St Mirren

St Mirren came so close to a rare win at Celtic Park - and qualifying for Europe - until James Forrest's late equaliser and Dundee United's comeback against Aberdeen.

Were you at the game or what it on TV?

Give us your thoughts on the game and St Mirren's season.

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson lauded his players despite falling short of qualifying for Europe for a second season running for the first time ever after their 1-1 draw away to champions Celtic.

A late James Forrest equaliser denied St Mirren a rare victory at Celtic Park, but Dundee United's win over Aberdeen meant that those two clubs secured the final two qualifying spots.

"Even if we had won the game, we couldn't have got Europe, but to remain unbeaten in the top six and come here and not be beat by a Celtic side coming to party," he said.

"In the first half, I'm not sure they had a shot on target - we were really disciplined. You obviously don't get so much of the ball against Celtic, but when we did, we tried to play, we tried to pass and we got punished for our one mistake right at the end.

"Overall, I can't ask any more of this group of players. They are playing way above the resources that we are putting into the team and I am proud to say I am the manager of this group of boys.

"These boys never give up. They said we couldn't get in the top six with everything that happened - they defied the odds. They said we couldn't anywhere near Europe and we've reduced that gap right down and I believe it's the highest points tally in modern history for St Mirren.

"So a lot of positives. A lot of boys playing really well and, like every season, you start to lose these boys and we have to go again.

"The board have to back us again. It is difficult because we are a fan-owned club, but we have to find the resources to compete with bigger clubs and bigger fan bases. But we will."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Absolute heart-break for St Mirren. They did their bit, with a fabulous performance and draw at the home of champions Celtic.

That it still was not enough to secure them fifth place - and European football in successive season for the first time - will be a bitter pill to swallow after nine points from 15 post-split.

Regardless of that disappointment, it has been another terrific season and the pain will eventually dissipate as they reflect on yet another top-six finish and a sparkling end to the campaign.

Anyone watching St Mirren this season will surely have been impressed by their organisation, work ethic and quality.

Solid at the back, inventive in midfield and pacy out wide, it is no surprise they have had another good season once they recovered from their European exertions.

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Celtic midfielder Reo Hatate has been ruled out for the last two games of the season with a knee injury. Cameron Carter-Vickers returns while Dane Murray (knee) remains out.

St Mirren have a full squad available aside from Owen Oseni.

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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St Mirren's last win at Celtic Park came four years ago in a near-empty stadium during the Covid pandemic as the hosts' 10-in-a-row bid imploded.

Marcus Fraser was part of the Buddies side that day - and will attempt to repeat the feat at a packed Parked on Saturday as Celtic lift the Premiership trophy.

"Back in 2021 I think we were very clinical, that's probably the main part," said defender Fraser.

"Any time you beat Celtic, whether that be home or away, you need to be very good in a lot of aspects of your game. You obviously have to defend well, the goalkeeper probably has to make saves within the game.

"Also when you get the ball, I think you need to go and buy the passes and really be an attacking threat as well. You need to get one or two chances a game and put them away. Hopefully we can do that.

"We are set for Celtic playing their strongest team possible. They're at home, we know what they've got on the line. They're going to lift the league title, so it's up to us to go and hopefully spoil the party."

St Mirren hope to have something to celebrate as well. If Stephen Robinson's side better Dundee United's result at home to Aberdeen, the Buddies will finish fifth and earn a place in Conference League qualifying.

"It's down to one point now going into the last game and it's all to play for," added Fraser.

"So we just need to go out there with a positive mindset, with nothing to lose and hopefully we'll go and take the game to Celtic and see where it takes us."

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• Celtic have won 11 of their past 12 meetings with St Mirren in all competitions (D1), including the past eight in a row.

• St Mirren have only won one of their last 37 away games at Celtic in all competitions (D3 L33), a 2-1 victory in January 2021 under Jim Goodwin.

• Celtic have won their final league game in 14 of the past 17 seasons (including curtailed 2019-20 season), with their only defeat in this time coming in 2017-18 (1-0 v Aberdeen).

• St Mirren have lost their final league match in both of the past two seasons, a 3-0 defeat to Rangers in 2022-23, and 3-2 to Celtic in 2023-24.

• Celtic have scored 111 goals in this season's Scottish Premiership. Only in 1915-16 (116), 1935-36 (115), 2022-23 (114), and 1937-38 (113) have they netted more in a single league campaign.

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Stephen Robinson says leading St Mirren to European qualification this season would "definitely" be the greatest achievement in his managerial career so far because of the "challenges" he has faced.

