St Mirren Chief Executive Tony Fitzpatrick said: "We have complied robustly with the official testing and hygiene regimen to the letter, using a private testing facility in accordance with the Scottish Government and the SPFL/SFA Joint Response Group protocols.

"Our players were tested on Monday 20th and have returned 100% negative tests on Wednesday 22nd July, however test results for seven of the coaching staff undertaken at the same time showed they were positive for Covid-19.

"We immediately implemented strict isolation protocols and made further arrangements for the coaching staff to be retested at NHS testing facilities on Thursday 23rd.

"I’m very pleased to report that six of the subsequent coaching staff tests have now come back negative this morning (Friday 24th).

"The remaining member of the coaching staff has confirmed as a positive test result and continues to be in strict isolation and has not come into contact with any member of the playing or coaching staff since Saturday 18th July. The club will continue to support and look after this staff member to ensure a full recovery.

"We are liaising closely with NHS Scotland, the SPFL and the SFA on next steps. We will also be undertaking an urgent review of the private testing arrangement which returned the initial false positive test results.

"In light of recent events the club’s planned friendly match at home to St Johnstone, scheduled to take place on Saturday 25th July, has been cancelled.

"Our priority throughout the pandemic has always been the safety and wellbeing of our staff and players, and to ensure we placed public safety at the forefront of our thoughts and actions. This will continue to be the club's top priority as a safe start to the football season is essential."

We can confirm our testing regimen has identified several members of our coaching staff have tested positive for COVID-19. We immediately contacted the health authorities, and the SPFL and the SFA have also been informed.

Thus far no members of the playing staff have tested positive and we are taking all possible precautions to ensure there is no further spread. We will provide an update in due course.

St Mirren Football Club is delighted to announce that Gennaro Glass and Glazing will become the club’s first ever official sleeve sponsor.

Gennaro is a family company with over 70 years experience in glass & glazing and is able to offer a highly professional and comprehensive service to all customers, large and small. Based in Paisley, they are one of the leading manufacturers in the UK of Fire Rated products such as windows and doors.

The new deal will see the Gennaro logo on the sleeves of all first team home and away tops in the coming season.

Gennaro director, Kevin Beattie said: "We are delighted to become a official sponsor of the club and look forward to seeing our brand proudly displayed on the kit."

Our Scottish Premiership fixture away to Celtic, originally scheduled for Saturday 31st October, has been postponed due to Celtic's involvement in the semi-final of the 2019/20 Scottish Cup.

A new date for the match against Celtic will be announced in due course.

St Mirren Football Club is delighted to announce that Isak Thorvaldsson is the latest player that will #BeInThatNumber after agreeing a season-long loan with Saints.

The 19 year-old Icelandic midfielder joins us on the temporary deal from English side Norwich City. The Canaries retain the option to recall Isak in January.

Capped at U19 level for Iceland, Isak began his career with his local club Afturelding before joining Norwich City in 2017. In January 2020, Isak signed a loan deal with English League One play-off semi-finalists Fleetwood Town.

He becomes our second signing of the afternoon following the announcement of Joe Shaughnessy at 4pm. 

Speaking to stmirren.com, Isak said: "I'm really excited to get back to playing after meeting all the boys.

"I spoke to Akin [Famewo] before coming here and he only said positive things about the club. I don't know much about Scottish football but St Mirren seem like a good club to come to and hopefully we'll do well this season. 

"I'm an explosive player who likes to get into tackles and fight for the team. I just want to help the team as much as I can and show what I'm capable of."

On the signing, manager Jim Goodwin said: "We've managed to develop a really good relationship with the guys at Norwich and had great success with Akin last season.

"Isak is an Iceland youth international and will probably be in the U21 squad for them when it next comes about.

"He's a midfielder who can do a little bit of everything. He's a physical player but also technically very good and I'm really looking forward to seeing him."

St Mirren Football Club is delighted to announce that Joe Shaughnessy will #BeInThatNumber after agreeing a two-year deal with Saints subject to international clearance. 

