St Mirren

Daldeep Kaur
BBC Sport Scotland

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Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media before St Mirren's opening-day trip to champions Celtic on Sunday.

Here are the key lines from his press conference:

• He says St Mirren start the season with the "core of a very, very good squad" after getting in the players they wanted, but it will "take a bit of time for everyone to gel and get up to speed".

• Robinson is targeting a fourth consecutive top-six finish but insists it will be "a huge challenge" and the Buddies have to "upset the odds" as their finances are below what some other clubs have.

• With a small squad and staff Robinson insists St Mirren have "raised the expectations" and "people are talking that we should be challenging for Europe".

• He praised youngsters Evan Mooney and Fraser Taylor and believes he has "21 game-ready players for the first team".

• On facing champions Celtic on the opening day after playing them on the final day of last term: "We're there to spoil the flag day, we're not there to make up numbers. I'd like to think that Brendan [Rodgers] knows we will come and we will have a real go and try and put them under pressure."

• The Paisley side face Celtic, Rangers and Hibs in three of their first four games but Robinson isn't worried by the tough start: "If you watch my teams play, they don't play with fear. We play on the front foot, we press every team. We've got real energy, pace and creativity. We certainly don't fear anybody, we embrace it and we look forward to it."

• He is pleased with the new recruits but is "always looking", although to find players that will enhance their starting XI is "very, very difficult".

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• This fixture is a repeat of Celtic and St Mirren's final league game of last season, a 1-1 draw at Celtic Park. Celtic have won both previous occasions that they have faced the Buddies on matchday one of a league season, winning 5-1 in 1916-17 and 1-0 in 2008-09.

• St Mirren have lost 11 of their past 13 meetings with Celtic in all competitions (D2), while away from home the Buddies have lost 33 of their past 38 visits to the Hoops (W1 D4).

• Celtic have won their opening game in 16 of the past 17 league seasons, the only exception being 2021-22 when they lost 2-1 to Hearts under Ange Postecoglou. When playing at home on matchday one, Celtic have won 22 of their past 23 openers, the other being a 0-0 draw with Kilmarnock in 2007-08.

• St Mirren have won their season opener in both of the past two Scottish Premiership campaigns after only winning on matchday one in two of their previous 13 top-fight participations beforehand (D4 L7).

• Celtic's Brendan Rodgers is unbeaten in 12 league openers as a manager across spells with Liverpool, Celtic and Leicester City (W10 D2) since a 3-0 defeat with Liverpool against West Brom in 2012-13.

Cork City striker Malik Dijksteel has arrived in Scotland for a medical after a fee was agreed for the 24-year-old to allow his immediate transfer after he signed a pre-contract agreement to join St Mirren in December. (Daily Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Midfielder Killian Phillips says St Mirren "won't fear" a trip to champions Celtic on the opening weekend of the Scottish Premiership season.

The Paisley side faced Brendan Rodgers' men on the final day of last campaign and led 1-0 at Parkhead before James Forrest's stoppage-time equaliser denied them a famous win.

Phillips, who has four goals to his name already this season after impressing last term, is relishing the occasion at Celtic Park.

"You have to play Celtic three times no matter what," the Irishman told Sky Sports.

"It'll be sold out and it's one of the best stadiums in the world, so it'll be a great atmosphere to play in and I'm looking forward to it.

"I don't think any of us will fear them. We'll go over there and implement our game plan and try things we've worked on during the week."

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

Where will you finish in the league and why?

The only guarantee in life is there will come a time when I can no longer casually assume the Buddies will finish in the top half, and so I'm going to continue riding that train until the lights come on at the end of the line.

Sixth. We've lost some key starters, but Stephen Robinson has long since earned blind faith in his ability to freshen our squad.

Who is the best signing or has he not signed yet and who should it be?

The unknown quantities of Richard King and Jalmaro Calvin, signed from Jamaican champions Cavalier, offer the most potentially exciting answers to this question.

However, based on the evidence we have already, it will likely be one of our loanees-turned-permanent. Convincing Roland Idowu and last season's player of the year Killian Phillips to commit for the long term in Paisley represents excellent business.

I'll opt for Idowu in order to be different and appear like I'm in the know.

What do you want from your manager this season?

I want him to stay in Paisley, forever. I want him to continue telling the media that three players are injured, then starting them all on Saturday anyway. I want more of the same from our card-carrying marginal-gains man.

Who will be the breakout star in your squad?

Fraser Taylor. Local boy and Saints fan, late developer who starred on loan for Arbroath last season as they won League One.

Nominally a 10, he has played throughout the League Cup group stage in a deep midfield role, replacing Caolan Boyd-Munce. Last year, in a brief cameo, he set up our famous equaliser against Brann in Norway with an inch-perfect cross.

