Earlier today St Mirren were pulled out a home draw against Ayr United in the last eight of the IRN-BRU Cup and manager Jack Ross is pleased that the tie will be played in Paisley.

“I know it’s cliched but I think the home draw is important for all the teams that are left in the competition so you have to be pleased with that in the first instance. There’s a number of Championship teams left in the competition so there was a fairly high probability of getting one, I think ideally you would want to avoid it in terms of facing difficult opposition.

“We’re coming up against a team that hasn’t only managed to come up a division but have also had a fairly decent start, they had a good result in the last round of the competition as well. So I’m pleased it is at home, it is still a difficult match but I think for me coming into the job when the club has got to this stage of the competition then the ambition has got to be to win it. Having a home draw is pleasing in that respect as without a shadow of a doubt the aim now in the competition is to go and win that trophy.”

There is still a fair crop of Championship sides in the tournament but Jack reckons Saints should still be one of the front-runners.

“When people look at the size of the clubs that are involved in it, and obviously with no Premiership teams in it to begin with, I think people looked at our tie in the previous round as being the biggest tie in the competition in that round so whoever won that tie was giving themselves a positive chance of winning it just purely based on the team that they were knocking out.

“We have got another Championship team which means that we have to do well again to progress and there is every chance that the way the draw is that we could face another team from our league in the latter stages again so to win there is no bigger or lesser challenge than there is for us on a weekly basis in league games because it’s similar opposition. But I think when you get to this stage, when you get to the last eight of any competition, your absolute ambition should be to go on and win it.”

Jack took Alloa down to Wales at the weekend, was he glad to avoid another trip to Wales?

“I enjoyed it. There was a whole lot of logistical issues with it but it was enjoyable. I wouldn’t have been too bothered but I’m just glad that we are at home. I think if we had to travel to South Wales we would have had to do it but I’m not going to complain the fact that it is at home.”

Jack also admits he was happy to avoid his previous club Alloa

“I think a lot of people expected that that would be the draw that would come out but I don’t think about it too much from my point of view. It would have been a different tie again but I’m just pleased that I’ve got a home tie and that in itself gives us a realistic opportunity to progress and I’m looking forward to it when it comes around. The incentive to get to a cup final should always be huge and that is the case in this competition as well.”

The draw primes up St Mirren with a run of three home games in November which is hoped can be used for the side to start stamping its authority at home.

“I think the challenge for the players starting from this weekend is that you have to treat your home stadium like your own home in that people should not come in to it and leave with very much if not asked to, that is the case when you play opposition teams. So when you have a run of home games like that it is a fantastic opportunity for you to set markers and set standards in that respect. That is something the way the fixtures are panned out will allow the players to do that.

”We trained together this morning and there is so much for me to be positive about in that sense so when that comes around it is a perfect opportunity but hopefully before then we will have put down markers in terms of our home form but that again gives you an opportunity to strengthen when it comes around.”

Jack was pleased with the first full day of training.

“It was great. I was down at the training ground yesterday as well for a few hours and then in again this morning. I was really excited about it and it feels very comfortable which is good, and I mean that in not a lazy way. It just means that working with the players felt right which is good and I think they enjoyed it this morning.

“I was delighted with how it went, the response from the players was great. We talked about a couple of things about training in a way that will become the norm for them and I think they are all desperate to buy into that. I was really delighted to get the first one in and I look forward to watching it develop with the team later on today and then back in again tomorrow morning. I’m delighted to have started the job as it’s been a long time coming but I’m now very much looking forward to it.”

Jack and his assistant James Fowler also got to know their backroom team a bit better today as they start to plan the road ahead.

“It was good and we had Allan McManus heavily involved with it as well. I want to do that moving forward, out-with his work with the development team to have an involvement in what we are doing as well.

“I’ve got relationships with these guys from previously anyway so that in itself felt quite seamless as well and over time they will have more responsibility once we all fit into our routine of work, that will go for all the other support staff. It feels right and positive and I’m looking forward to it and hopefully the results reflect in that as well.”

Tickets for the Ladbrokes Championship fixture later this month away to Hibernian are now on sale at the St Mirren Ticket Office and the Online Ticket Shop.