The Irish defender has signed a two-year contract to become Jim Goodwin’s fourth signing of the summer after leaving English League One side Southend United.

The 27-year-old is no stranger to Scottish football having joined Aberdeen as a 16-year-old in 2009. He played 59 times for the Dons in a six-year spell whilst also having spells on loan at Forfar Athletic and Falkirk.

In 2015, following his exit from Aberdeen, Joe signed for St Johnstone. He would make 169 appearances for the Perth Saints in a four-year spell and was named club captain in 2017.

After 10 years in Scotland, Joe left St Johnstone last summer to seek a new challenge in England where he signed for Southend United.

Joe told stmirren.com: "I'm very happy to get everything over the line. 

The manager really sold the club to me. His ambition came across really well any time I spoke to him and it made me feel like there is something starting here and I want to be a part of it. 

"I had four years at St Johnstone which went really well and time at Aberdeen too. I feel well suited to the Scottish game and hopefully I can bring what I learned in England to here. 

Saints manager Jim Goodwin said: "We have been in constant dialogue with Joe since he left Southend United and we are delighted that we have been able to get him signed up. 

"He is a fantastic leader and a really good character as well. He's got fantastic experience in the Scottish Premiership already and played a huge part in St Johnstone's success in recent years.

'All these boys we are bringing in fit a certain profile and Joe ticks every box."

Earlier this week we asked supporters to send in their questions for new signings, Richard Tait, Jak Alnwick and Nathan Sheron.

We put a selection of your questions to our new Saints.

Q: What was the biggest selling point for you in coming to St Mirren?

(Nathan Sheron) A: Just the stature of the club and how big the club is. I'd never been to Scotland but I'm looking forward to it. 

(Jak Alwnick) A: Just speaking to the gaffer and speaking. to Lee Hodson. It was a club that I had come across in the past with Paul Dummett and Conor Newton coming up here on loan. With no start date in England for coming back I just wanted to get going straight away. The phone call came from the gaffer and said he wanted to come to the club and I knew I wanted to join. I'm buzzing to get started. 

(Richard Tait) A: When I met the manager that really swayed my decision. I really liked what he had to say. I think most footballers like to be wanted by a team and St Mirren wanted me so that's why I joined.

Q: What are you most looking forward to in Scottish football?

(Nathan Sheron) A: I'm just looking forward to the whole experience of it. There are some big games but it's all about the competition and the competitiveness of the league.

Q: What are you looking to achieve at St Mirren?

(Nathan Sheron) A: I just want us to finish as high as we can in the table and try and win as many games as possible.

(Jak Alnwick) A: I want to play as many games as possible and get as many clean sheets as possible. My aim to start with is to play every single league game. 

(Richard Tait) A: I'd like to get a lot more assists than I have in the past two seasons. I think the season before that I was up there with most in the league so a few more assists would be nice. I'd also like to play as many games as I can and just generally for the team to do well. 

Q: How excited are you for the start of the season and how strange will it be without fans?

(Nathan Sheron) A: I can't wait for it. We'll definitely miss the fans but we've just got to focus on each game and know the fans will be supporting us from a distance.

(Jak Alnwick) A: It will be quite strange but pre-season has been better than I thought. It's been fairly normal as far as pre-season goes. We've played a few bounce games with no fans and that prepares us for it, but it will obviously be strange at first. It's something within a game or two I think we will get quite used to and hopefully it's not long before everyone is back in. 

Q: If you bring one player that you've already played with to this club, who would it be and why?

(Jak Alnwick) A: Hatem Ben Arfa is the best player I've ever played with. More recently, Armand Gnanduillet at Blackpool. He scored a lot of goals last season but Ben Arfa is the best player I've ever played with.

(Richard Tait) A: Probably Liam Grimshaw at Motherwell because he's my mate. It's a bit of a double-edged sword though as he'd probably be after my position! 

Q: Who is the best player you have ever played against?