I'd argue he's a better and stronger player now, and he has more options to create for.

What is your one major concern?

We've had (and are still having) a busy summer of squad turnover, losing several popular figures from the past three seasons of relative success.

Therein lies a risk that new players won't settle, or the squad will lose something of its closeness. The league also feels stronger at the top end, so patience and understanding for a bottom-half finish might also be needed.

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external

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St Mirren goalkeeper Peter Urminsky has joined NIFL Premiership side Glentoran on loan for the 2025/26 season.

As part of the loan agreement, the Buddies have the option to recall the shot-stopper in January.

The 26-year-old made the move to Paisley in 2020 and went on to have loan spells at Stenhousemuir and Ayr United before making his Premiership debut against Rangers in 2023.

Urminsky has made six first team appearances for the Buddies since his arrival five years ago.

"Peter will go out on loan and get the minutes we keep talking about," manager Stephen Robinson told club media, external.

"I believe the best way to develop is to play football. You get opportunities every day in training but you never know where somebody is, so he needs to go and play.

"It's a competitive league, there are real demands and I believe he'll excel.

"It's nothing but good to come back with that experience and potentially create another big asset at the football club."

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Stephen Robinson is looking forward to a tricky League Cup tie against Hearts after St Mirren topped Group D with a 2-1 win over Ayr United on Sunday.

The Buddies will face Derek McInnes' Hearts in the last 16 of the competition when the tie is played on the weekend of 16th/17th August.

After a 0-0 draw against Arbroath in their first game earlier this month, Robinson's men went on to defeat Forar Athletic, Annan Athletic and Ayr on their way to the round of 16.

The Buddies last lifted the League Cup in 2013 in a run which saw them defeat Aberdeen and Celtic on their road to the final where they were 3-1 winners against Hearts, and Robinson is hopeful of achieving that feat again.

"You start out the group stage to get to the next round and we've done that," Robinson told club media.

"We now add Hearts to a very hard start of the season but if you want to progress in the cup you have to beat everybody and if you want to win the cup you have to do it the hard way.

"We've done it before, we've beaten Hearts and Aberdeen on the way to a cup final. Looks like we'll have to do it again."

St Mirren fans, we asked for your views on Sunday's Premier Sports Cup win over Ayr United.

Here's what some of you had to say:

David: Huffing and puffing our way out of the group stage. Sure we are bedding in a lot of new players and the group format is nonsense but we desperately need a new striker and creative midfielder.

Douglas: Stephen Robinson can try to paint a positive picture out of the matches, however the second half performance was extremely poor. I worry for both the left and right hand side of the defence, and that is two weeks in a row that we have conceded from a straightforward corner. Play like that second half and Celtic will walk over us next Sunday. Best described as "curate's egg" performance with more bad than good unfortunately!

John: Can't argue with Scott Brown, we should have been out of sight by half time but well done to Ayr for their second half performance.

Peter: Any win in a cup tie is well deserved. Some fans should look back on previous so called easy ties and realise that getting into the next round is the main aim. Well done to the team and management.

Mark: I was at the match and have been a St Mirren fan all my life, the first half we played well second half we eased off and credit to Ayr who deserved their goal. Here's to a good season ahead and we get top six again and are a bit more consistent.

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Stephen Robinson hailed "maverick" Roland Idowu and two-goal Killian Phillips as their St Mirren side secured top place in Premier Sports Cup Group D and a place in the last 16.

Idowu, the Irishman who joined the Buddies permanently this summer after last season's loan from Shrewsbury Town, set up both goals for his fellow 23-year-old midfielder in their 2-1 win over Ayr United.

"Roland, we played him just off [striker] Mikael [Mandron] and told him to float into those wider areas where the goal came from because it's very congested in the middle of the pitch," manager Robinson told BBC Radio Scotland's Sportsound.

"He was excellent. He was involved in both goals. He's a maverick, he's someone who can change the game for us and he's someone we're trying to bring into the game.

"Him and Conor McMenamin, Jalmaro [Calvin] when he gets up to speed, are boys that can do things we haven't had previously."

As for Phillips, who has signed permanently after his loan from Crystal Palace, Robinson said: "We have worked constantly on cutting balls back and making runs and Killian is getting his just rewards and he's adding goals to the other good attributes he's got."

The visiting Championship side pulled a goal back in the second half, but Robinson added: "The way we played in the first half, I thought we were outstanding. We got a little bit casual in the second half and didn't do the simple things well.

"We lose a goal from a set-play and the momentum swings and puts us on the back foot, but we showed the character and quality and we should have gone and finished the game off with three or four more goals."

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St Mirren host Hearts in the second round of the League Cup.

The Buddies overcame Ayr United 2-1 to top Group D, while Hearts finished first in Group E.

Ties are due to be played on the weekend of 16th/17th August.

