St Mirren F.C.

Saint Mirren Football Club (usually referred to simply as St Mirren, or by the nicknames The Buddies or The Saints) are a Scottish football club based in the town of Paisley, Renfrewshire. The team is named after the Irish monk Saint Mirin who is the patron saint of Paisley and is said to have founded the town's Abbey. They will play in the Scottish Premier League in season 2006-07 having gained promotion from the First Division in 2005-06. St Mirren are managed by Gus MacPherson and the main sponsors are currently Braehead, a local shopping centre located on the border of Renfrewshire and the City of Glasgow.

History

St Mirren currently play in black and white striped shirts but originally wore scarlet and blue stripes in the first few years of existence. They also wore cream shirts for one season in the early 1900's.

St Mirren started off as a gentlemen's club which included amongst other sports, cricket and rugby in the late 19th century, but by 1877 solely concentrated on playing football. They have won the Scottish Cup in 1926, 1959 and 1987 and also won the Bells Challenge Cup in 2005, defeating 2-1 in the final (goals from Simon Lappin & John Sutton).

St Mirren FC played their first match on the 6th October 1877, defeating Johnstone Britannia at Shortroods. Two years later, the club moved to another ground; Thistle Park, Greenhills. St Mirren's first Scottish Cup match came on the 4th September 1880, a 3-0 victory over Johnstone Athletic. The following year, the Buddies reached their first cup final but were beaten 3-1 by Thornliebank in the Renfrewshire Cup, which Saints have won 47 times. St Mirren reached their first Scottish Cup final in the 1907-1908 season but were defeated 5-1 by Glasgow Celtic. Nevertheless, the Buddies would go on to lift the trophy in 1926, 1959 and 1987. In the 1979/1980 season, St Mirren achieved finished third behind Aberdeen and Celtic in the Premier League; their equal-highest ever finish in the top-flight. That season Saints also became the first and last Scottish club to win the Anglo-Scottish Cup, defeating Bristol City in a two-legged final. The following season, St Mirren competed in European competition for the first time and won their initial game 2-1 vs. Elfsborg in Sweden. The club have been relegated from the Premier League twice (1991/1992 & 2000/2001), but only after escaping relegation in 1991 after league re-construction. In 2001, St Mirren finished bottom of the Premier League despite losing only one of their final seven matches.

The team's local rivals are Greenock Morton - the first meeting between the two, came in the 3rd Round of the Scottish Cup in 1885. Morton won the game 4-3.

In 1922, St Mirren played FC Barcelona in the Barcelona Cup invitational tournament to celebrate the inaugartion of the Les Corts.

Stadium

On 16 August 2005 the Scottish Executive granted permission for the club to sell their old ground for supermarket development and allow the club to build a new stadium in Greenhill Road, Ferguslie Park, Paisley. The sale of their old ground will finance the new stadium as well as clear the current debts of the club.

Directions to the Stadium

From the North, South, West & East via the M8.

Follow signs for Paisley & Glasgow Airport. Exit the M8 at Junction 29 (St James' Interchange) which is just after Glasgow Airport turn off if travelling east to west. Be careful not to exit on to the A737 which is signposted for Irvine. It is best to stay in the middle lane when passing the Airport as this leads naturally to the St James' Interchange exit.

At the interchange take the first left onto a dual carriegway with some football parks on the left hand side. Follow this road and after a sharp right hand bend you should now be in Greenock Road. The stadium is only a few hundred yards from here.

Car Parking

Car parking for away fans is by parking on Greenock road and the adjacent streets (Murray St, Clark St). Please be careful not to block the residents driveways and/or entrances to local businesses.

Gate Prices Season 2006 - 2007

'A' Games are versus Rangers or Celtic. 'B' Games are versus any one of the other nine SPL opponents.

