When we launched the sale of the season tickets we announced that for every 250 season tickets sold we would be doing a ‘golden ticket’ draw with a range of great ‘money can’t buy’ prizes to be won.

With over 1700 season tickets sold we have already seen season ticket holders win two director's box seats with access to the executive guest lounge for a match at the Paisley 2021 Stadium, a tour of the St Mirren Youth Academy and the chance to have lunch with the first team squad and a 2017/18 St Mirren jersey with 'fan' and the number 12 on the back. 

The latest winners are Nairn Sharp and Margaret Armstrong. Nairn wins a brand new 2017/18 replica top that will be presented by a player or member of the management team, while Margaret has won two director's box seats with access to the executive guest lounge for a match at the Paisley 2021 Stadium during the 2017/18 season. 

Buy your season tickets now at the ticket office or online to be included in as many draws as possible with more great prizes to be won.

Gary Irvine admits he can't wait for the season ahead after the Saints returned to pre-season training last week.

The defender finished last season strongly as the Buddies pulled off the great escape to avoid relegation to League One.

And the 32 year-old, who recently put pen to paper to extend his stay at the Buddies for another year, says he wants the team to build on last season's finish.  

I had built towards that last season and it was always in my mind," he said about extending his deal.

"I'm delighted and I think it's just excitement and I'm dying to get the season started now with the way the team finished that season there.

"You didn't want the season to finish to be honest and we've basically kept the same squad so it's time to build on that now. 

"A lot of that was hard work and it was with most of the boys in there. There's still the same feel good factor in the dressing room, all the boys get on with either, there's a good balance so all these things are positive." 

Speaking on returning to training last week, Irvine said: "I'm one of the ones who like getting back and getting into it again.

"You're coming into your job and you are meeting some new colleagues and you are getting to know their characters, personalities and abilities.

"That's what you look forward to in pre-season. It gives you that time to bed in and get to know each other."

Saints were paired with Partick Thistle, Livingston, Airdrieonians and Stranraer in this season's Betfred Cup and Irvine confessed he is a fan of the new format that came into place last season.

It was actually good last year," he said. "It was obviously new and I'm looking forward to it.

"The competitive games and going into the mini-leagues meant you had something to play for in getting to that next stage.

"There are some tough ties in there, but it's good that a competition is set out like that so early on and gives you that competitive edge." 

Nathan Flanagan has moved up to the St Mirren first team after penning a one-year deal subject to SFA clearance. 

The youngster, who joined the St Mirren academy at the start of 2016, spent a portion of last season on loan to League Two side Annan Athletic where he won their Young Player of the Season Award.

I'm buzzing to be honest," he told stmirren.com. "I was on loan to Annan last season and I think it really helped pushed me on and get this deal. I think it developed me a lot quicker. I was happy with my development there.

"I'm really excited to get started and hopefully kick on and push myself to get into the team. I want to catch the gaffer's eye as quickly as I can and hopefully get some game time and build on that."

Jack Ross said: "Nathan needed that experience. He was at a stage in his career where he needed go and prove himself at first team football and he did very well.

"That was probably why he's earned himself the opportunity to be involved in our first team squad."

Stephen McGinn says the team are relishing the challenge ahead of the new season. 

The captain told stmirren.com: "It's going to be exciting, it's going to be up and down as the Championship always provides, but we are relishing it."

The Buddies returned to training yesterday as they look to prepare for a successful season ahead.

You can watch McGinn's interview in full below. 

A gallery of pictures as the players returned to training yesterday and pre-season got underway ahead of the new season.

Match gallery pictures by Allan Picken © - Allan Picken Photography and  John Millar - © millarpictures

Last season The Scottish Disabled Supporters Association received a donation of top of the range equipment for use with fans experiencing visual impairment. It was the unanimous decision of the Scottish Disabled Supporters Association to donate this equipment to St Mirren in recognition of the efforts by SMDSA.

The system, including transmitter and several receivers, provides live commentary on the game courtesy of St Mirren TV and is the same as that used in the Etihad and Emirates stadia. It is capable of use anywhere in the stadium and is available to both home and away fans.

St Mirren season ticket holder Andrew McGaw is partially sighted and unable to see three quarters of the pitch.

He was a keen user of the service throughout last season and told us: "Last season I discovered the facility which gave me live commentary on matches which immeasurably increased the enjoyment of the game and saved my son from having to talk me through it!" 

The procedure for borrowing a receiver is as follows:

1. The booking form can be downloaded by clicking HERE, it must be completed and e-mailed to info@stmirren.com 24 hours prior to kick-off.

2. The equipment will be collected from Reception where a deposit of £10 will be taken.

3. At the end of the game, the receiver must be returned to Reception where the £10 deposit will be returned.

Further information can be obtained at the club by e-mailing info@stmirren.com

St Mirren can confirm that Gary Irvine has signed a one-year contract extension. 

The full-back has made 60 appearances for the Buddies since signing from Dundee in January 2016. 

The 32 year-old becomes the latest to commit his future to the Saints after Cypriot full-back Stelios Demetriou also signed a new deal this week. 

Saints fans are reminded tickets are now on sale for SMISA's (St Mirren Independent Supporters Association) next event – the St Mirren Quiz in the hospitality suite at the stadium on Friday 23 June from 7.30pm.

