St Mirren

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St Mirren manager Craig McLeish has been speaking to the media as his side prepare for Saturday's visit of St Johnstone.

Here are the main points:

• On last weekend's victory over Falkirk, McLeish says it was "a really good start", adding it's helped "build confidence and momentum".

• McLeish admits he "likes watching" St Johnstone and "how they try and play their front four" but knows they "can cause a lot of problems".

• McLeish says the "squad is quite big at the moment" and stresses that any new additions that arrive have to "enhance the starting XI".

• The Buddies boss wouldn't be surprised to see interest in Killian Phillips, who scored both of their goals against Falkirk, and says "if he plays like he does against Falkirk undoubtedly there's going to be interest in him".

• McLeish admits the midfielder is "probably at a stage of his career that he's looking for a next step" but says he's "not aware" of any bids for Phillips.

• The 36-year-old insists it is "part of our club model" to develop players and move them on and while he's "not saying that time has come for Killian", he "can't sit here and worry about it" and must "make sure we have plans in place if Killian, or anyone, moves on".

• McLeish admits, however, that there are no imminent arrivals in Paisley.

• Team news: Declan John will be in the squad for Saturday's game.

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• St Mirren have lost four of their past five home league games against newly-promoted opponents, winning the other 1-0 against Livingston in December 2025.

• St Johnstone won their last league meeting with St Mirren 1-0 in February 2025 but have not beaten the Buddies successively in the Scottish Premiership since March 2019 (five in a row).

• St Mirren are looking to win their opening two Premiership matches in a season for the first time since 2023-24, when they eventually finished fifth.

• St Johnstone won 4-3 against Kilmarnock last weekend but have not started a top-flight campaign with two wins since 2017-18 under manager Tommy Wright.

• Jamie Gullan registered two assists on his first Scottish Premiership appearance for St Johnstone, while he led all Saints player for shots (4), chances created (5) and touches in the opposition box (6) against Killie.

Jonathan Sutherland
Sportscene presenter

Jack Walton - Dundee United

Made several important stops as Dundee United matched Rangers at Tannadice.

Lewis Mayo - Aberdeen

Bundled a vital equaliser home as Aberdeen snatched three points at the death against Hearts.

Martin Moormann - Motherwell

An impressive defensive performance from the Austrian as Motherwell repelled Hibernian's second-half pressure.

Cheick Diabate - St Johnstone

A goal and another big showing from the St Johnstone centre-back as Simo Valakari's side edged a seven-goal thriller against Kilmarnock.

Henry Fieldson - St Mirren

The versatile signing from Queen's Park had a superb St Mirren league debut.

Kieran Tierney - Celtic

Felt like the Kieran Tierney of old. He swung in a sublime assist for Benjamin Nygren's winning goal.

Thelo Aasgaard - Rangers

A moment of real quality to equalise and repay the faith shown in him by manager Derek McInnes.

Killian Phillips - St Mirren

Energy personified. The Irish midfielder made all the difference, scoring twice, as St Mirren beat Falkirk on Saturday.

Jamie Gullan - St Johnstone

Full of guile in their Championship-winning season and normal service resumed in the swashbuckling win over Kilmarnock. Five key passes and two assists for the tricky wide man.

Ibrahim Said - Motherwell

His delight was clear to see as he finished off a fine Motherwell passing move to put Hibs to the sword at Easter Road.

Kevin Nisbet - Aberdeen

The Aberdeen captain thoroughly enjoyed his celebration as he handled the pressure of winning the match for Aberdeen from the penalty spot deep in added time.

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

St Mirren's summer has been loud and unrelenting, following on from our loud and unrelenting spring.

Dating back to the departure of Stephen Robinson and interim promotion of Craig McLeish, a healthy percentage of the conversation around the Saints has been emotive and, particularly when this arrangement was made permanent, furious.

There are a multitude of valid reasons in support of questioning this decision. Are we stable enough to go all in on a rookie manager? Is McLeish the rookie manager we should go all-in on? Should landing in the relegation play-off have been disqualifying?

Such debate was always likely to erode the possibility for nuanced discussion, and so it has proved. Despite coasting (sort of) through League Cup group stages which have previously swallowed up the Saints, a blind and unwavering pessimism seems to have taken hold of many.