(Jak Alnwick) A: As a young player it was Paul Pogba. Whenever we would play against Manchester United he was head and shoulders above everybody. As a goalkeeper he was tricky to play against because he'd hit them for everywhere.

As I got older the best player I played against was Eden Hazard. You have seen what he achieved in the English Premier League and he was different class in the way he moved the ball. The two of those players are the best I've played against.

(Richard Tait) A: Wayne Rooney. It was during that phase where they weren't doing great under Louis Van Gaal but he was still unreal. 

Q: Which players at St Mirren have impressed you the most?

(Jak Alnwick) A: I think as a whole with the tempo in training it would be really hard to single anyone out. But as a goalkeeper I'm coming up against Jon Obika and Junior Morias most and they've looked really sharp. 

(Richard Tait) A: Cammy MacPherson has real potential as does Ethan Erhahon. There are a few young boys in the side that, if they make the right choices and do the right things, could go a long way in football, but all-in-all the whole squad has impressed me. 

RICHARD TAIT, JAK ALNWICK AND NATHAN SHERON WILL #BEINTHATNUMBER FOR THE 2020/21 SEASON. WILL YOU? GET YOUR SEASON TICKET NOW!

St Mirren Football Club, long known as The Saints, today launched a search for the outstanding people of the Paisley area who are also deserving of that title.

The Saints In That Number initiative will reward the most deserving community-conscious individuals with a St Mirren FC family season ticket for the new Premiership season soon to start.

The club is asking Buddies to nominate people who in their view help to make Paisley a better place by their selfless acts.

St Mirren FC will provide the initial tranche of these season tickets for the Paisley heroes, but it also looking for local businesses to get involved with the scheme and donate season tickets.

Already Kibble, the specialist child and youth care charity which in January bought 27.8% of the shares in the club, has committed to taking part by providing tickets.

Several Paisley businesses have jumped at the opportunity to join Saints In That Number including Claymore Contracts Ltd and Scotjet Ltd. However, we’re looking for more to get involved.

St Mirren Chief Executive and club legend Tony Fitzpatrick said: "During these recent challenging times, it’s important that the wider community stands in solidarity to support one another as much as possible.

"St Mirren is first and foremost a community club and we are proud of Paisley and its people. So we are pleased to announce the club will donate the first sets of St Mirren FC family season tickets to outstanding keyworkers, NHS workers and other deserving local heroes who have completed selfless acts.

"But we are also inviting Paisley businesses to get involved in the Saints In That Number initiative. In return for their involvement, they will be able to choose the winner of their ticket from the nominations, or indeed nominate their own 'Saints’'"

Nominations can be made via a contact form on stmirren.com, and businesses looking to take part in the scheme should email their details to commercial@stmirren.com. 

The countdown is on to the new season, kicking off with a home game against Livingston on Saturday 1st August. There is still time if you haven’t already to renew your season ticket and #BeInThatNumber!

We are delighted to announce that all season ticket sales from this point onward will be used to support Jim Goodwin and the first team. Buying your ticket will guarantee that you are having a direct positive impact on the squad! We will all miss the electric atmosphere in the stadium, especially the team, but they will know that they are being supported by you, the loyal fans, even if they cannot hear you.

We know that you wouldn’t want to miss a match and we are able to stream these to you from the comfort of your own homes! By signing up to renew your ticket you will be amongst the first fans to experience all home games live on our new St Mirren TV platform.

All season ticket holders will be given a dedicated number, just like the Saints players. We are all in this together – players, fans and employees.

We want to thank you for your continued support especially during these challenging times. We look forward to having you Be In That Number, so what are you waiting for?

Tony Fitzpatrick,
Chief Executive

Our Scottish Premiership fixture against Rangers, originally scheduled for Saturday 8th August, has been rearranged.

Due to Rangers' involvement in the UEFA Europa League the match will now take place on Sunday 9th August at Ibrox.

The new fixture details are below.

Rangers v St Mirren
Scottish Premiership
Venue: Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow
Date: Sunday 9th August 2020
Kick-off: 3:00pm