St Mirren

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

Football does not reward what money you spend or the purity of your tactical ambitions. Much of the time, you don't get what you deserve. Rewards in football are fought for, brutally, and only come at the expense of another.

For the third time this season, St Mirren went toe to toe with Aberdeen and came away with all three points.

Were football to be decided on budgets alone, or on time spent in possession, Jimmy Thelin's Dons would be nine points richer and the post-split Saints would be stressed about top-flight survival.

However, that is not how points are won. The Buddies won their points on Saturday.

Hammer throwers. Hoofball. Overly aggressive. Smash 'n' grab. Lucky. If there is a name opposition fans can throw at the Saints and make themselves feel better, that name will be thrown. There is a collective term for all of the above - excuses.

Aberdeen may have held 60% of the ball at the weekend, and they may have completed twice the number of passes. They touched the ball more. They touched the ball more often in the St Mirren box than we did in theirs. They crossed the ball into our box 50% more often.

Stats are malleable. The Dons attempted only seven fewer long balls than the Buddies, passed the ball backwards far more often and, crucially, scored zero goals.

Twenty three touches in the box for zero shots on target. They committed more fouls than their hosts, won fewer tackles and had more shots to block.

Aberdeen may have a European star on their badge, a January shopping spend in the millions and an annual wage roll that could fund all three of the recent seasons where Stephen Robinson has guided the Saints into the top six, but points still require to be earned.

Mika Mandron plucked a Mark O'Hara set-piece down on his chest and earned his tidy volleyed goal.

Zach Hemming and his defence earned their clean sheet, even if his gloves won't have needed a wash on Sunday. Robinson's substitutions earned their grip on the game late in the second half and might well have doubled or tripled the advantage.

Shout whatever names out that make you feel better. The Saints under Robinson will continue to do what they have made a habit of doing. Earning the points anyway.

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

What a way to celebrate signing a new contract for Mikael Mandron, who takes a forward role in my team of the week.

The Buddies striker grabbed the winning goal in superb fashion against Aberdeen as St Mirren kept alive their faint hopes of European football.

Watch the Sportscene panel analyse the performance of both St Mirren and Aberdeen in the Buddies' 1-0 victory in Paisley.

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Watch highlights of St Mirren's 1-0 win over Aberdeen in the Scottish Premiership.

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We asked for your views on St Mirren's victory over Aberdeen on Saturday.

Here's what some of you said:

Eddie: That was a very satisfying win we were very good. One clinical finish from Mikael Mandron was enough to keep our distant hope of fifth place. Aberdeen were hopeless, no shots on target didn't look dangerous at any point. Maybe if Graeme Shinnie concentrated on his game instead of diving and constantly moaning at the referee.

Peter: Well done Saints, the team played with the passion and spirit we know they have in abundance. Mika Mandron said in an interview during the week that he goes to training with a smile on his face and laughs all day. That mindset was evident throughout the whole team and Aberdeen have their keeper to thank for holding us to the one goal win.

Graham: Saints ran themselves into the ground, this team that Stephen Robinson has put together on a shoestring displays all the attributes a supporter of a provincial club would look for. Their togetherness and fight for the club and the supporters is phenomenal. I hope we get Europe again and for me Stephen Robinson is head and shoulders above every manager in the division particularly remembering his meagre budget. Absolutely awesome and hopefully he stays for the foreseeable future. Here's to you Stephen Robinson.

Chris: Mikel Mandron signing a new deal is massive business for us. He leads the line so effectively and has a touch of class with his finishing. We weren't at our best and, to be fair, Aberdeen were strong at the start of the match. But we had to hang in there and take our chance when it came - and it came to the right man. What a first touch, what an instinctive finish. I agree with the manager that we weren't at our best but we got the job done and Europe is well within our reach again. It's make or break at Tannadice next week and I can't wait for the challenge, we'll be so up for it!

Iain: Thought the better team on the pitch won. SMFC scored one and could have had another. Shayden Morris for Aberdeen was their big threat but that was it. They will have to up their game hugely if they are to lift the Scottish Cup!

Alistair: What a great game, lads fought well despite a moaning Graeme Shinnie and card happy referee. Ryan Alebiosu, Marcus Fraser and Mandron were standout performers along with Alex Gogic. Mika for Scotland?

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• St. Mirren are undefeated in their last three games in the Premiership, their last joint longest unbeaten streak was from 14 December to 26 December 2024.

• Mikael Mandron attempted five shots in this game, the joint-highest total for a St. Mirren player in the Premiership this season.

• Aberdeen have a record of W0, D2, L8 when conceding the opening goal away from home in the Premiership this season.

• The Dons failed to attempt a shot on target in this game. It's the first time they failed to attempt a shot on target in a game in the Premiership since facing Livingston on 5 August 2023.

St Mirren fans, were you in Paisley on Saturday or following the action from home? Either way we want your views on the victory over Aberdeen. What did you make of the performance?

Let us know your thoughts

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson: "We struggled at the start, I thought Aberdeen started really well, we just couldn't get into a rhythm or get hold of the ball.

"I think when the goal was disallowed it gave us a bit of a kickstart. I don't remember too many clear cut chances from Aberdeen, I thought we dealt with their threat well.