The match and ticket details are as follows:

Hibernian v St Mirren
Ladbrokes Championship
Venue: Easter Road Stadium, Edinburgh
Date: Saturday 29th October 2016
Kick-off: 3:00pm

Ticket Prices

Students must show valid ID as proof of status.

Tickets are also on sale for St Mirren's home matches against Dundee United (15th Oct), Dumbarton (5th Nov) and Dunfermline Athletic (19th Nov)

Ticket Information

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

11/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
12/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
13/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
14/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
15/10/2016 - 10:00am to 3:00pm (kick-off)

After last Saturday’s win away to Hibernian in the IRN-BRU Cup, Saints were drawn a home tie this afternoon in the last eight of the tournament against fellow Ladbrokes Championship side Ayr United.

The quarter-final tie between Saints and The Honest Men will be played on the weekend of 12th/13th November at The Paisley 2021 Stadium.

The full draw is as follows:

Livingston v The New Saints
Queen of the South v Alloa Athletic
St Mirren v Ayr United
Dunfermline Athletic v Dundee United

Due to the quarter-final tie taking place on the weekend of 12th/13th November, Saints’ Ladbrokes Championship match away to Queen of the South on Saturday 12th November is now postponed. A new date for the fixture will be confirmed in due course.

The St Mirren Under-20 side are back in action tonight when they play host to their counterparts from St Johnstone.

The SPFL Development League encounter between the young Buddies and Saintees will take place at The Paisley 2021 Stadium and it will kick-off at 6:00pm.

The referee for this fixture will be Chris Graham.

Entry to this match is FREE.

For directions to The Paisley 2021 Stadium and all the parking information please click here.

This Saturday new management team Jack Ross and James Fowler take charge of their first St Mirren match as Saints face Dundee United for the first time this season in a Ladbrokes Championship match-up at The Paisley 2021 Stadium.

Tickets for the match are now available from the St Mirren Ticket Office and the Online Ticket Shop.

The match details are as follows:

St Mirren v Dundee United
Ladbrokes Championship
Venue: Paisley 2021 Stadium, Paisley
Date: Saturday 15th October 2016
Kick-off: 3:00pm

Tickets are also on sale for the upcoming home games against Dumbarton (5th November) and Dunfermline Athletic (19th November).

Ticket Information

Ticket Office hours for the remainder of this week are as follows:

10/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
11/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
12/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
13/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
14/10/2016 - 10:00am to 2:00pm
15/10/2016 - 10:00am to 3:00pm (kick-off)

Jack Baird put in a great performance in today’s IRN-BRU Cup win against Hibs at Easter Road and the defender is delighted for both the team and caretaker manager Allan McManus.

“Brilliant. We were obviously the underdogs coming into the game and considering their position in the league and ours, it was brilliant to get that result at the end. We did deserve it although I thought it was going to extra-time but happy we got the winner.

“Allan has been brilliant since taking over the last few weeks and we deserved a result under him and we eventually got one. He deserved it and we deserved it as a team after the hard work we have put in the last couple of weeks.”

Jack was delighted to go to Easter Road and knock out one of the tournament favourites and is hoping to keep progressing in the cup.

“It’s brilliant to go through to the next round of a cup, cup games are always different it is always good to go through, you can’t beat a good cup run.

“I thought I played well. I was just trying to do my best to keep the ball out of the net, that is the job I’ve got to do. Then hopefully somebody like Stevie Mallan and Clarky at the end score the goals for us.”

The winning goal created a lot of debate but Jack reckons it was the right decision for it to stand and he was thankful for the cushion of a goal in a frantic end to the match.

“I was just hoping that Shanks hadn’t touched it as he was the one that was offside, we were hoping he hadn’t touched it and he let the ball roll in. I was delighted obviously when we were given the goal but I knew he hadn’t touched it and that we would be alright.

“You’re looking up at the time quite a lot making sure you are getting through to the end of the ninety minutes and keeping the ball out of the net once you are two-one up. It is difficult and it takes a lot of mental strength but I knew we could grind it out. We did well last week grinding out a decent result at home and I think we did the same today.”

Jack is hoping that today’s win will give the side something to build on under the new management team. 

“We’ll obviously be high in confidence coming in on Monday after that result there and with the new manager he’ll give us a lift as well and everything should take off from here I hope.”

