St Mirren

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St Mirren have signed left-sided defender Jaden Brown on loan from Lincoln City until the end of the season.

The 25-year-old has experience in the English Championship with Huddersfield Town, and was part of the Sheffield Wednesday squad that was promoted from League One last season, but was released in the summer.

Brown then signed for Lincoln, but has struggled to nail down a starting berth and heads north looking for more regular minutes.

“He’s got a really good pedigree," manager Stephen Robinson said.

"We don’t have another player in the building if Scott Tanser gets injured; he’s not coming to make up the numbers. He makes us a more balanced squad.”

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson says his side go into Saturday's Scottish Premiership match against Rangers "confident", and believes his side are fully capable of winning the game.

The Paisley club lost 3-0 at home to Rangers in early October, but played well in the early stages before Ryan Strain's red card allowed the Ibrox side to seize the initiative.

Despite a poor recent record against Rangers, Robinson knows how St Mirren can cause their opponents problems.

"We have to bridge the gap through hard work, being organised and having belief," he said. "We know if we’re at the top of our game we can match anyone on our day.

“We have to be aggressive in our press when we do press, and when we land on the ball we have to try get ownership of the game, which we showed we were capable of doing in the first game before we went down to ten men.

“We’re confident. We’ve got a super record at home. We have to be aware of how we start, they’ll come out of the traps and we need to match that, but we also have to play our game. We’ve got players that can hurt them.

“It’s one we believe we can win, but we have to be right at the top of our game."

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson has been talking to the media before his side's Scottish Premiership clash with Rangers on Saturday.

Here are the best bits from his press conference:

• Says they go into the Rangers game "confident", and believes they have the players to "hurt" Rangers, but stressed they will have to play to their highest level to win. "We have to bridge the gap through hard work, being organised and having belief."

• Spoke about the importance of starting quickly, and referenced the recent home game against Celtic where a slow start cost them.

• Full of praise for James Scott, who adds "inventiveness" and "can win games on his own". Says that at 23 Scott still has his best football in front of him.

• Revealed a signing is close at left wing-back. Robinson has actively targeted that area to make his squad "more balanced". Doesn't want Scott Tanser to be the only option in that position.

• James Bolton and Greg Kiltie are to be assessed before the Rangers game, but Conor McMenamin will definitely be out for a few weeks with a knee injury.

Jaden Brown is poised to travel north to sign for St Mirren on loan from Lincoln City in time for the 25-year-old left-back to be included in the squad to face Rangers on Saturday. (Daily Record), external

Read Friday's Scottish Gossip in full here.

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• St Mirren have lost 17 of their last 18 matches against Rangers in the Scottish top-flight (D1). Their last such victory against the Gers was on Christmas Eve 2011 – a 2-1 win at home thanks to goals from Aaron Mooy and Paul McGowan.

• Rangers have won seven of their last eight trips to St Mirren in the Scottish top-flight (D1), scoring two or more goals in six of those matches and keeping six clean sheets.

• After losing just one of their first nine home league games of the season (W5 D3), St Mirren have lost each of their last two at the SMiSA Stadium, drawing a blank in each. They haven’t lost three on the bounce at home in the league since April 2022 (run of four).

• Rangers have kept eight clean sheets in their last 10 away matches in the Scottish Premiership. In fact, in the top ten European leagues, only Eredivisie outfit PSV have conceded fewer league goals on the road (3) this season than Rangers (4).

• Stephen Robinson has never beaten Rangers in 18 attempts as a manager in the Scottish Premiership, drawing four and losing 14 across spells with Motherwell and St. Mirren.

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St Mirren have the signing of James Scott on a loan move until the end of the season, before a permanent two-year deal kicks in this summer.

The former Motherwell striker returns to Scottish football from Exeter City, having left Fir Park for a seven-figure fee in 2020.

The 23-year-old reunited with manager Stephen Robinson, who says the forward adds "spark" to his side.

"James is a player I worked with at Motherwell and we sold him for a substantial fee so that tells you the kind of quality he has," the Buddies boss said.

"He had an injury when he first went to Hull that kind of scuppered his chances of success there. Sometimes you need picked back up and I believe I can do that with James.

"He’s only 23 with loads of potential and he adds a little spark that, at times, we could be missing in that final third.

"He’s very technical and can play with his left and right foot. He needs to get up to speed with his fitness but if we get a James Scott working as hard as we had him at Motherwell then we’ve got a very good player on our hands."

St Mirren are finally back in Premiership action, but face a tough test as they welcome Rangers to Paisley on Saturday.

After seeing off Queen of the South in the Scottish Cup last time out, the Buddies are looking to build momentum and consolidate their place in the top six.

Who would you like to see in the starting line-up? Pick your team here.

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Keanu Baccus was in the starting line-up for Australia in their 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan.

The midfielder was subbed off after 84 minutes of the Socceroos' final group stage game.

Baccus started two of Australia's three Asian Cup matches so far as they topped Group B, and will be hoping to make his mark in the knockout stages.

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Mark Jardine, Misery Hunters podcast

Stephen Robinson and his Saints side arrived back from their Spanish bootcamp with a bump on Saturday afternoon, battling past a robust Queen of the South team by a slim margin.