Main Stand

'A' Games

Adult - £22
Full-Time Student - £15
Under 16 - £15
Senior Citizen - £15
Disabled Card Holder - £15
Unemployed - £15

'B' Games

Adult - £20
Full-Time Student - £13
Under 16 - £13
Senior Citizen - £13
Disabled Card Holder - £13
Unemployed - £13,

North & North West Stand & Enclosure

'A' Games

Adult - £20
Full-Time Student - £13
Under 16 - £10
Senior Citizen - £13
Disabled Card Holder - £13
Unemployed - £13

'B' Games

Adult - £18
Full-Time Student - £12
Under 16 - £10
Senior Citizen - £12
Disabled Card Holder - £12
Unemployed - £12

Reid Kerr College Family (East) Stand

'A' Games

Adult - £20
Full-Time Student - £13
Under 16 - £10
Senior Citizen - £13
Disabled Card Holder - £13
Unemployed - £13
Parent & Child (Under 16) - £27
Additional Child (Under 16) - £6

'B' Games

Adult - £18
Full-Time Student - £12
Under 16 - £10
Senior Citizen - £12
Disabled Card Holder - £12
Unemployed - £12
Parent & Child (Under 16) - £25
Additional Child (Under 16) - £6

Laidlaw Scott (West) Stand (Away Support)

'A' Games

Adult - £22
Under 16 - £15
Senior Citizen - £15
Parent & Child (Under 16) - N/A
Additional Child (Under 16) - N/A

'B' Games

Adult - £20
Under 16 - £13
Senior Citizen - £13
Parent & Child (Under 16) - £30
Additional Child (Under 16) - £10

Disabled Access

RKC Family Stand - Free (£12 charge for helper)
LS West Stand - Free (£12 charge for helper)

Current squad

Transfers

Manager Gus MacPherson has been reasonably busy in this summer's transfer market but hasn't got past "B" in the list of names it seems. So far the Buddies have signed 36-year-old defender Stuart Balmer on a player/coach deal from Hamilton, midfielders Garry Brady and Richard Brittain from Dundee and Livingston respectively, and also 28-year-old striker Alex Burke from First Division side Ross County.

There has been endless speculation over which players will be added to the St Mirren squad including John Rankin (Ross County), Jim Lauchlan (Ross County), Jim McIntyre (Dundee United), Derek McInnes (now Millwall), Alan Archibald (Dundee United), Charlie Adam (Glasgow Rangers), Tom Brighton (now Millwall), Charlie Mulgrew (Glasgow Celtic), Gary Holt (Nottingham Forest), Barry Smith (now Valur), Andy Lawrie (now St Johnstone), David McNamee (now Coventry City), Paul Di Giacomo (Kilmarnock), Simon Lynch (Dundee), Gavin Strachan (Hartlepool United) , Marvin Andrews (Glasgow Rangers), Soti Kyrgiakos (now Eintracht Frankfurt).

There appeared to be a possibility of ex-Manchester United trainee John Rankin joing St Mirren earlier in the season but despite the fact his move to Inverness CT is currently in doubt, new signings Garry Brady and Richard Brittain will fill the role vacated by Mark Reilly, who retired after Saints won the Championship in May. Charlie Adam - who had been on loan at Love Street for the 2005/2006 campaign - is impressing new Rangers manager Paul Le Guen and so it is unlikely that he will be returning to Paisley to wear the black and white of St Mirren.

SPL Fixtures 2006-2007

29-Jul-2006: Inverness Caledonian Thistle - Away
05-Aug-2006: Motherwell - Home
12-Aug-2006: Celtic - Away
19-Aug-2006: Aberdeen - Home
26-Aug-2006: Dundee United - Home
09-Sep-2006: Hearts - Away
16-Sep-2006: Kilmarnock - Home
23-Sep-2006: Dunfermline - Away
30-Sep-2006: Hibernian - Home
14-Oct-2006: Falkirk - Away
22-Oct-2006: Rangers - Home
28-Oct-2006: Inverness CT - Home
04-Nov-2006: Motherwell - Away
12-Nov-2006: Celtic - Home
18-Nov-2006: Aberdeen - Away
25-Nov-2006: Dundee United - Away
02-Dec-2006: Hearts - Home
09-Dec-2006: Kilmarnock - Away
16-Dec-2006: Dunfermline - Home
23-Dec-2006: Hibernian - Away
26-Dec-2006: Falkirk - Home
30-Dec-2006: Rangers - Away
01-Jan-2007: Inverness CT - Away
13-Jan-2007: Motherwell - Home
20-Jan-2007: Celtic - Away
27-Jan-2007: Aberdeen - Home
10-Feb-2007: Dundee United - Home
17-Feb-2007: Hearts - Away
03-Mar-2007: Kilmarnock - Home
10-Mar-2007: Dunfermline - Away
17-Mar-2007: Hibernian - Home
31-Mar-2007: Falkirk - Away
08-Apr-2007: Rangers - Home