"We can play better than what we did today but it shows the character of the players and the quality when we've needed it. It was a great finish from Mika [Mandron], a set play we've worked on tirelessly so I was glad to see some fruits from that and it makes things interesting.

"Credit to the players and the staff that we were able to bridge the gap at this moment in time. Football is a strange game, If we keep picking up points and we go to Dundee next week then who knows.

"United have been a bogey team for us all year, we have to try and change that. If we play like we can do then there's no reason why we can't put real pressure on next week."

Martin Dowden
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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You just can't keep this St Mirren side down. Achieving top six alleviated any pressure and they have more than taken the chance to express themselves to great effect.

This win backs up the point at home against Rangers. Four post-split points is a great return so far and a great platform to go further. They seem to be enjoying the challenge and are finishing the season on a real high.

On the unveiling of an extra year for striker Mikael Mandron, he said there was more to come from him.

It's instant payback and sets up Stephen Robinson's side for a genuine challenge for fifth place with Europe remaining achievable.

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St Mirren's Evan Mooney has returned to training following an ankle injury and could be back before the end of the season.

Aberdeen defender Gavin Molloy is back in contention but Ester Sokler (leg), Kristers Tobers (hamstring), Sivert Heltne Nilsen (eye) and Vicente Besuijen (knee) are set to remain sidelined.

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Mikael Mandron insists signing a contract extension with St Mirren was "an easy decision" and insists "there's still more to come" as the forward put pen to paper on a new one-year deal

The 30-year-old has made 30 appearances and scored five goals in the Premiership this season and will remain in Paisley until the summer of 2026.

"I'm glad we could get the deal done, I've really enjoyed my time here," Mandron said.

"The past two years I've felt like I've played some great football, I've met some amazing people. I've really enjoyed working with the gaffer and with all the staff here.

"I really enjoy life in Glasgow, in Scotland, so I was happy to sign. There's still more to come. There's still more goals to score, there's still more games to win.

"There was a little bit of interest from other clubs but when you try to make a decision, especially in my experience, you weigh what's more valuable to you.

"What is it that you really value, is it money, is it opportunity, is it the context in which you're working within.

"When you work all that together, St Mirren is definitely the best option for me.

"It's a great environment to work in. I come in every day with a smile on my face, I laugh all day, I'm training, I'm learning, I'm improving, we're playing some great football, I've got amazing teammates, and the life here, I've got a family and everything, so it's great for me to live here.

"When you weigh everything together, St Mirren was definitely the best option, and an easy decision."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinsons insists his side are "fighting tooth and nail" until it's "mathematically impossible" to finish in the European places.

The Buddies currently occupy sixth spot, 11 points behind third-placed Hibernian with four games to go.

Robinson's men welcome Aberdeen to Paisley on Saturday knowing they must win to keep their European ambitions ticking on to next week.

"We have nothing to lose," Robinson said.

"We have to win the game if we want to keep our European qualification hopes alive.

"Until that's mathematically impossible to get Europe, then we'll be fighting tooth and nail to try and keep it alive.

"It's not out of our hands. All we can do is our best to get results and finish the season strongly.

"Aberdeen play out, and they give you opportunities to press them as well. They have a big threat in behind so that's something we have to be aware.

"But we'll go and try and take the ball off them high up the pitch and then, as we've done on Saturday (v Rangers,) play our football and get balls and deliver balls into areas that hurt people."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media as his side prepare to host Aberdeen on Saturday.

Here are the main points:

• Robinson knows his side have to beat the Dons this weekend to keep their hopes of European qualification alive and insists they "have nothing to lose" so will "be fighting tooth and nail" to achieve it.

• The manager insists his players won't down tools until the season is over, regardless of what is left to play for.

• After Richard Taylor turned down a new contract at the SMiSA, Robinson confirmed the Premiership club couldn't financially match what his representative was asking for but says he "has no idea" where the defender will be going.

• The manager admits "two or three" other players will be moving on in the summer with the Buddies unable to match offers from other clubs.

• But Robinson is hopeful of bringing in a couple of defenders in the window and says talks with Middlesbrough over a permanent deal for goalkeeper Zach Hemming have been "positive".

• As a result, Robinson says he's like to send number two keeper Peter Urminsky out on loan for next season and insists "he has potential to be a top class keeper".

Toyosi Olusanya expected to see out the remainder of his contract with St Mirren and spend a summer fielding calls from his agent as he looked for a new club before the 27-year-old English striker instead sealed last month's surprise transfer to Houston Dynamo. (The Herald), external

Read the rest of Friday's Scottish gossip.

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• St Mirren have won their past two league games against Aberdeen, last winning three in a row in July 2011.

• Aberdeen are winless in nine league visits to St Mirren (D3 L6) since a 2-1 triumph in December 2018 under Derek McInnes.

• St Mirren have picked up as many points in their past three home league games (seven – W2 D1) as in their previous eight beforehand (W2 D1 L5).

• Aberdeen have won three of their past four league games (D1), more than their previous 19 beforehand (W2 D6 L11).

