were presented to the winning Buddies at The SMiSA Stadium in December 2022.