Allan McManus signed off his spell as caretaker manager today with an impressive 2-1 win away to Hibernian in the IRN-BRU Cup.  Allan believes his side deserves to be in Monday’s quarter-final draw.

“I’m absolutely over the moon for the players. That is what they deserved after how they have worked the last three weeks. You couldn’t have asked for the boys to be working any harder to try and make things right and turn their season around. So I thought they thoroughly deserved that today, to come to a place like Easter Road against easily the best team in the division, in my opinion, and play under that pressure with composure and game management. When things weren’t going their way in the game, they were dogged and they worked hard, I think at the end of the day nobody can grudge them that victory.”

Allan reckons the Saints players showed real mental strength today to battle back from a goal down to win the tie.

“When you are down there that is probably the biggest issue, mental strength or how the mind thinks as it’s easy to think negatively all the time. But it’s something that we have been hammering home to them the last three weeks that they are good players and they do work hard, they’ve worked their backsides off and you never earn the right to dominate a game for ninety minutes so if it’s not going your way it is just to believe that you are a good player and to keep doing the right things and keep taking the ball under pressure. To a man today every one of them done that.

“I’m absolutely delighted for Clarky coming on, Shanks and Gal who have not had as much football as they probably deserve in the last couple of weeks but I think they have all played a massive part today. Hopefully it gives the boys that kick-start, they have shown today and hopefully they can take that confidence into the league campaign starting next week.”

For the second week running substitutions made by Allan have turned out to be inspired.

“You can say it is inspired or you can say it is a bit of luck. At the end of the day we live and die by the decisions that we make, so yes it has went well for us. Clarky, Shanks and Gal have been champing at the bit the last two weeks and they get their rewards for that today. When you have got boys that are working so hard in training and desperate to get on the pitch you know that when you put them on that they will be desperate to do well. They’ve done fantastically well today but the rest of the players were fantastic as well.”

Allan thought bad fortune was still dogging Saints when the winning goal was initially flagged offside but a change of heart by the officials meant the goal stood.

“We were thinking ‘here we go again’ and it was going to go against us. Speaking to the boys in there, although Shanks was maybe in an offside position he hasn’t interfered with the ball or touched it and it has gone in. He has not interfered with play at the end of the day and that’s the rules, and that’s the breaks that we deserve.”

With Allan signing off his last game in charge with a win he hopes that it will help push the side on under the new management team of Jack Ross and James Fowler as they look to improve their fortunes in the Championship. 

“It’s always great to win a game of football but I keep saying that it’s not about me. It’s about the team, about the club and where we are in the league just now and I’ve always said that is about trying to get the boys believing in themselves and working that bit harder and trying to pay the right way.

“I said this week that there would be nothing better than to go and get a result so it allows the manager and James to come in on Monday to pick up the reins with the place on a high after a deserved victory, and hopefully the boys take that into the league campaign next weekend.”

St Mirren booked their place in the IRN-BRU Cup quarter final after a 2-1 win away to Hibs in caretaker Allan McManus' final game in charge. Jack Ross was appointed as new manager earlier this week but it was McManus who took Saints one final time and the Head of Youth Development at the Buddies signed off in perfect fashion with St Mirren into the hat for the next round of the cup. 

Hibs started the game on top with an early offside flag foiling James Keatings before Andrew Shinnie went close with just two minutes on the clock when he cut in from the left but dragged his shot wide of Langfield's near post. However, St Mirren grew into the game and had a great opportunity to open the scoring when Tom Walsh robbed Jordan Forster in the final third and burst in on goal but the effort from a tight angle was tame and nestled into the arms of Marciano.

A foul by Walsh on Martin Boyle yielded a free kick for Hibs from which Keatings flashed a teasing ball across the box but nobody could get on the end of it with Hibees captain David Gray coming close as he ghosted in at the back post.

It was a drab encounter with very little in the way of goalmouth action. Shinnie had a shot blocked for the hosts whilst Stephen Mallan put a long range shot straight into the arms of Marciano.

Hibs took the lead with less than 10 minutes until half-time through Alex Harris. The winger cut in from the left and got away from Kyle Hutton - who slipped - before dispatching the ball beyond Langfield. There was nothing the goalkeeper could do and it looked like Hibs would be going into the break ahead.