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Tunmise Sobowale says it was a "no-brainer" to join St Mirren after Buddies past and present raved about the club.

The Irish wing-back, 26, joined Stephen Robinson's side on a two-year deal from Swindon Town earlier this month.

Sobowale's previous clubs include hometown side Waterford where he played alongside new team-mates Roland Idowu and Owen Oseni plus Richard Taylor, who left the Buddies last month to join Bolton.

"I spoke to Richard Taylor, one of my good friends," Sobowale said.

"We played together in Ireland. Owen Oseni and Roland are still here at the moment so I had very good references in terms of how the club is run, what the vibe is as well.

"It was all positive from them, so it was really a no-brainer for me to come here just to improve my game and just play in a different league, a new challenge.

"It's always good to test the waters elsewhere and just get the best out of yourself as well, which I think I will do here."

Sobowale also admitted manager Stephen Robinson was a big draw in his decision to join the Buddies.

"The manager has obviously got a reputation," the defender added.

"He just said he loves runners. He loves hard-workers, that's what you want to hear. For me, anyway, as a player, that's what I love.

"I feel like I'm the type of player that just gets his head down and just gets to work, really. So, I think we work really well together."

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Shamal George will be St Mirren's "best available" goalkeeper after joining on loan from Wycombe Wanderers, says manager Stephen Robinson.

The 27-year-old spent two years at Livingston before joining Wycombe, who have an option to recall George in January, and has made more than 100 senior club appearances across spells at five clubs.

"He comes with a vast amount of experience in the league," said St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson.

"I believe Shamal's now the best available goalkeeper to us. It's not something we searched out, but when he became available, I had no hesitation whatsoever.

"He gives real composure, a real presence in goal as well."

And Robinson added: "We'll look to get Peter Urminsky out on loan. We believe he's going to be a very good goalkeeper, but he needs to play games.

"And we've brought Ryan Mullen in, who we have real high hopes for as well. We believe Ryan will be a number one goalkeeper here."

With nine new players having joined this summer, Robinson believes St Mirren are "starting to look like a first-team squad".

"We would have liked to have added to the squad sooner," he explained. "We're getting there.

"I'd want maybe one more, maybe two. We've obviously signed Malik Dijksteel on a pre-contract, so he'll be here in January. But who knows if he can come before that. We don't know.

"I'd like one more player in and to go with a squad of 21 players. And there may be some that have to leave to allow that to happen, but we'll work on that over the coming weeks."

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St Mirren have signed Miguel Freckleton from Sheffield United, with Buddies manager Stephen Robinson suggesting the 21-year-old centre-half is "similar to Richard Taylor", who left for Bolton Wanderers this summer.

Freckleton, who had a year of his contract with the Championship club still to run, has signed a two-year contract with St Mirren.

"Miguel is someone whose career we have watched develop," Robinson said. "We feel that he is someone similar to Richard Taylor.

"He's got good attributes and is really quick. He's still got lots to learn, but at 21 he's played nearly 100 games and we'll continue to work with him."

Freckleton, who can also play at left-back, came through the youth ranks with local club Bristol Rovers and joined United from Hellenic League Premier Division club Mangotsfield United in 2021.

Although he failed to break into the first team, he had loan spells with Wealdstone, Yeovil Town, Chesterfield and, last season, League Two side Swindon Town.

He made 32 appearances, 29 of them starts, as Swindon finished 12th in the fourth tier.

"He's someone who will get better with more football and will become a big asset for ourselves," Robinson added.

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media before St Mirren's final Premier Sports Cup group game against Ayr United on Sunday.

Here are the key things he said:

• The manager says his squad is "getting there", adding he "would have liked to add to it sooner, but we're starting to look like a first-team squad now".

• Robinson believes he's seen some progression in his squad during the League Cup group stages and certainly in their last game against Annan, where "we looked back to ourselves".

• He expects "a tough test" as they reach "serious business" stage against Ayr United as both vie for progression into the second round.

• Having agreed a pre-contract with "bright spark" Malik Dijksteel, Robinson "doesn't know" if St Mirren will be able to call on him earlier, amid reports they are negotiating an early release.

St Mirren want to sign 27-year-old former Livingston goalkeeper Shamal George on loan from Wycombe Wanderers. (Record), external

Read Thursday's Scottish gossip

St Mirren are trying agree a fee with Cork City to secure Malik Dijksteel this summer after the 24-year-old winger agreed to sign at the end of his contract in January. (Daily Record), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Jalmaro Calvin will bring "real pace and energy" to St Mirren after signing from Jamaican side Cavalier, says manager Stephen Robinson.

The forward has penned a two-year deal with the Buddies. The Paisley club hold the option to extend for a further year.

The 22-year-old, who scored 39 goals in 101 appearances for Cavalier and featured in the Concacaf Champions Cup, joins up with his former team-mate Richard King.