Passing out from the back has failed to pass the sniff test for some, despite leading to fewer shots on goal, fewer dangerous attacks, more possession and far more chances created.

With all this noise approaching deafening levels in the wake of an unfortunate defeat to Dunfermline, descending into ranting at club officials, Saturday's season opener in Falkirk carried the air of an immediate cup final.

With the appropriate caveats that we also secured an early victory in Falkirk last season, and that this Falkirk side have been robbed of significant talent over the summer, the 2-0 win must be taken as a milestone victory for St Mirren's new man in the dugout.

Goalkeeper Jacob Chapman may have enraged the Facebook da's with neat short passing and inviting the press, but kept his clean sheet.

Eseosa Sule led the line and spurned a glut of chances, yet dazzled in his ability to stretch Falkirk and find himself in such dangerous positions regardless. Jayden Richardson came in from the cold, performing admirably in a back four redefining themselves after a near decade of three-at-the-back clearing of lines.

For there to be something approaching calm, in St Mirren terms at least, this wave must be carried into Saturday and the hosting of top-flight new boys St Johnstone.

Six points from six when the opponents are likely bottom-half bedfellows may not be literally essential, but the mood arising from dropped points in these fixtures gets in the way of that necessary patience.

On Saturday's evidence, and the promise of more signings, more familiarity with tactics, more momentum and confidence, there is plenty of cause to look forward to the return of league duty to our newly renamed stadium.

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external

St Mirren have received no contact from any other clubs amid transfer speculation surrounding 24-year-old midfielder Killian Phillips. (Daily Record, external)

Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.

Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Killian Phillips says he wants to help St Mirren add a greater attacking threat this season after his double secured victory at Falkirk on the opening weekend of the Premiership.

The Irish midfielder struck either side of half-time as the Buddies earned a deserved three points at the Falkirk Stadium.

St Mirren's struggles at the wrong end of the table last season were in large part down to a lack of scoring, with their 30 goals in 38 games the poorest return in the league.

Now after bagging a brace in the first league game, Phillips wants to boost his and the team's goal tally this term.

"It's something I need to add to my game is numbers, so now I'm over the moon to get two," Phillips told BBC Scotland.

"It was a good team performance. I know I could have had a couple more and we could have had a couple more.

"On a normal day, those [missed] chances could have cost us. Probably last season, we struggled to create a lot of chances, so to have as many chances as we did today is more of a positive than a negative.

"It's a perfect opening day performance."

Watch the best of the action as St Mirren win 2-0 at Falkirk in their Scottish Premiership season opener. (Available to UK users only)

We asked for your views after St Mirren started the new Premiership season with a 2-0 win at Falkirk.

Here are some of your comments:

Alan: Pleasantly surprised at our performance but no less than we deserved. If chances had been taken it could have been a huge win. Will have a better idea 10 games in of where we are.

Michael: Good, solid start from St Mirren and nice to see some fluid movement and play. Killian Phillips was just awesome and did not stop running much like most of his team-mates. Performance is not going to harm any move for Phillips at all sadly. Henry Fieldson is a real find. Good start, good performance and as this team gels looking good.

Stewart: Great away win at a difficult venue. We moved the ball about really smartly, the interactions of play were a joy to watch. However, we really do need to work on our finishing.

Stu G: Glad we won. Won't get carried away with it. Two teams with lots of new faces and I thought we were better without dominating. We do have to get behind the team now. For all the fans reservations about the manager and recruitment, it won't do anyone any good to continue with negative undertones, so onwards and upwards.

Grant: Strange game. Wasn't ultimately impressed by Saints performance, but it's three points nonetheless. Think there's certain players in the starting 11 who aren't up to the challenge. Still think we'll be in the dogfight again at the end of the season - hope I'm wrong!

Peter: Great attitude from the team. Yes, two or three gilt-edged chances not taken, but 2-0 I'm happy with. The link-up play by Saints upset Falkirk who didn't seem to have much of a gameplan.

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St Mirren head coach Craig McLeish told BBC Scotland: "This is a really hard place to come and we showed quality on the ball at times, we counter-attacked well, which was part of our game plan, and we dug in and fought when we had to.

