Latest news with #StephenRobinson
Daily Record
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
'St Mirren's season was a success,' says Stephen Robinson
The Saints gaffer has reflected on a special season as he hails his players' for making the top-six for the third consecutive year. Stephen Robinson reckons St Mirren's season was a success as he took a final look at an action-packed campaign. The Buddies boss believes his side rose to the challenge in the second half of the season by breaking into the Premiership top six for a third successive year. At the beginning of 2025, Saints fans would have been forgiven for glancing over their shoulders and fearing a battle to beat the drop following four straight defeats. However, a 3-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie was a shot in the arm for a top-half spot. And wins over Rangers, Kilmarnock and Ross County got them over the line as Hearts fluffed their lines in a 0-0 draw at Motherwell in the final round of pre-split fixtures. Robbo's men then went on to have the best form of anyone in the top half after going unbeaten against Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hibernian and Dundee United. Saints just missed out on making it back-to-back European adventures on the final day – but taking the fight that far was a measure of how much things turned around. 'From the second part of the season, I thought we were very, very good,' Robbo said in an interview with the club's media team. 'We played some really good football and had some pace and energy about the side. 'Our results are mirrored by the last five games in the top six where we managed to get nine points and remain unbeaten which was a very good achievement.' The Northern Irishman says it wasn't just a smash-and-grab in how they managed to pick up the points playing attractive football. He said: 'I alluded to the fact that the level of football – and standard – we were playing at to get into the top six at that stage was good. 'Overall, when you reflect on it, it was a hugely successful season and the consistency was the bigger thing. 'We are always trying to get to that stage [of playing nice football]. When you are winning games, and people are playing with confidence, that is easier.' By the season's end, St Mirren improved in many areas they were hoping to with the club ending the campaign with more points, touches in the opposition box, shots on target and goals scored compared with the last two seasons. New signings helped, with keeper Zach Hemming arriving back on loan from Sky Bet Championship side Middlesbrough. Ryan Alebiosu was a loan recruit from Belgium while free agent Declan John committed his future to the SMiSA Stadium. The Buddies even survived the late-season loss of top goalscorer Toyosi Olusanya – who joined MLS side Houston Dynamo in the United States for an undisclosed fee – thanks to Mikael Mandron and Jonah Ayunga finishing with a flourish. Robbo added: 'The personnel that we added and the people that started to come to form helped. 'Caolan [Boyd-Munce] was excellent in the last six months of the season. 'Ryan and Deccy gave us a different profile in the wing-back areas as they were more like wingers. 'And we played with real pace and energy with some of the one-touch football around the box which was very pleasing on the eye and good to watch; with it being something we will continue to do.'
BBC News
18 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Robinson 'would love' to bring Alebiosu back to St Mirren
Stephen Robinson is eager to bring full-back Ryan Alebiosu back to St Mirren for next season but admits "bigger offers" could scupper his 23-year-old Arsenal youth product joined during the winter transfer window on loan from Belgian side Kortrijk and played a big role as the Buddies secured a third successive top-six finish."I would love to bring him back," manager Robinson told BBC Scotland."He changed our whole dynamic in terms of the way we play and he was more like a winger, and it was the same with [Declan John], they gave us something different."Alebiosu and John arrived after a three-month period where Robinson was shorn of three first-team players as Shaun Rooney, Jaden Brown and Kevin van Veen all cut ties with the club amid off-field issues early in the season."The problem with that was we weren't able to replace them," the Northern Irishman added. "It was outside the transfer window so we had to wait until Christmas."Obviously it was circumstances no manager wants to deal with anyway, but not being able to replace them and enhance the squad was tough. But we got there."We thought Declan was a fantastic player, but he hadn't played for months so we knew that was going to take a long time to get him up to speed."Nobody wanted Ryan, nobody wanted to take a chance on him. He'd been at Kilmarnock and done okay. We tried to sign him when he was at Arsenal, but we didn't have the funds."I believe he's got bigger offers and bigger football clubs interested now unfortunately."