Club Records

Highest Attendance: 47,438: .v. Celtic on 7 March 1925
Biggest victory: 15-0: .v. Glasgow University on 30 January 1960
Most capped player: Ian Munro and Billy Thomson: 7 Scotland.
Most capped international player: Gudmundur Torfason: 26 Iceland.
Youngest Player: Scott Gemmill 16 years & 60 days - vs. Raith Rovers (Starks Park) 8th August 2003.
Most League appearances: Tony Fitzpatrick, 351 (1973-1979, 1981-1989)
Most European appearances: Campbell Money, 8 (1985-1988)
Most League goals: David McCrae, 221 (1923-1924)
Most League goals in a season: Dunky Walker: 45 1921/22
Record Transfer Fee Paid: £400,000 to Bayer Uerdingen for Thomas Stickroth (March 1990)
Record Transfer Fee Received: £850,000 from Glasgow Rangers for Ian Ferguson (February 1988)
Most League wins in a season: 27, Division Two (1967-1968)
Most League defeats in a season: 31, Division One (1920-1921)
Most League draws in a season: 15, Premier League (1987-1988)
Most consecutive league victories: 16, Division Two (18/11/1967 - 30/3/1968)
Longest unbeaten league run: 34, 18/11/1967 (Division Two) - 16/11/1968 (Division One)
Most Goals Scored in a season: 114, Division Two (1935-1936)
Most Goals Conceded in a season: 92, Division One (1920-1921)

Honours

Scottish First Division: 1976/77, 1999/2000, 2005/06
Scottish Cup: 1926, 1959, 1987
Scottish League Challenge Cup: 2005
Renfrewshire Cup: 1882/1883, 1883/1884, 1887/1888, 1890/1891, 1893/1894, 1896/1897, 1897/1898, 1903/1904, 1909/1910, 1910/1911, 1923/1924, 1924/1925, 1925/1926, 1927/1928, 1928/1929, 1929/1930, 1931/1932, 1932/1933, 1933/1934, 1935/1936, 1937/1938, 1940/1941, 1943/1944, 1945/1946, 1946/1947, 1947/1948, 1949/1950, 1958/1959, 1959/1960, 1960/1961, 1962/1963, 1966/1967, 1973/1974, 1976/1977, 1978/1979, 1979/1980, 1982/1983, 1983/1984, 1984/1985, 1985/1986, 1987/1988, 1989/1990, 1997/1998, 1998/1999, 1999/2000, 2000/2001, 2001/2002
Victory Cup: 1919
Anglo Scottish Cup Winners: 1979/80
Summer Cup: 1943
Epson Invitational Tournament: 1986/87

Managers

John McCartney 1904-10
Barry Grieve 1910
Hugh Law 1910-16
John Cochran 1916-28
Donald Turner 1928-29
John Morrison 1929-36
Sam Blythe 1936-41
Donald Menzies 1941-42
Willie Fotheringham 1942-45
Bobby Rankin 1945-54
Willie Reid 1954-61
Bobby Flavell 1961-62
Jackie Cox 1962-65
Doug Millward 1965-66
Alex Wright 1966-70
Wilson Humphries 1970-72
Tommy Bryceland 1972-73
Willie Cunningham 1973-74
Alex Ferguson 1974-78
Jim Clunie 1978-80
Rikki McFarlane 1980-83
Alex Miller 1983-86
Alex Smith 1986-88
Tony Fitzpatrick 1988-91
David Hay 1991-92
Jimmy Bone 1992-96
Iain Munro 1996
Tony Fitzpatrick 1996-98
Tom Hendrie 1998-2002
John Coughlin 2002-03
Gus MacPherson 2003-

Famous players

Prominent Fans

Dougie Vipond, former drummer with Deacon Blue and TV presenter
David 'Kid' Jensen, TV presenter and DJ
Captain Sensible, pop star and former member of punk group The Damned
Robin Birney, Eoscene bassist and former member of Fokara
Chick Young, TV football pundit and journalist
Christopher Brookmyre, author
Douglas Henshall, actor
Colin MacAllister, TV Design Guru
Douglas Alexander, MP

External links

1877 establishments | Scottish football clubs | St Mirren F.C.

St Mirren FC | St Mirren | 圣米伦足球俱乐部

Gourt Home::Gourt :: St Mirren F.C.

History

Stadium

Current squad

SPL Fixtures 2006-2007

Club Records

Honours

Managers

Famous players

Prominent Fans

External links