Robinson says Calvin's attributes remind him of Toyosi Olusanya, who was a key player for St Mirren before departing for Houston Dynamo in April.

"Jalmaro was a player that kept coming up every time we looked at Richard [King]," said Robinson.

"He has real pace and energy. He can play wide and he can play through the middle.

"We need to build him up. He's a project for us in terms of getting him used to the Scottish game and the physicality, but his electric pace will give us something we don't have in the squad at this time.

"He reminds me of Toyosi Olusanya in terms of that raw pace he can offer us in the wide areas."

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St Mirren have signed Cork City winger Malik Dijksteel on a pre-contract which will see him join up with the Paisley side in January.

Dijksteel has put pen to paper on a two-and-a-half year deal which will begin in the new year following the expiration of his contract with Cork.

"Malik is a player that we have kept tabs on over the last six months," manager Stephen Robinson said.

"He's a real bright spark in the final third. He's quick, direct, takes players on and I think the fans will really take to him given how exciting he is."

The 24-year-old joined the League of Ireland side in July 2023 and went on to make 41 appearances, scoring five goals and setting up four others.

Dijksteel spent time with Feyenoord's youth set up, playing alongside the likes of Jurrien Timber and Joshua Zirkzee, before moving the the UK to join Middlesbrough in 2021.

He made the move to Cork City in 2023 after spells with Whitby Town and Wrexham.

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Manager Stephen Robinson praised St Mirren's "very clinical" attacking play after they thrashed Annan 8-2.

After opening their Premier Sports Cup campaign with a goalless draw against Arbroath, Saints have now scored 10 goals in two matches.

Mikael Mandron put the Buddies three up inside nine minutes following Killian Phillips' double, but Annan pulled two goals back before Richard King converted a penalty on the hour mark.

A goal flurry from Robinson's side in the final 10 minutes extended the scoreline, with Mandron completing his treble and Jayden Richardson and Roland Idowu also on target.

"We started superbly," Robinson told a club video. "The three goals were excellent, all the things we have been working on, running forward, the cut-backs, super play in and around the box.

"Subconsciously, you take your foot off the gas. You don't mean to but you do, you allow the other team to have more time on the ball and start making decisions you perhaps wouldn't make if you're playing Celtic.

"They got a little kick on the backside and showed a great response. The goals in the second half and some of the play was very good and very clinical. To score eight goals in any game is a real achievement."

We asked for your views after Stephen Robinson's St Mirren put eight past lower-league Annan in the Premier Sports Cup.

Here's what some of you said:

Eddie: Great result! We are starting look more like the team the manager knows.

Douglas: Fraser Taylor, why not start off by saying that was a great sitting midfield performance? Not on the scoresheet, but controlled, prodded and sprayed great passes throughout the afternoon. We puffed a little after taking a three-goal lead after nine minutes, but eventually we managed to find the net later in the game to reflect our dominance. Richard King also put in a polished first performance and the management team must be happy with his control. There will be greater examinations as the season progresses, but good to see the goals go in and raise the confidence.

Wallace: Enjoyed ever minute of it.

Gabe: A reassuring performance after the two previous lacklustre games. It's slightly disconcerting that we conceded two goals, but overall this result is a cause for optimism.

John: For a great deal of that game it was a turgid affair. It was a lightning start and we looked on easy street. For the last 20-odd minutes of the first half Annan outplayed us. They were the better side at that point - 8-2 definitely flattered us and I think tiredness in the Annan team played its part at the end. After they scored to make it 3-2 they had a spring in their step, but it petered out. I have now seen both keepers in action and I am not overly confident in either. Still, we won comfortably in the end and have a chance of progressing.

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Tunmise Sobowale's "athleticism, pace and energy" will bring "real quality" to St Mirren, says manager Stephen Robinson.

The 26-year-old right wing-back has become the Paisley side's latest summer signing, joining from Swindon Town on a two-year deal.

"We believe Tunmise has real quality in terms of his athleticism, his pace and his energy," said Robinson.

"He's coming in to compete with Jayden [Richardson] for a place in the team. He can play at right-sided centre-half or as a real attacking right wing-back with his pace.

"It's another bit of competition which we need in the squad."

Tunmise began his career at his hometown club Waterford. He would move to Spain in 2018 to join Hercules before returning to Ireland with Finn Harps.

In 2020 Tunmise re-joined Waterford, where he played with Buddies players Roland Idowu and Richard Taylor.

He would then move to Shrewsbury Town before going on to make 44 appearances at Swindon.

"I've spoken to some players who were previously here and they've had nothing but good things to say about the club," said Tunmise.

"I think it is the perfect place for me to play my football right now and enjoy it. I want to now do the best I can for myself and the club."