The Paisley club, who complete the campaign with a trip to Celtic on Saturday, will secure a place in Conference League qualifying for a second successive year if they better the result of Dundee United, who host Aberdeen.

After ending St Mirren's 37-year wait for European football last season, Robinson says this year has been much tougher. Three new signings – Kevin Van Veen, Shaun Rooney and Jaden Brown - left the club amid separate court cases.

"I feel like it's three or four seasons rolled into one. The decisions the club had to make with players and the problems they faced was something you probably don't get when you manage for 30 years," said Robinson.

"But to have it all in a three-month period was difficult. But we've managed to come through it and I feel I'm a better manager for it.

"It's been unenjoyable at times. But we're in the top six with a chance of Europe with one game to go.

"So the lesson is that the bad times don't last forever. And tough people come through those times and this group of players have shown they're tough.

"We got a bit of a stick for celebrating reaching the top six. That was a relief on my part because we weren't in a relegation battle.

"Being in this division is a huge success for St Mirren. Being in the top six is a brilliant achievement. Being in Europe is something that happens once in a lifetime for most St Mirren fans. If we can do that twice in consecutive years, then that would be a super achievement."

St Mirren are unbeaten in five games, winning two of their post-split matches, and head to Celtic Park looking to spoil the party on the day the hosts lift the Premiership trophy.

"It's certainly not an impossible task. We've taken the whole European pressure off the players and said let's remain unbeaten in the top six. For St Mirren to be unbeaten in the top six would be what an incredible achievement," Robinson added.

"We can't affect what happens at Dundee United and Aberdeen. It'll be 100 degrees inside Celtic Park and their fans will be there to celebrate. So it's our job to try and put a little bit of a dampener on them."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media before St Mirren's final-day Premiership trip to Celtic.

Here are the key points from the Buddies boss:

• Robinson says leading St Mirren to European qualification this season would be the greatest achievement of his managerial career.

• With three players having had their contracts terminated because of separate court cases, Robinson says it's been the most difficult season he's experienced with about 30 years' worth of challenges in one campaign.

• Robinson has described stories linking him with managerial jobs at Huddersfield Town, Cardiff City and Queens Park Rangers as just "paper talk".

• He insists he's had no contact from any other clubs and is trying to build the St Mirren squad for next season.

• St Mirren - who can qualify for Europe if they better Dundee United's result against Aberdeen - will go to Celtic Park on 'trophy day' with a positive mindset and nothing to lose.

• Robinson says playing Celtic on their home turf is the hardest challenge his side could face and all the "small margins" that can determine the outcome will have to go the Buddies' way.

• The Buddies boss is till trying to tie down three or four players for next season, but Caolan Boyd-Munce will move on after rejecting a new deal.

Watch Sportscene pundits Michael Stewart and Charlie Mulgrew discuss St Mirren's disallowed goal in their 2-2 Premiership draw against Hibernian.

We asked for your views on St Mirren's 2-2 draw against Hibs.

Here's what some of you said:

Hugh: St Mirren were robbed, they had a good goal disallowed.

John: Another amazing effort from the players and management team. A remarkable season given all the setbacks we've had to overcome.

Iain: An awful first-half performance, but significantly better in the second half. Hibs were hanging on at the end. Don't know what Stephen Robinson did or said at half time, but it worked! The game was spoiled by VAR, as usual, and another inept referee who clearly is not up to it.

Douglas: Would Saints' disallowed goal have stood had any of the Old Firm scored it? Of course it would. As Robinson said, he has never ever heard of a fourth official giving a decision. If that's the case, why have VAR? Just another decision going against Saints, and a major mistake!

Andy: What a game. It looked pretty bleak after the first 10 minutes but the players dug in, and more than deserved a draw. Here's hoping for a miracle at Parkhead.

Alistair: What a great season, we've more than competed with the top-six sides and should have finished Hibs off. The VAR delays were a joke sitting in the stands and ruins the goal celebrations, hopefully this is sorted next season.

Watch highlights as St Mirren draw 2-2 against Hibs in the Scottish Premiership.

Available to UK users only.

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• Hibernian have lost 25 points from winning positions in the Premiership this season, only Dundee (28) have lost more.

• St. Mirren are undefeated in their last 5 games in the Premiership, their last longer unbeaten streak was from 6th August 2023 to 30th September 2023, a run of 7 games.

• Martin Boyle has contributed to goals in his last 3 games in the Premiership (3 goals, 0 assists).

• Martin Boyle has scored 14 goals in the Premiership this season (1 in this game), more than any other Hibernian player.

• St. Mirren have scored in their last 5 games in the Premiership, their joint longest scoring streak this season.

