St Mirren

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

The definition of Toyosi Time: In a St Mirren shirt, the undeniable impact - be that in stoppage time or simply when most needed - of Toyosi Olusanya.

Examples of Toyosi Time in use:

• When St Mirren have held Brann to a single-goal deficit at home, in the club's largest European tie for more than three decades, and the ball is rolled into the six-yard box in search of a late, late equaliser - this is Toyosi Time.

• When St Mirren have been losing to Aberdeen in Paisley for a full afternoon, equalise late from the penalty spot and then break once again in search of a near-impossible 97th-minute winner - this is Toyosi Time.

• When St Mirren begin a campaign with their customary League Cup toil, held by Cowdenbeath deep into injury time and with reputation on the line - this is Toyosi Time.

• When you're winning at Ibrox against all the odds, where one goal feels like it might not be enough, and a ball is played long behind the Rangers backline - this is Toyosi Time.

Three years after arriving in Paisley, it seems like Toyosi Olusanya's watch has ended in Scotland. Shortly, it is expected that the likeable Londoner will be announced as an MLS import and join Houston Dynamo.

Clubs like St Mirren have many redemption tales to pull on, unlikely heroes to celebrate and remember with fondness and drastic improvements to credit to players and their managers alike.

I don't know that any of these tales will ever come close to that of Olusanya in black and white stripes.

A late bloomer in professional football terms, Olusanya skipped academy football and was spotted by AFC Wimbledon at 18.

Prior to Stephen Robinson taking a chance on developing a gem, the pacy forward had never reached double figures in season appearances for a single club. Indeed, he had only played four senior games at Football League level.

Initial cameos for the Buddies did not look likely to unsettle first teamers, and a loan to Arbroath offered limited evidence to dispute that.

Then, it happened. A penny dropped, a chance was offered and taken, and Olusanya delivered two years of high endeavour, loving connection with an adoring fanbase, and a collection of important, late goals most of us can only dream about.

Often, at St Mirren's level, the role of a manager and scouting set-up is to identify the raw potential that others have overlooked - and then to coax that out of the player concerned.

The role of the player in this equation is to work hard, give their best and contribute when it matters most.

In so, so many ways and by all concerned - mission accomplished.

You can find Mark at Misery Hunters, external

Richard Winton
BBC Sport Scotland

Image source, Getty Images

Three of Hibernian, Dundee United, Aberdeen and St Mirren will join Celtic and Rangers in Europe next season after Brendan Rodgers' treble-chasing side reached the Scottish Cup final.

Had bottom-six sides St Johnstone or Hearts progressed through the last-four stage, they could still have claimed the European place awarded to the cup winners.

But that is no longer a possibility, which adds another layer of intrigue to the post-split fixtures in the top half of the division.

So what do we know?

Well, Celtic have secured a place in the Champions League qualifiers and will enter at the play-off round assuming they clinch the title.

Rangers will almost certainly be in that competition, too, but at the second qualifying round stage.

After that, there remains a wee bit of uncertainty.

The Scottish Cup winners earn a spot in the Europa League play-off round, so if Aberdeen upset Celtic at Hampden on 24 May, that's straightforward.

However, should the holders retain the trophy, the place would go to whoever finishes third in the league.

Currently, that's Hibs. But United and Aberdeen and St Mirren - albeit the arithmetic is hugely against them - are still in the mix.

Given whoever it is would be guaranteed - at worst - a six-game Conference League campaign, it's a lucrative prize for their season's work.

But two of the clubs who miss out on third would still be rewarded.

Fourth place would be upgraded from Conference League second qualifying round to the Europa League equivalent, with the Conference spot going to fifth place.

Read more: Premiership quartet fight for three European spots

St Mirren chief executive Keith Lasley says being an ex-player helped when it came to sacking Adam Rooney, Kevin van Veen and Jaden Brown earlier this season, explaining that he had to consider the whole dressing room. (Daily Record), external

Read the rest of Sunday's Scottish gossip.

Image source, BBC Sport

Manager Stephen Robinson insists he is "very happy" at St Mirren, while he harbours ambitions of taking on the Northern Ireland job in the future, saying it would be "the ultimate honour". (Scottish Sun), external

Read the rest of Saturday's Scottish gossip.

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

I don't think Stephen Robinson will win Scottish football's manager of the year – but maybe he should and I'll tell you why.

A top-six finish alone probably wouldn't be enough, nor would a third consecutive place in the top half. Both remarkable achievements given the size of the club.

However, his predecessor in Paisley, Jim Goodwin, is closing in on European qualification in Dundee United's first season back in the top division, David Gray is transforming Hibs from bottomof the table to potential podium finishers and Brendan Rodgers is chasing another treble.

Any one of that trio could pip Robinson to the post.

Then again Falkirk's John McGlynn will most likely trump the lot of them as the Bairns look set to earn back-to-back promotions.

Yet as far as I'm aware, none of those distinguished gentlemen have had as many outrageous fortunes slings and arrows fired at them than the Northern Irishman this season.

You want a list? Okay, here goes:

• Three new signings - Shaun Rooney, Jaden Brown and striker Kevin van Veen - all leaving the club in the autumn amid separate court cases.

• Assistant manager Diarmuid O'Carroll leaving in September to take a job at Newcastle United.

• Issues with the training centre forcing the club to find temporary facilities for a spell.

• The strain on resources on and off the pitch because of the Europa Conference League qualifying trips to Iceland and Norway.

• Oh, and what about topping the league for the number of refereeing decisions going against them.

A perfect storm of circumstances that could have made it an annus horribilis, as the late Queen might have termed it.

