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Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'St Mirren's mentality & fitness helps them punch above their weight again'
The difference in mentality on show in Dundee on Saturday was something to behold. From the first whistle until the last, Stephen Robinson's side bore the unmistakable mark of a team who knew what was at stake. This should be no surprise for those who've watched the Buddies in the past three seasons. It was married with a clinical composure and creativity that made the performance all the more impressive. The Saints cut their opponents open at will and took full advantage. Speaking afterwards, Robinson made clear that this was the St Mirren that his staff and players work towards being - quick, direct and urgent in their chance creation. Rarely, in many years of watching St Mirren, have I seen us play through sides so simply with one-touch passing, or have so many deft touches around the opponent's box compounded by clever movement. It has grown beyond any accusation of coincidence that St Mirren have dominated the closing stages of games this season. Particularly in this stretch of games in the run-in, we have pressed into the 90th minute as if it was the first. We rain crosses and cutbacks down on our opponents whether we are seeking a winner, equaliser or greater margin of victory. This comes down to both mentality and fitness. The mentality has been covered above, but the superior fitness shown time and again deserves equal attention. St Mirren stepped out on the park this weekend looking like a tightly-drilled elite military unit, fresh from boot camp. Jim Goodwin's United looked like a school class running out the clock before the summer holidays. Seven points in three games, coupled with none for United, means the margin between the sides is down to a mere two points. Aberdeen in fourth have also been hauled into the mix. However, those two contrasting runs need to continue for two further fixtures and the Saints close with a visit to Celtic Park. I wouldn't bet against us, but have less trust in our rivals' continuing cooperation. Make it into Europe or not, the Buddies have more than done their bit. Plaudits, evaluation and opinion should be based on that, not what happens at Tannadice or Pittodrie. In the most trying of seasons, in a variety of ways, St Mirren have delivered more than the sum of their parts. Mark Jardine can be found on the Misery Hunters podcast.
BBC News
15-04-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Careful investment & Robinson's tactical nous seal extraordinary achievement'
So it happened. With Roland Idowu's late rocket and a goalless draw between Motherwell and Hearts at Fir Park, St Mirren's 3-2 win over Ross County secured a historic third consecutive top-six league finish. Cue wild celebrations at the SMISA social media response was predictable: comments about "over celebrating" a mere top-six finish. But context matters in football more than any other St Mirren, this isn't just another season. It's the culmination of years of steady building, careful investment, and Stephen Robinson's tactical nous overcoming financial limitations. When he took over and lost eight of his first nine matches, who would have predicted this trajectory? Robinson himself called this his "biggest achievement" - above cup finals and European qualification ourselves, Celtic, and Rangers have managed top-six finishes in each of the last three seasons. Robinson has built something special in makes an achievement worth celebrating isn't some universal standard. What matters is the journey, context and odds overcome. For a club that starts each season with survival as the primary objective, establishing ourselves as consistent top-six performers is of Hearts, it's worth reflecting on how they missed out. In a game where both they and Motherwell had everything to play for - a win for either would have secured that coveted sixth place - we witnessed a spectacle that lacked urgency and conviction as the sides went out with a goalless deserves immense credit. Working with a backroom staff that squeezes every drop from limited resources, he's created a team greater than the sum of its parts. As he said: "Nothing has gone our way this season - we've had to fight for everything."Our financial resources are a fraction of what most of Premiership clubs enjoy, and our issues both on and off the field well documented. Yet here we are, consistently outperforming teams with significantly deeper pockets, demonstrating a level of stability that many better-funded clubs can only dream of year St Mirren's first objective is to stay in the league. The fact we've not only done that but established ourselves as a genuine top-six club is remarkable - especially with a thin squad, missing key players, and being at the top of the SFA referee apology you can't celebrate that, what can you celebrate? Football is emotion, community, shared experiences. The day fans stop celebrating achievements - whatever those might be in their club's context - is the day the soul leaves the most amusing is that we're actually pretty decent against supposedly superior teams. This season alone, we've taken 19 of our 41 points from fellow top-six sides. Seven from Hibs, six from Rangers and six from a club punching above its weight, we seem quite comfortable trading blows with the big Christie can be found on the Misery Hunters podcast., external
BBC News
25-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Young Taylor staking claim to be St Mirren regular'
A weekend without St Mirren, leaves a chasm in one's soul (and plans) begging to be this reason, I found myself at Kelty on Saturday afternoon to follow League 1 leaders Arbroath on their travels in pursuit of promotion. Fear not, this is not a changing of allegiances as there were multiple sources of Saints connection as long-serving Saint (and occasional St Mirren TV commentary colleague) Ryan Flynn had the captain's armband on Saturday in holding midfield. Flynn departed Paisley in the summer after seven seasons, contributing to Championship survival and subsequent promotion, top-flight establishment once again and European ahead of Flynn in a more advanced role, Saints' loanee and local prospect Fraser Taylor has been something of a headline-grabber in their recent winning run and consolidation of top spot. Taylor delivered an inch-perfect cross in Norway to give the Buddies hope against Brann in August and has further developed that creative reputation on loan to the Red Lichties. While I've no capacity to do so, Saturday did feel something like a scouting mission to check in on a name many in black and white would like to see feature more frequently in the top flight next midfield duo played a starring role in a dominant first half for the visitors, suiting the match well as Arbroath rolled the ball around their hosts with some comfort until half-time. Indeed, it was another former Saint in defender Keith Watson that scored the opener and only goal before the the second half, momentum shifted and short, sharp passing was dispensed with in favour of long balls to chase and headers to contest. Arbroath toiled and were made to pay with the last kick of the ball as the points were at Kelty might have had even more relevance to this column had additional Saints loanee and much-touted wingback Calum Penman not been unavailable due to international duty. The 17-year-old with the missile throw made his Saints breakthrough in the new year before joining Taylor in Angus. A regular at age group level for his country, Penman came on at half-time in Saturday's competitive draw with Sweden and drew plaudits for another strong around the country on loan duty, Gallagher Lennon played the full 90 as left back for Bonnyrigg Rose in a defeat at Clyde, while Shay Kelly remained on the bench in Dumbarton's goalless draw with Queens at the weekend, however, normal service resumes as Derek McInnes' Saints-frustrating juggernaut rolls into town. The Saints have one job to do pre-split, and that's to rack up points and make the gap to the top half narrows as opposed to their buffer above the danger can find Mark Jardine on Misery Hunters, external