"We could have had one or two more goals if the final action had been a bit better, but I'm absolutely delighted with the group. The boys coming off the bench gave us real energy.

"We kind of get away with one with the disallowed goal and that would have been a sucker punch because we were quite comfortable at points.

"We were scoring goals in the cup and today we created good chances. That was the bit that was missing last season.

"We have to keep the core of what has made St Mirren successful in the last few years. We have to be hard to play against and defensively solid. A clean sheet gets us off to a good start with that.

"There's a bit of uncertainty after playing lower league opposition in the cup, so when it comes together like that on day one, it's such a good feeling."

Killian Phillips' double ensured St Mirren got their Scottish Premiership campaign off to a winning start with victory at Falkirk.

Read the full match report here.

Let us know your thoughts here.

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New St Mirren arrival Justin Thomas says he is on the "same wavelength" as "ambitious" head coach Craig McLeish.

The 27-year-old winger arrives in Paisley as a free agent after four seasons at Bristol Rovers.

He scored four goals and provided two assists across 39 appearances in all competitions last term.

Thomas is the eighth summer signing for McLeish, who replaced Stephen Robinson in March.

"I'm really excited for this new opportunity and I can't wait to get going," he told club media.

"After the first conversation I had with the gaffer, I remember getting off the phone and telling my agent to get it done and as quickly as that it was done.

"He told me how he likes to play and how he sees the game. He's so ambitious and that's what I am in my career. We're definitely on the same wavelength and I think it's going to be a really good relationship.

"I always watch Scottish football. It's something I've always wanted to experience and I'm lucky enough now to be able to go out and experience it. Hopefully I can grab this opportunity with both hands."

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Falkirk goalkeeper Scott Bain is pushing to return from an ankle injury while the Bairns are without Keelan Adams and Aidan Nesbitt following ankle surgery and the suspended Brad Spencer. Tom Lang is close to a return after 18 months out.

Liam Donnelly could return for St Mirren and on-loan Rangers midfielder Paul Nsio could make his debut while Declan John (hamstring) remains out. Ryan Mullen is making good progress following a thigh injury.

Keanu Baccus (Achilles) and Jonah Ayunga (knee) are long-term absentees.

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St Mirren boss Craig McLeish says his team must prioritise defensive solidity this season if they are to make a tilt at the top six.

McLeish kept the Buddies up last season via the play-offs after taking over from Stephen Robinson, who previously guided the Paisley club to three straight top-half finishes and a League Cup triumph.

"If you just aim at surviving in this league and you fall short of that, you're in trouble," McLeish said.

"We have to aim as high as we possibly can and top six and European qualification is what we're going to strive to achieve."

After scoring 12 goals in the Premier Sports Cup group stage, McLeish said: "The way we're playing with an extra attacker, with some of the bodies we've brought in, hopefully that's the bit that we can solve this season as well because we also can't get away from what's made St Mirren successful over the years.

"We have to be hard to play against. We have to enjoy keeping clean sheets. We have to love defending and being aggressive in everything we do. It's keeping those core bits and then adding the attacking side to it as well.

"We want it to be exciting. We want it to be good to watch, fun for the players to play in. I want it to be enjoyable for the supporters. We will be hard working, we'll be high energy and we have to be tough to beat first and foremost."

McLeish still wants to add to his squad after signing 20-year-old Rangers midfielder Paul Nsio on loan.

However, a move for Ghanaian midfielder Abdul Hakim Sulemana has fallen through.

"Paul brings us a kind of level of physicality and athleticism that we can't source," McLeish said. "He can cover a number of different positions."

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• Last season, St Mirren's Scottish Premiership games had just 85 goals (30 for, 55 against), the fewest of any side. By contrast, Falkirk were one of only two sides in 2025-26 to both score (50) and concede (62) 50+ goals in the division, along with Kilmarnock (50 for, 68 against).

• St Mirren lost their opening league game of last season 1-0 at Celtic Park but have not lost on the opening day in back-to-back Premiership campaigns since 2013-14/2014-15.

• Falkirk lost each of their final three league games of last season, their longest losing run in 2025-26. The Bairns last lost four in a row in the top-flight in December 2008.

• St Mirren have won five of their last seven top-flight away games at Falkirk Stadium (losing just once) – including both last season.