But no, under Robinson it's been another annus mirabilis and amid the maelstrom he even signed up for another couple of seasons at the SMISA.

Indefatigable is one word to describe him – but have I done enough to convince you of his credentials for MOTY?

Houston Dynamo are closing in on a deal to sign St Mirren striker Toyosi Olusanya, with the MLS side agreeing a "significant six-figure fee" for the 27-year-old who is out of contract in the summer. (Daily Record), external

Read the rest of Thursday's Scottish gossip.

Image source, SNS

Watch as the Sportscene team heap praise on St Mirren and manager Stephen Robinson for achieving a third straight top-six finish.

Available in UK only

Andrew Christie
Fan writer

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 Stadium.

The social media response was predictable: comments about "over celebrating" a mere top-six finish. But context matters in football more than any other sport.

For 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 elsewhere.

Only ourselves, Celtic, and Rangers have managed top-six finishes in each of the last three seasons. Robinson has built something special in Paisley.

What 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 extraordinary.

Speaking 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 whimper.

Robinson 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 achieving.

Every 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 table.

If 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 sport.

What's 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 Aberdeen.

For a club punching above its weight, we seem quite comfortable trading blows with the big boys.

Andrew Christie can be found on the Misery Hunters podcast., external

• St Mirren v Rangers - Saturday, 26 April 2025

• St Mirren v Aberdeen - Saturday. 3 May 2025

• Dundee Utd v St Mirren - Saturday, 10 May 2025

• St Mirren v Hibernian - Wednesday, 14 May 2025

• Celtic v St Mirren - Saturday, 17 May 2025

Image source, SNS

Jonah Ayunga: Played his part again for St Mirren on a memorable afternoon in Paisley with a goal and an assist against Ross County.

Caolan Boyd-Munce: An assist and a goal. Consistently impressive in the St Mirren success story.

Image source, SNS

Jonah Ayunga has signed a new one-year contract with St Mirren, which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2026.

The Kenyan international's future was up in the air, with his current deal set to expire at the end of this season.

But he has committed to another year in Paisley following Stephen Robinson's side securing another top-six finish.

Ayunga scored his 11th goal for the Buddies in 71 appearances in Saturday's 3-2 win over Ross County, a victory that secured a third-successive spot in the table's top half.

"We're really pleased to get Jonah signed up for another year," said manager Robinson.

"He's had to battle back from a tough cruciate knee injury and we're starting to see all the attributes we know he has.

"We're delighted he'll be part of the group again next season."

Watch the pick of the action from Paisley as St Mirren beat Ross County 3-2 to claim the final top-six spot. (Available to UK users only)

We asked for your views after St Mirren clinched a top-six spot with a dramatic 3-2 win over Ross County.

Here's what some of you said:

Alistair: What an amazing achievement for a club with the budget we have. We've punched above our weight for the third year running. We went through the wringer during the game, but it was worth it in the end. Top six, baby!

Douglas: I was there. Wonderful. As Stephen Robinson says often, these players fight to the 95th minute, and this was proved again. Caolan Boyd-Munce had a great game along with Marcus Fraser, but they all played their part in a wonderful game and season. Robinson is brilliant.

Eric: The tactical change from wing-backs to wingers got St Mirren another top-six finish. Robinson once again showed he is one of the best tacticians in the Scottish Premiership.

Pauline: This season has been a rollercoaster, but now we can play the last five games without looking over our shoulder. While Robinson and his team can get on with building for next season.

Steven: I think St Mirren definitely deserved the three points. It was a great game to watch end-to-end stuff. So pleased for St Mirren to finish in sixth place is well deserved. All credit to Robinson and all the backroom staff, really everyone connected with St Mirren. Well done once again.

Image source, SNS

• Jonah Ayunga has assisted four goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other St Mirren player.

• Ronan Hale has scored nine goals in the Premiership this season (one in this game), more than any other Ross County player.

• St Mirren have won after conceding the opening goal in the Premiership for the first time since 30 October 2024 against St Johnstone (nine games without a win).

• Ross County have lost after scoring the opening goal in the Premiership for the first time since 14 December 2024 against Hibernian (five games without defeat).

• Ross County have lost their past four games in the Premiership, their last joint longest losing streak was from 30 November 2024 to 21 December 2024.

Watch the full-time celebrations as St Mirren's dramatic 3-2 win over Ross County secures the club's third consecutive top-six finish.

Did you take in St Mirren's top-six clinching win against Ross County or were you following from home?

Have your say on the match

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "It's an incredible achievement. To achieve this level of consistency with the resources we have, it's an outstanding achievement from everybody at the football club.

"I'm delighted, I'm delighted with the group of players, I'm delighted that they've achieved this. Ultimately, over the course of the season you get what you deserve and we've deserved to be a top-six side."

Image source, SNS

Andy Campbell
BBC Scotland

Manager Stephen Robinson was adamant pre-match that just breaching 40 points for a third season running would be a remarkable achievement regardless of which half of the table St Mirren finished in. But being among the league's elite again will be very satisfying for the Paisley faithful.

Had Hearts held on to sixth place, the Scottish Premiership's six wealthiest clubs would have finished the season playing each other but St Mirren and Robinson have upset the apple cart and will now have a say in the race for Europe.

The Buddies qualified for Europe last term by finishing fifth and repeating that feat may be a tall order with an eight-point gap to Aberdeen, who play their game in hand against Rangers on Sunday.

But St Mirren are definitely where they want to be.

Image source, SNS

Caolan Boyd-Munce scored an excellent goal and set up St Mirren's second in their vital win over Ross County, which sealed a Scottish Premiership top-six place.

Image source, SNS