Issue 81 of the Black and White Magazine will be dropping through the letterboxes of subscribers over the course of the next week.

The contents of the latest edition are as follows:

FRONT COVER

* Midfielder Ian McShane

FEATURES

* 7 - Six Degrees of (Saints) Separation

* 18 - Pre-season Your Tours: Saints colours in the sun

* 19 - Special Announcement

REGULARS

* 4 - The Editor

* 5 - The new SLOs

* 6 - Campbell Watson: A Saint's Story

* 8 - Pages from the Past: Krystal Klear days

* 9 - St Mirren Digest 1

* 10 - Seasons in the Sun: Best ever League Placing

* 12 - Fans Council: The way it should be

* 14 - St Mirren Digest 2

* 15 - Stories to Share and Tales to Tell

* 15 - Gerry Maguire: Saints! Scozia!

* 16 - Saints and their Supporters: On top of the world with Stuart Chawk

* 20 - Planet Football: Chris Gilzean and the evolving game

* 22 - Bouncing Back: Gordian talks to Cameron Smith

BACK PAGE POSTER

* Defender Jack Baird

The Black and White Magazine team are now actively seeking new members to add to what is a unique magazine in Scottish football.

The Black and White Magazine was first published in November 2000 and in August 2012 it was re-launched, since then it has dropped through the letterboxes of members on an eight weekly cycle adding up to six editions a year.

The Black and White magazine is published by the St Mirren Development Association and all funds raised go directly to the St Mirren Academy and Youth Development Programme.

While present members will be awaiting the delivery of their next issue it isn’t too late for you to become a member and receive that issue too.

For your membership you will get:

• St Mirren’s own full colour magazine posted direct to your home every 8 weeks
• Entry into our bi-monthly prize draw
• Entry to a Christmas bonus draw
• Entry to the close season bonus draw

For only £1 per week* you can become a Black and White magazine member and to get started you will need a standing order form which you can download by clicking HERE.

Once you print the form and fill it in you can either hand it in at the stadium’s main reception or send it to the following address:

Black & White Magazine
St Mirren Football Club
St Mirren Park
Greenhill Road
Paisley
PA3 1RU

For more details please send an e-mail to blackandwhitemag@stmirren.com.

* Memberships will be paid by standing order in sums of either £13 (quarterly) or £26 (half-yearly).

At St Mirren's home game against Dundee United on 26th August, the Paisley 2021 Stadium will be used as a collection point for food donations for the Renfrewshire Foodbank.

The players met with Elizabeth Alexander from the Foodbank at the St Mirren Training Ground in Ralston yesterday to hand over their donation ahead of this weekend's collection. 

Speaking about the importance of food donations, Elizabeth said: "It's really important.

"People are relying on us to feed themselves and their families and without these donations we couldn't do the work we do.

"At the moment our numbers are higher than they have ever been, so the more donations we can get the better able we are to get a parcel of food to people who need it." 

SMiSA committee member, Jim Crawford said: "It is important for the club to be involved in community activity and be a force for good.

"We need the people of Renfrewshire to see that it's not just a football club - it is part of the community."

A list of the items that Foodbank desperately needs can be found here. 

To learn more about the Renfrewshire Foodbank and the work that they do please visit www.renfrewshire.foodbank.org.uk. 

Tickets for St Mirren’s upcoming IRN-BRU Cup, 2nd Round tie against Hearts Colts go on general sale at 10:00am tomorrow (Thursday 24th August).

Saints face the SPFL Development League side at The Paisley 2021 Stadium on Saturday 2nd September.

As we don't anticipate high demand for this match we will only be opening the Main Stand.

The match and ticket info is as follows:

St Mirren v Hearts Colts
IRN-BRU Cup, 2nd Round
Venue: Paisley 2021 Stadium, Paisley
Date: Saturday 2nd September 2017
Kick-off: 3:00pm

Season Tickets ARE NOT valid for this game.

Match is all ticket – tickets will be on sale (subject to availability) UNTIL KICK OFF.

Ticket Prices

Adult – £10
OAP (over 65) – £5
Full-Time Student* – £5
Child (Under 18) – £5

*Students must have valid ID as proof of status.