• Falkirk have only won two of their last 12 top-flight meetings with St Mirren (losing half of them), a 2-1 victory in April 2010 and 2-0 triumph in January last season.

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Rangers midfielder Paul Nsio has joined St Mirren on a season-long loan, with Buddies manager Craig McLeish saying the 20-year-old brings the "calibre, physical attributes and athleticism" lacking in their own academy at present.

London-born Nsio spent last season on loan to Raith Rovers and helped the Kirkcaldy side win the Challenge Cup in April, making 31 appearances and being voted the club's young player of the year.

McLeish was attracted to the player's versatility, telling St Mirren's website: "He's had a really strong pre-season with Rangers. He started finding himself playing at right-back as well.

"We know he can play as a six and can play higher up as an eight in midfield, so he gives us a number of different options to use him.

"That versatility is a big part of bringing Paul in. His signing adds physicality to the group as well.

"It's finding a balance of developing your own players, bringing your own permanent ones in but also looking at the loan market to some bigger clubs to try and find the profile of player that we don't have access to within our own academy.

"Paul fits that mould where we don't have someone of that calibre, physical attributes and athleticism within our own building right now."

"Ambitious" Nsio, who has made three first-team appearances for Rangers, is hopeful of "a good test" that will help him reach "the highest level".

He added: "I know some of the lads here like Eseosa Sule and Roland Idowu. I've spoken to some of the senior boys as well and hopefully I'll just learn more from them and it'll help my development as a player."

Rangers midfielder Paul Nsio has agreed a loan move to St Mirren, but the 20-year-old will not be signing a new deal at Ibrox as suggested before making the switch to the Paisley club. (Pete O'Rourke on X, external)

Raith Rovers Dougie Imrie has expressed his bitter disappointment at failing to take Rangers midfielder Paul Nsio back to Stark's Park, with the 20-year-old poised to join St Mirren on loan instead. (The Courier, external)

Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.

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Defender Tunmise Sobowale has left St Mirren to join Shamrock Rovers on a permanent deal.

The 27-year-old went to the League of Ireland side on loan in February and has now signed a full-time contract after the clubs agreed an undisclosed fee.

Having moved to Paisley last summer from Swindon Town, Sobowale made eight appearances for the Buddies with seven of those as a substitute.

St Mirren also have a sell-on clause as part of the deal.

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

Where will you finish in the league and why?

Some people are being incredibly pessimistic, I'm trying not to be naively optimistic so I'll split the difference and say eighth. We've gone all in on changing our approach from Stephen Robinson's reign and I'm choosing to believe that we'll be rewarded in the long run. It may take some time to settle in.

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

We've been pretty vocal on being more data-led from this summer onwards so it'll probably take time for the true gems of this high-potential crop to reveal themselves. Eseosa Sule looks immediately exciting and, having been talked into signing permanently instead of on loan, you'd expect him to get plenty of starts.

What do you want from your manager this season?

Mostly, I want him to be given time. We're a notoriously grumpy fanbase and appointing a rookie manager has meant that some are already firmly against the idea. From the manager himself, some occasional pragmatism in shape would probably go a long way. I'm all in favour of us trying to play more football but the core of our squad have won silverware and top-half status through being hard to beat in a 3-5-2. Sometimes, that will be what's needed.

Who will be the breakout star in your squad?

New signings aside, I think most are seeing the appointment of Craig McLeish as a sign that we'll see genuine progression from our academy for the first time in a while. Luke Douglas, Carrick McEvoy and Thomas Falconer are already establishing themselves in the squad. Fifteen-year-old Marcello de Barros has just smashed Dylan Reid's youngest Saints appearance record by about six months. If I have to pick one that I think will get the minutes to catapult themselves into mainstream attention, then young striker Luke Douglas gets my vote.

What is your one major concern?

I think that we are still a few critical pieces away from having a squad capable of weathering the challenges of switching to a possession-based style. We need to replace Miguel Freckleton and support Alex Gogic with some real pace at the back and bring in someone who will seriously challenge captain Marcus Fraser at right-back. We need quality in wide areas to create more chances and some added forward experience to support Eseosa Sule in making sure we don't succumb to the same struggles in front of goal that resigned us to the play-offs last season.

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external