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St Mirren fans, were you at the SMiSA on Wednesday night or were you following the action from home? Either way, we want your views on the draw with Hibs.

Have your say on the game.

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson tells BBC Scotland: "We started poorly for our standards. But the reaction from the players after the first 15 minutes was tremendous. We got ourselves right back into the game. Created lots and lots of chances and half chances.

"And obviously we have the third goal disallowed. The fourth official made the decision that there was a foul in the build-up. But we asked the question, was it a different phase of play? He didn't give the foul straight away.

"If it is, then VAR have to overturn a decision that the fourth official made. I've never seen a fourth official make a decision to be fair, so that was strange to start with. But yeah, we're not saying it's right or wrong.

"But nobody seems to really be able to explain the decision and why it was classed as a different phase of play. We'll wait to hear that. We are still very much in with a chance of Europe with one game to go, which is amazing for the players.

"You've seen their desire, their energy, their quality tonight. We've got a real tough task at Celtic Park with probably 95 degrees in the stadium. But we'll go with nothing to lose.

"That decision I said to the fourth official, that's an incredibly big decision you've made because that's millions of pounds for a club of our size. And everyone's had decisions go against them.

"So, just an explanation would be nice. I'm no expert on the rule book. I should be, but I'm not. But yeah, it's frustrating. That is very, very frustrating. If it's proved to be wrong, then it could be very, very costly for us."

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Zach Hemming says he has played his best football with St Mirren and teased the prospect of a return to Paisley next season.

Hemming, 25, is on loan from parent club Middlesbrough for the second time and has been a key player as Stephen Robinson's side secured a third successive top-half Premiership finish.

The goalkeeper is under contract with Boro until the summer of 2026 and says his future depends on the English Championship club.

"I've enjoyed my time here," Hemming said of St Mirren. "It's probably the best I've played because I've enjoyed it so much. Maybe [I'll] come back next season and play in [European] games.

"Obviously I've still got another year at Middlesbrough so I've just got to see what Middlesbrough want to do and see if they've got any plans for me to stay.

"If not, 100% I would come back because I love it up here."

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• St Mirren have avoided defeat in all six of their league matches against Hibs since the start of last season (W4 D2); they had lost three in a row against Hibs before this.

• Hibs have only lost two of their past 12 Scottish Premiership away games at St Mirren (W7 D3), although are winless in their last three (D2 L1).

• St Mirren have only lost their final home league game in one of their past nine top-flight seasons (W3 D5 - including curtailed 2019-20 season), although are winless in their last four (D3 L1).

• Hibs have only won their final away game in one of their past eight top-flight seasons (D2 L5 - including curtailed 2019-20 season), a 1-0 win at Aberdeen in 2020-21.

• St Mirren have won three of their past four home league games (D1), as many as their previous 11 beforehand (W3 D2 L6).

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St Mirren captain Mark O'Hara will have a late fitness test, while Owen Oseni remains unavailable.

Hibernian pair Joe Newell and Rudi Molotnikov (both groin) are still out but Kwon Hyeok-kyu is available to return.

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

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., external

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson revealed finishing fifth in the Scottish Premiership and qualifying for a Conference League place would likely allow him to sign "one extra player, possibly two" this summer.

The Buddies are two points short of fifth-placed Dundee United, with Hibernian the visitors for the Paisley side's penultimate league fixture on Wednesday. United will be away to Rangers.

Robinson led St Mirren into a Conference League qualifying campaign this season and says it is "an incredible achievement" for St Mirren to still be in contention for European football next term.

"If we did get European football by some very, very small chance, it'll maybe one extra player, possibly two just to fill out the squad and make it a little bit stronger," said Robinson.

"We're quite set in stone in what we can and can't do. It's solely for what we believe we can achieve. We believe that we're good enough to be in Europe. If we got in, it would be a massive milestone for the football club.

"Financially, It helps attract players - that's what it does, when you're a European side. People want to come and be part of it so recruitment becomes easier, crowds are bigger, merchandise is bigger."

A trip to face champions Celtic on Saturday concludes St Mirren's season and Robinson joked it is "a nice easy task" at Parkhead should his side retain their European hopes after Wednesday.

Zach Hemming, 25, is nearing the end of his second loan spell at St Mirren and Robinson said "talks are quite advanced with Middlesbrough" regarding the goalkeeper's future.

"We know what positions we need to make stronger and maybe get something different in the football club," added Robinson. "We know what we need, getting it's another thing."

Meanwhile, captain Mark O'Hara will have a fitness test before the visit of Hibs and Evan Mooney is available again, but Owen Oseni misses out.