The St Mirren Ticket Office opening hours for the remainder of this week are as follows:

Thu, Aug 24th – 10:00am – 2:00pm
Fri, Aug 25th – 10:00am – 2:00pm
Sat, Aug 26th – 10:00am – 3:00pm (kick-off)

St Mirren Ticket Office Tel: (0141) 840-6130.

St Mirren Ticket Office E-Mail: tickets@stmirren.com.

Gregor Buchanan has thanked the travelling fans on Saturday for their support of the team and asked them to keep it coming. 

The defender was full of praise for the hardy section of St Mirren supporters who travelled through to Livingston last weekend to cheer the team on as the Buddies picked up another three points in the Ladbrokes Championship.

And the 27 year-old was quick to highlight just how important that kind of backing is to the side. 

Speaking to stmirren.com after Saturday's win, Buchanan said: "For 2000 of them to go to Morton and then back us on Saturday is magnificent.

There was a section of the crowd that sang for the entire game.

"They maybe don't realise how good it is for the players, but it really spurs us on.

"I can't thank them enough and hopefully they keep cheering us on."  

Injuries and suspension meant Buchanan was Saints' only recognised centre-half in the win over the Lions.

And the job wasn't made any easier after the first half red card received by Gary Irvine saw Saints reduced to ten men.

While the defender admitted it was tough to deal with that setback initially, they soon got to grips with their new shape and earned the win.

He said: "It was a wee bit difficult after the sending off and there was a wee ten minute spell where we were trying to get everything organised.

"It was important to keep it tight as you could still lose the game in that ten minutes. But after that I thought we defended really well on the day.

"We had a good organised shape and we punished them on the break.

"Overall it was a great victory and I was happy with how everything went.

"Obviously there were difficult circumstances with me being the only available centre-half. But I knew what my job was and it was an opportunity for me to force myself into the team.

"I knew on the Friday I just had to go and do the business and I feel like I did that. 

"I think the whole team deserves plaudits for the way we went about our business."  

The St Mirren U20s got their SPFL Development League campaign underway with a 3-3 draw away to Partick Thistle last night. 

The new look young Saints fell behind on 22 minutes when Thistle loanee Neil McLaughlin followed up Kevin Nisbet's original attempt. 

But the Buddies were on level terms when Samuel Jamieson scored nine minutes before half time.

Thistle took the lead for a second time a few minutes after the break when Nisbet headed home from Ross Fleming's cross.

Conor O'Keefe equalised for the Saints ten minutes later before Liam Morrison added a third for the Buddies to put them ahead for the first time in the match.

However, with less than five minutes remaining, the Jags won a penalty which was converted by McLaughlin for his second of the night. 

3-3 was how it ended at the Excelsior Stadium with the young Saints back in action on Tuesday as they host Kilmarnock. 

For more on the SPFL Development League please click here. 

There are still some spaces available at our corporate hospitality for this weekend's match against Dundee United at the Paisley 2021 Stadium.

The Buddies take on United on Saturday as Jack Ross' side look to build on a good start to the Ladbrokes Championship season. 

You can enjoy the match in style with our hospitality, while ex-Saints player Frank McGarvey will join us in the Westmarch Suite as our match day ambassador. 

Our thanks to Roadside Vehicle Rentals who are our match sponsors this weekend and to Imperial Commercials who will be sponsoring the match ball. 

Guests will enjoy the following:

• Arrive 12:30pm
• Private car parking facility.
• Enter through the exclusive Hospitality Suite entrance.
• Glass of chilled bubbly on arrival.
• Hostess table service.
• Three course meal complemented by fine wines with main course. 
• Accreditation in the match day magazine.
• Exclusive match day competitions.
• Match day magazine and corporate team sheets.
• Exclusive Q&A with match day ambassadors.
• Executive seating in Main Stand.
• Half-time hot & cold snacks served with tea or coffee.
• Post match presentations by the match sponsors' 'Man of the Match'.
• Post-match visit to the lounge by players.
• Inclusive drinks package both pre & post match*.
• Last orders - 5:30pm.
• Hospitality concludes - 6:00pm.

Cost per person - £95.00 + VAT (drinks inclusive)*
Season Ticket Holder - £80.00 + VAT (drinks inclusive)*
Cost per person - £75.00 + VAT (pay bar)
Children - £40.00 + VAT 

Season ticket holder £15 discount applicable to adult season ticket holders only. Seat details are required when booking to obtain discount.