• Aberdeen's Kevin Nisbet has scored 10+ goals in three of his last four seasons in the Scottish Premiership (14 in 2020-21, 12 in 2022-23, 10 this season). He is one of only four players to score 10+ goals in as many as three Scottish Premiership campaigns since 2020-21, along with Alfredo Morelos (three), James Tavernier (three), and Kyogo Furuhashi (four).

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It will come as little surprise to anyone that the latest attempt at reconstruction of the Scottish Premiership has failed to get off the ground.

A change from the current 12-team set-up to one of 10, 14 or 16 were the options being discussed but the SPFL said "there was no reasonable prospect of achieving consensus".

Maintaining the status quo is a consequence of there being "no perfect option" for change, according to The Herald football writer Stephen McGowan.

Speaking on the BBC's Scottish football podcast, McGowan said: "If you look at the options for expanding the Premiership, for 14 you would have to have probably a top six and a bottom eight and a different number of fixtures. So that's less than ideal.

"Look at the 16, which is the one that supporters really want. But Neil Doncaster has been saying consistently that you would then have to find a way to still preserve your four Celtic v Rangers games because Sky sports are not a charity. They're a subscription network who want to get the biggest numbers for games. So they want more Celtic and Rangers games.

"So it's how you square that circle with the 16 that's the problem. So it's not so much I don't think there's no great desire for expansions. There's no such thing as a perfect option and one that they can all vote for. That's the problem basically."

Former Scotland defender Maurice Ross, meanwhile, has accused Premiership clubs of "self-preservation".

"If they're going to remain the same, okay, let's put two clubs [automatically] down then and have a third-place play-off," said Ross.

"And we'll see what the reaction is of the clubs in four or five years' time. Then they'll want reconstruction."

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

Seventeen per cent of St Mirren's points total so far this season has been kindly donated by Rangers Football Club, and there is justified disappointment that this proportion isn't slightly higher after the weekend.

The Saints flew out the traps once again, pressing the visitors into dropping possession repeatedly. Mikael Mandron will have woken up in a cold sweat on Sunday morning, wondering what could have been with his spurned near-open-goal.

Earlier still, Mark O'Hara found the ball at his feet with time to burn in the Rangers box, but fell to indecision.

This intensity remained until the very end, substitute Owen Oseni almost announcing himself on a grand stage with a late, late winner from Zach Hemming's excellent set-piece.

Enough of the might-have-beens, though. The Buddies did have plenty to celebrate in their first post-split fixture.

Rangers clinically dispatched each of their goals, snapping up two chances through the middle which the home defence ought not to have provided. However, that is where most of their say on the fixture ended.

Stephen Robinson's men out-thought and out-fought their opponents. Captain O'Hara scored a repeat of his regular box-crashing best against Glasgow opposition, seizing on a loose ball with a decisive finish.

Conor McMenamin, introduced from the bench as he continues his return from season-disrupting injury, waltzed through the Rangers box to meet Declan John's cross and equalise for a second time.

The Buddies' 3-5-2 shape until the hour mark caused Rangers no end of issues, pulling their back three and two-man midfield all over the blue half.

Not satisfied with this, the introduction of Idowu and McMenamin morphed the home team into a box midfield four and Barry Ferguson's side visibly toiled with the overload in numbers.

I'll accept that a 2-2 draw isn't a victory, and that this current Rangers team have their problems to work through.

However, the Saints can now point to an undeserved defeat at Ibrox in October, two subsequent victories, and this dominant performance as evidence that they have stepped up in their performance level in this kind of fixture.

Mark can be found at Misery Hunters, external

Image source, SNS

Mikael Mandron has signed a one-year contract extension to stay at St Mirren until next summer.

The 30-year-old French forward has netted 17 goals - including five in his past 10 appearances - in two seasons with the Paisley club.

"I've spoken about change, but it's crucial to keep the players that have been important to us and Mika has been very important," said manager Stephen Robinson.

"Mika gives us that platform up front and he is someone we wanted to keep around the club. He is a great character around the changing room."

Mandron joins fellow forward Jonah Ayunga in signing a new deal, while Robinson is seeking a pacy striker to replace Toyosi Olusanya following the 27-year-old's move to Houston Dynamo.

"We've got a good base and we're now looking for real pace up front to replace Olusanya. It's a really good bit of business and the squad is starting to take shape again," he added.

Watch the Sportscene team discuss the "incredible" impact of manager Stephen Robinson at St Mirren.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

St Mirren took points off Rangers for the third league match running with a 2-2 draw on Saturday.

Mark O'Hara came up with a big goal for Stephen Robinson's side and earns a spot in my team of the week. He seems to like a goal against Rangers.

Goalkeeper Nathaniel Nwosu, who won a Nigeria cap in November 2022 but currently plays for Tayport in the Midlands League, is to join Aberdeen on trial this week having spent last week with St Johnstone and with Stoke City, St Mirren, Dunfermline Athletic and Dumbarton all monitoring the 19-year-old. (The Herald), external

Stephen Robinson would seem like an obvious and logical choice as the new Hearts head coach given his success with Scottish Premiership rivals St Mirren, but there are a number of other possible contenders. (The Scotsman), external

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.