It’s my pleasure to be providing my end of year update on the back of three wins in four in the William Hill Premiership and with the team back up to fifth place in the table. What a year it has been!
We achieved our highest league finish in 39 years in May and in doing so, achieved our long held aim of returning to European competition. The team played well in the four ties and it was fantastic to see our fans and dedicated staff coming together and making memories that will last forever. Having tasted this success it’s definitely something we want to do again, and soon.
The success on the park, and the work to make match days a positive experience for all, continues to bear fruit with attendances rising and Season Ticket sales now over 4600 - almost 50% up on pre-COVID levels.
We were also delighted to report an Operating Profit again in the year ended 31 May 2024. This was particularly notable given that we paid substantial and well deserved bonuses related to qualifying for Europe before the end of the financial year. The income generated from the European campaign will be reflected in the accounts to 31 May 2025.
Other successes have included a great start to the season by St Mirren FC Women’s team and an ongoing run in the Scottish Youth Cup for our U18’s. They play Queen’s Park away on 24th January 2025 in the quarter-finals. It would be great to see another good turnout of fans to cheer them on. They really are great to watch.
On that note of our younger talent, it’s also been great seeing Luke Kenny, Evan Mooney and Callum Penman break into the first team squad and make their debuts. Added to that we have several players out on loan who are making a real impact and getting vital game time. This flow of talented youngsters is a tribute to the hard work of their coaches at the Academy and the players themselves.
Off the park our vital work in the community continues to grow as well. I had the privilege and pleasure of helping the St Mirren Charitable Foundation’s Festive Friends initiative on Christmas Day. It was a genuinely joyful experience to to be part of delivering a bit of Christmas cheer to over 400 fellow Buddies living alone, and families who are struggling at this time of year. Your support for this and the Home-Start collections earlier the month really make a difference. This year also marks 15 years of Street Stuff which we run with financial support from Renfrewshire Council. The program continues to provide vital activities and support for young people which significantly reduces youth disorder and anti-social behaviour across our community.
We are also close to finalising plans for the replacement of The Dome and hope to provide a definitive decision early in 2025. The process has taken a while but I’m sure you will understand the importance of getting all of the details, both financial and operational, right before committing to the project.
So, 2024 has been a memorable year and that has only been made possible by the contributions from our fans, players, management, sponsors, volunteers, staff and directors. I want to express my heartfelt appreciation and thanks to every single one of you. It’s a source of real pride to see the progress we are making on and of the park - let’s keep that positive momentum going.
I wish you all a very Happy New Year and a peaceful and successful 2025.