To reserve your package contact Commercial Manager, Campbell Kennedy on 0141 840 1337, email commercial@stmirren.com or through our E-Store. 

MENU

Leek & Potato soup
Served with roll & butter

*****

Stuffed turkey escallop, baton carrots and roast potatoes

*****

Roast red pepper stuffed with Thai shiitake mushrooms
on a bed of basmati rice (Vegetarian)

Chicken goujons with chips (Children)

*****

Raspberry Cranachan with coulis

*****

Freshly Brewed Tea & Coffee 

St Mirren Football Club were paid a visit by Who Cares? Scotland yesterday as they look to recruit volunteers for the Children's Hearing Scotland's Children's Panel in Renfrewshire.

Jack Ross, Stephen McGinn and Tony Fitzpatrick met with local care experienced young people at the St Mirren Training Ground in Ralston yesterday afternoon as they looked to lend their support to the campaign. 

Who Cares? Scotland is a national third sector organisation working with care experienced young people across Scotland. They wish to see a Scotland where care experienced people feel they are equal members of society and do not experience stigma and discrimination. 

2% of 0-17 year-olds in Renfrewshire are looked after which is higher than the national figure of 1.5%. 

Children's Hearing Scotland desperately need ordinary people who care about Renfrewshire's children to sit on panels that make life changing decisions about them. 

St Mirren chief executive, Tony Fitzpatrick said: "It's important for St Mirren to support this as we are a community club. It's more than just a football club, it cares for the community. Who Cares Scotland do a phenomenal job and we are happy to support them."

If you would like to find out more you can follow Children's Hearing Scotland on Twitter or go to their website.

The St Mirren U20s get their 2017/18 campaign underway this evening as they take on Partick Thistle in the SPFL Development League. 

The match between the young Buddies and Jags will take place at the Excelsior Stadium in Airdrie with a 6pm kick-off. 

It's likely to be a big season for the likes of Conor O'Keefe and Cameron MacPherson who look to follow the likes of Kyle Magennis, Lewis Morgan and Jack Baird in making the step up to the first team this year.

To find out more about the SPFL Development League please click here.

Gavin Reilly says St Mirren showed great determination in their win over Livingston on Saturday.

The Buddies went on to beat the West Lothian side 3-1 at the Tony Macaroni Arena despite being reduced to 10 men for the second week in a row after Gary Irvine's first half sending off. 

With the scores level at the interval, it was the striker's second half double that sealed the three points for Saints. 

Speaking to stmirren.com, Reilly said: "I'm delighted - more so just for the win. 

Going down to ten men is always hard, but we came in at half time and always knew the belief was there.

"It shows the good character and ability we've got in the changing room. At times we did have to sit in and as a striker I was behind the ball most of the time.

"I had a chance in the first half that I was disappointed that I didn't score. But you've got to keep that belief that if you get another chance you are going to take it.

"From a personal point of view it's great to get another couple of goals.

"It's a great victory especially after getting beaten off them in the league cup," he continued.

"It just shows if we keep going and keep the belief then we are going to win games." 

The win over Livingston moved Saints into fourth place in the Ladbrokes Championship after three matches. 

And ahead of this weekend's clash with top of the table Dundee United, Reilly confessed it's pleasing for Saints to be where they are at this early stage. 

You get the first three games out of the way and it's a bit of nip and tuck," he said.

"The league is starting to separate now and we are up there at the end of the table where we want to be.

"Dundee United have won their first three games but coming down to Paisley it's going to be a hard game for them so hopefully we can go and get the victory." 

Step branding at The Paisley 2021 Stadium is a new cost effective way to support the club whether you are a dedicated fan or a local business.

The new step signs will be fitted from the centre of the Main Stand, West Stand and South Stand outwards.

Each sign is digitally printed on aluminium with a matt laminate finish measuring in a 1150 x 140mm (one name per sign). 

The cost per sign including cost to manufacture is £100 plus VAT (1 year) or £200 plus VAT (3 years). 

Along with an official club certificate of authenticity signed by Tony Fitzpatrick, you will also receive your step sign at the end of your sponsorship. 

To reserve your sign or get further information contact Commercial Manager, Campbell Kennedy direct on 0141 840 1337 or email: commercial@stmirren.com