BBC News
2 days ago
- General
- BBC News
St Mirren confirm three pre-season friendlies
A game against MK Dons in Spain is among three friendlies St Mirren will play this summer to prepare for the 2025-26 Buddies visit Dumbarton on Saturday 28 June (14:00 BST) then take on English League Two MK Dons a week later on 5 July (10:00) during their training camp in Robinson's side complete their preparations with a Renrewshire derby against Morton at Cappielow in the Communities Cup on Tuesday 8 July (19:45) before beginning the new season with a League Cup group game at Arbroath four days later.
Daily Record
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Record
Stephen Robinson reflects on 'three seasons in one' after St Mirren drama
The Buddies gaffer didn't have his troubles to seek in the early part of a campaign which had a happy ending. Stephen Robinson insists he has come through the hardest season of his career. The St Mirren manager had multiple problems to deal with during the campaign but still guided the club to a top-six Premiership finish. From training ground issues which forced the squad to prepare for crunch European games at Neilston's Brig O'Lea and the Garscube complex in Glasgow to the sheriff court appearances of three players, there was a lot of adversity. Behind-the-scenes documentaries are all the rage in football just now from Salford City's Class of 92 films to the Netflix hit 'Welcome to Wrexham' and Buddies boss Robbo knows there would have been plenty to keep the cameras rolling after 'three seasons in one'. 'It has been the hardest season I've ever had to deal with,' the Northern Irishman admitted. 'The things that have happened make it feel like it's been three seasons in one! 'To a board and a playing staff, these things don't really happen once in your career. For it to happen three times in such a short space of time, it was a lot to deal with. 'All the issues we've had throughout the season as well with training pitches not being available, losing staff and all the things that go with that, it's been really, really difficult. 'The lesson from that is that people kept believing. The players kept believing, the staff kept believing and the board kept believing. 'My wife was asking me, 'Can you believe you're in the top six again? That you're unbeaten in the top six?' And I have to say, back in September, I couldn't see that happening. 'So, that's testament to the players and the staff that we've not only come through all of that, but come through it flying. We've played brilliant football and been an exciting team to watch.' When times were tough, Robbo knew he had to provide the direction. He added: 'You have to come in on a Monday morning and be the one that puts things into perspective. Sometimes I have to put a brave face on.' Meanwhile, the Buddies' Premier Sports Cup group stage fixtures have been confirmed. Saints will travel to face Arbroath at Gayfield on Saturday, July 12 and then are back up to Angus on Tuesday, July 15 for a date with Forfar Athletic. On Saturday, July 19, Annan Athletic make their first-ever visit to the SMiSA Stadium which also hosts Scott Brown's Ayr United on Sunday, July 27 for a televised clash. ■Saints hero Stephen McGinn has left his academy role to become first-team coach at Premiership new boys Falkirk. The club have announced that Craig McLeish will head a new Under-19s set-up.
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Where do St Mirren need to improve to keep progressing?
Manager Stephen Robinson wants his St Mirren side to improve in defending and attacking set plays as he aims further progression next narrowly missing out on a European place last season, the 50 points the Paisley club picked up was a higher total than the previous two campaigns under former Motherwell boss hailed his team's end-of-season form, finishing the campaign unbeaten in six games, winning three and drawing Robinson also said there were "lots of positives" in his side's attacking play but added that his players "need to be better" when it comes to set pieces."At the end of every season, we sit down and go over what we regressed in and what we progressed in," the manager said."Overall, we got more points than the last two years, more touches in opposition box, more shots on target and scored more goals. Lots of positives. "The negatives are we conceded more set plays, especially in the first half of the season, and we scored fewer set plays. "In the Scottish game, you have to be able to defend set plays, long throws, long balls, and you also have to score them at the other end. "That's something we need to be better at. But the statistics in forward areas are a big improvement and the points tally mirrored that."
