St Mirren

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.

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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 gs - 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.

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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

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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 s 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.

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• 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 t 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.

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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

Image source, SNS

St Mirren have Conor McMenamin, Alex Iacovitti and Elvis Bwomono fighting their way back to fitness, while Evan Mooney (ankle) is out for the season.

Ross County lost Noah Chilvers to cruciate ligament damage ahead of last weekend's defeat by Aberdeen and continue to be without Michee Efete (knee) and Ryan Leak (Achilles).

Image source, SNS

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson says victory over Ross County on Saturday would mark a "huge achievement" even if they miss out on a top-six place.

Saints are looking for a hat-trick of top-half finishes in the Premiership but only if they win on Saturday and Motherwell take something off Hearts at Fir Park.

"The biggest thing I've said to the players is, this would be the third year you've broken 40 points [before the split]," Robinson said.

"If we can win on Saturday and don't meet the top six, it's still a massive improvement on where this football club was.

"To do it three years in a row and hit 40 points before the split is probably the first time it's been done. So, whether it's good enough to make the top six, what we have to is to break 40 points before the split is a huge, huge achievement for this football club."

Robinson has had to deal with losing three players from his squad this season following court appearances but has brushed off the disruption.

"We have to embrace it," he added.

"We're not the ones under pressure. Ourselves and Motherwell, it's a huge bonus to be in the top six. But it's other teams that are under pressure, not us.

"Considering everything that's happened at the club and all the problems we've had off the field, to still be in this position is fantastic."

Image source, SNS

St Mirren manager Stephen Robinson has been speaking to the media ahead of his side's game with Ross County this weekend.

Here are the key points from his press conference:

• Robinson says even if the side don't finish in the top six, "it's still a massive improvement on where this football club was. To do it three years in a row and hit 40 points before the split is probably the first time it's been done."

• He adds that should they win at the weekend and hit the 40-point mark, it would be a "huge, huge achievement for this football club".

• Robinson "doesn't feel there's a whole need to change a lot of things" on the park, adding that he's been happy with recent performances and the players he has available.

• St Mirren have to "embrace" the challenge of vying for a top-six spot, says Robinson, but he remains calm as "other teams are under pressure, not us".

• With off-the-park troubles plaguing them throughout the season, the manager adds: "Considering everything that's happened at the club and all the problems we've had off the field, to still be in this position is fantastic".

• The 50-year-old emphasises that at the start of the season the club's main target was staying in the top flight, and a top-six berth is their "maximum target," adding that he feels the current compostion of the table's top half is probably "the way it should be in of resources."

• A win on Saturday would be a huge result for the club, even if it doesn't secure that final spot in the top half of the division, as "it will certainly help ease our fears of being caught up in a relegation battle."

• He reckons his side's performance against Dundee was better than when they hammered Kilmarnock, but the result doesn't reflect that as they weren't "clinical and ruthless enough".

• He adds that "the fans have played a huge part" in recent success and praises them for their continued both home and away.

• He adds that this weekend's opponents, Ross County, "have a lot of really good players," and they will take nothing for granted against a good side with a "very good manager who has bright ideas".

• It's a "bit too early" for Evan Mooney this weekend, but there are no other injuries, with a fully-fit squad other than that giving him "hard decisions for the bench, never mind the starting XI".

Celtic could still win a 13th Scottish top-flight title in 14 seasons this weekend, despite their shock defeat away to St Johnstone last Sunday.

Victory at home against Kilmarnock on Saturday would be sufficient to confirm the arithmetic should Rangers lose at Aberdeen the following day.

The Ibrox side are almost certain to clinch the second Champions League place, but four points from their final six matches would confirm it.

Whoever finishes third and fourth will also be in Europe, as will the division's fifth-placed side should the Scottish Cup winners be one of the Premiership's top four.

The fight for the final top-six place will go to the final game before the split, with one of Hearts, Motherwell or St Mirren claiming it.

Hearts visit Fir Park one point in front of their hosts and the Paisley side, who take on Ross County.

The two teams missing out could yet be sucked into a relegation battle.

Bottom side St Johnstone are now five adrift of Dundee and six behind Kilmarnock and Ross County. Motherwell and St Mirren are a further three points ahead.

With the teams all playing each other again post-split, there is still plenty scope for movement between now and 18 May.