This will be a chance for all fans to test their Saints knowledge against fellow fans, as well as players and staff past and present.

SMISA are working on having a team of club legends as well as a team of current staff and players – they are hoping Jack Ross will be able to join us on the night.

Tickets are now available on general sale for £5 via this link. All profits from the night will go to St Mirren’s youth development.

Plus (£25 per month) and Premium members of SMiSA are entitled to a free place for the event and if you haven’t yet claimed yours, you can still do so by emailing contact@smisa.net

A pay bar will be available on the night and there will be Saints-related prizes to be given out. However the terms of the licence means the event is only open to over-18s.

The exact number of teams will be worked out on the night but you can either form a team with a group of friends, or smaller groups could be combined into bigger teams.

We look forward to seeing as many of you as possible there for what should be a great night.

Jack Ross says he is happy with the way the squad is shaping up ahead of the players returning to pre-season tomorrow. 

The Buddies gaffer added to the squad this week as Stelios Demetriou's contract extension was added to by the signing of Gavin Reilly following the striker's release from Hearts. 

Reilly is the seventh new addition to the squad following deals to bring in Cammy Smith, Jordan Kirkpatrick, Gregor Buchanan, Craig Samson and the two Ross Stewart's. 

And with the players reporting to Ralston tomorrow for the start of pre-season, Jack is satisfied with the way the squad is looking. 

I'm quite pleased with where we are at," Jack told stmirren.com after securing deals for Stelios and Reilly.

"Stelios played a big part in us being successful in the second part of the season and Gavin is a player both James and I have worked with before. I think he is someone still very young with a lot of potential.

"We are almost there squad wise which is terrific before we even start pre-season. 

"It's pleasing that we have managed to retain a good proportion of the squad that ended last season.

"There was always going to be a turnaround because we had a number of loan players and a number of players in different circumstances that meant it was going to be difficult to get them back. We always knew where we were realistically and what we needed to target.

"I think the ones we have brought in have been a good mixture. You look at Craig Samson who is proven, experienced and quality and Gavin Reilly coming from a Premiership club then the other end of the spectrum with Ross Stewart the striker from Albion Rovers.

"There's a really good balance between the group in terms of recruits at different stages with different experience.

"I would like possibly another couple in," he continued. "It just depends on what happens over the pre-season period.

"We have four trialists joining us for pre-season as well that will allow us to look at players in certain positions that we might need to strengthen more. 

"We are fairly well advanced in our planning and an awful lot of work has gone in over these last six weeks."

New recruits Buchanan, Kirkpartick and the two Stewart's will make the step up from part-time football.

Jack confessed there will be a period for the players of having to adapt to the demands of full-time football, but he believes in the players' abilities to do so.

There will be an initial physical adjustment for them just because of their initial experiences.

"But Ross Stewart (the goalkeeper), Jordan Kirkpatrick and Gregor Buchanan have all experienced full time football before so they know what they are coming into.

"As I said there will be a period of adjustment for them all in terms of their body getting used to the demands of it. But the good thing is they are coming in for the first day of pre-season when everybody is getting used to the demands on their body after having a rest period over the summer so they'll be fine.

"Having worked with part-time players the fitness differences between part-time and full-time players are much less than they used to be. They'll be fine, they'll love being back in this environment. That's one of the incentives for them having worked outside football."

The draw for the Betfred Cup group stage was recently announced with the Buddies set to square off against Partick Thistle, Livingston, Airdrieonians and Stranraer in Group H.

The manager is excited for the competition to come around and hopes his side use it as a springboard to get their league campaign off to the best possible start.

It's a tough group," he said. "It's arguably, on paper, the hardest group.

"We'll approach it seriously as if it is just as important as our first league games. We did that last year when I was at Alloa and we won all our group games and continued that momentum and form into the opening period of the season. That's what we will look to do again.

"I want to go in and win every group game because it sees you qualify for the latter stages but second of all it continues the momentum we had from the end of last season and creates a momentum going into the opening league game.

"It excites supporters and undoubtedly the cup runs helped continue to galvanise the cup last season. Hopefully we have a squad now that has depth that will enable us to deal with these games when they come around."

St Mirren Football Club are delighted to announce the signing of Gavin Reilly on a one-year deal.

The striker joins the Buddies after leaving Ladbrokes Premiership side Hearts.

The 24 year-old enjoyed a successful spell in the Championship with Queen of the South where he worked with Saints assistant manager James Fowler. 

His form in the 2014/15 season earned him his move to Gorgie where he featured 32 times scoring 4 goals. 

Reilly spent last season in the Championship on loan to Dunfermline and now joins the Saints on a permanent deal for the 2017/18 campaign.

Speaking on the move, Reilly said: "I'm glad everything is sorted now and just looking forward to getting going on Thursday.

"I worked quickly with him [Jack] when he was at Hearts and I've worked with James Fowler when he was at Queen of the South.

"I knew this would be a good surrounding and setting for me and just looking forward to get going."

James Fowler said: "I think he will bring pace, an energy and goals as well.

"He's someone who works really hard as a striker and he'll threaten in behind which is probably something we lacked in the forward areas last season."

Gavin's full interview can be viewed below.