The soon-to-be-scuttle Winter break concept had come at a valuable time for the Buddies, allowing a collective catching of breath for an injury-affected squad with a packed calendar.

In amongst the shuttle runs, beach cycles, training games and occasional patatas bravas, there was also time for the midfield to be bolstered by the arrival of Celtic's long-forgotten summer import Kwon. Rarer-spotted than a Saints game on satellite television, Kwon arrived in Scotland with a promising reputation but had yet to make his competitive debut in his new country.

A home cup tie to Marvin Bartley's toiling Queen of the South represented an ideal opportunity for the loan man to deputise for the injured club captain Mark O'Hara and travelling Keanu Baccus, perhaps a little earlier than first intended by his manager. In any case, the South Korean played for the entirety of the tie and gave plenty of signs that his physicality and mobility will bring some additional edge to a Saints midfield in need of revitalising.

For the majority of the afternoon, however, a combative midfielder was not what the Saints required in order to break the deadlock. Holding most of the possession, attacking intent and responsibility for entertaining the paying public, much of the game was destined for the "mind that time we played Queen of the South" mental filing cabinet as opposed to sitting in anyone's highlight reel.

Not for the first, second or third time in recent months, the boys from Paisley found fashioning quality (onside) chances a challenge and ultimately required an Alex Gogic bullet header from a set piece to be the difference. On another Saturday, Greg Kiltie's offside finishes and Scott Tanser's crossbar rattler of a drive would also have had fans out of their seats, but it wasn't another Saturday. It was this Saturday, and it was 1-0.

Rangers await in this weekend's early kick-off, and offer a chance for the rested and recharged Buddies to show once more what they are capable of when classed as the underdog on their home patch.

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The SPFL say the draft report of an independent review of the league's operations shows it complies "with significant elements of the UK Code of Corporate Governance".

The review was commissioned in July after the SPFL's chairman Murdoch MacLennan apologised to Rangers as a dispute over sponsorship was concluded.

The SPFL agreed a deal with car firm cinch in 2021 but Rangers did not promote the deal and took the matter to court, citing a prior agreement with rival car retailer Park's of Hamilton.

"I am reassured but not complacent," said MacLennan of the review.

"We will now take time to consider Henderson Loggie's detailed recommendations before bringing suggested changes back to the 42 SPFL member clubs for their consideration.

“Whilst a number of the recommendations from the draft report are already being addressed, the board and the wider organisation will, of course, take all necessary steps to improve further on the excellent work which has been undertaken to date."

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St Mirren could go all the way in the Scottish Cup if they can navigate their way past Celtic in the fifth round, says former Buddies striker Tony Watt.

Sunday's draw gave Stephen Robinson's side an extremely tough draw, with the holders set to travel to Paisley in the weekend of 10 February.

While the hosts will have a huge challenge to end Brendan Rodgers' perfect record in the competition, Watt believes there are positives to take from the tie.

Speaking on BBC's Scottish Football Podcast, the Dundee United frontman said: "I think St Mirren will be a bit disappointed to have that when they see other ties that have been pulled out of the hat, with Rangers at home to Ayr and then even Motherwell away to Morton.

"It's not an easy place but you'd prefer that over Celtic coming to town. I think St Mirren always give Celtic a go, so I don't think Stephen Robinson will be too disappointed.

"Plus it's another full house and obviously St Mirren will be happy to get Celtic and give it a crack because if you can put Celtic out, you've got half a chance of winning it."

We asked for your thoughts after St Mirren ssaw off Queen of the South to reach the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.

Here's a taste of what you had to say:

Anon: Result was OK but up front will have to finish better. Maybe we need a clear out there. Left side providing lots of opportunities but no one to finish. Missing Ryan Strain. The two new recruits show promise. What happened to the momentum at the start of the season? Fans had high hopes but are becoming anxious. Come on you Saints!

Holders Celtic will face St Mirren away in the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.

The tie will take place the weekend of 10 February.

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Alex Gogic says Hampden is the target for St Mirren after they booked their place in the fifth round of the Scottish Cup.

His second half header against Queen of the South was the difference between the sides in the fourth round tie.

"It's nice to score a goal of course, but the most important thing is to keep a clean sheet in these games," Gogic told BBC Scotland.

"First half maybe we weren't as good, for our standards. I think second half we had a couple of chances, and [Greg] Kiltie's goal, it was offside but second half we dominated most of the game.

"It's very important, especially for the size of our club, these kind of games and hopefully going to Hampden. It's a great feeling for the fans, for everyone, the staff, the players, it's one of the best feelings going to Hampden.

"It was important today to get that win and kick on with a big game coming up [against Rangers]. It's always a big test against the big two but we've just got to play well, keep our standards and hopefully get something out of the game."

St Mirren fans, we want your thoughts after your side battled past Queen of the South to reach the last 16 of the Scottish Cup.

Have your say on the game here.

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St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson:

"Credit to Queen of the South, credit to Marvin [Bartley]. We knew it would be [tough]. The longer the game goes on, it gets a bit nervy, but the players kept passing the ball and getting into good areas.

"We deserved to win, it was efficient and we're in the next round. We should have won the game by more.

"We've had a good season up to now and a good cup run would add to that.

"We've got a couple of bits bubbling at left-back and in forward areas."