But St Mirren were back on level terms following a stunning free kick from Mallan after Rocco Quinn was fouled 25 yards outside the box by Dylan McGeouch. It was Mallan territory as the 20 year-old stepped up and dispatched the free kick beyond the reach of Marciano to the delight of the travelling Saints fans. It was Mallan's second of the season after scoring in the previous round of the IRN-BRU Cup against Albion Rovers and was reminiscent of his goal against Hibs at Easter Road in January.

Half Time: Hibernian 1-1 St Mirren

Saints came out in the second half buoyed by Mallan's goal and had an early penalty shout denied when John Sutton looked to have been pulled back in the box but Willie Collum was unmoved.

Hibs took control in the second half though and there was a huge let off for the Buddies on 50 minutes when Keatings ballooned a shot over the bar. David Gray's low cross along the box found the striker in loads of space but, with the goal gaping, he fired it over the bar. Had he hit the target it was sure to have gone in and the Hibees man will have been disappointed that he failed to do so.

The hosts almost got themselves back in front with a long range fizzer from Dylan McGeouch. McGeouch was pulling the strings in the Hibees midfield and he was unlucky to see his effort crack off the post but it was another let-off for the Buddies.

Allan McManus responded by changing shape from a 4-2-3-1 to a 4-4-1-1 with the introduction of David Clarkson, coming on for Rocco Quinn but it was still Hibs who were having the better of the game and less than a minute after the sub they could've been 2-1 ahead when Alex Harris got on the end of Fyvie's long pass but Langfield was equal to his deft touch, denying him a second goal.

Lawrence Shankland was Saints final substitution and it was a sub that paid dividends almost immediately as he linked up with David Clarkson to set up St Mirren's second goal. The striker brilliantly picked out Clarkson who had burst into the box and he slid in to poke the ball beyond Marciano. Hibs were furious as they felt Shankland had got a touch on the ball from an offside position after Clarkson hit the shot but that wasn't the case and the goal stood.

There were a few heart in mouth moments for Saints before the contest was over with a fantastic last ditch challenge from Baird denying Jason Cummings before Marvin Bartley put a header straight into Langfield's arms right at the death. However, this was to be St Mirren's day and they march on in the IRN-BRU Cup.

FULL TIME: Hibernian 1-2 St Mirren

St Mirren: Langfield, Naismith, MacKenzie, Baird, Irvine, Hutton, Quinn (Clarkson 63), Mallan, Walsh (Gallagher 74), Morgan, Sutton (Shankland 82)
Subs not used: Willison, McDonald, Whyte, O'Keefe

Hibernian: Marciano, Gray, McGregor, Forster, Hanlon, Fyvie, McGeouch, Shinnie (Bartley 69), Boyle (Cummings 69), Harris (Holt 84) , Keatings
Subs not used: Laidlaw, Stevenson, Eardley, Graham

Referee: William Collum
Assistant Referee: Brian Templeton
Assistant Referee: Gordon Crawford

Attendance: 4,392

Match report and gallery pictures by John Millar – © John Millar.

St Mirren head to Easter Road tomorrow afternoon to face Neil Lennon’s Hibernian side for the second time this season.

The teams met back on 20th August when two goals from Jason Cummings in a ten minute period midway through the first half was enough for the Edinburgh side to leave Paisley with maximum points.

After an outstanding start to the season the Hibees have stumbled a bit over the last few weeks as they have lost top spot in the league to Queen of the South, albeit they only sit a point behind in second place. It started with a game at home against Ayr United which looked to be well in hand as Hibs led from a goal early in the second half by that man Cummings again but the game swung after Marvin Bartley was red carded with little more than twenty minutes remaining. The Ayrshire side scored two late goals to claim the points and shock Hibs. A goalless draw with fellow title challengers Queen of the South was followed by a 1-1 draw with Dundee United last weekend. Again Hibs had the lead through James Keatings but United hit back to earn a share of the points.

For all that Hibs are always going to be a formidable threat with Jason Cummings in their line-up. The 21-year-old has already banged in eight goals this term, two of them against Saints back in August.

Ex-Buddies Darren McGregor and John McGinn now ply their trade at Easter Road but McGinn won’t be available for selection tomorrow as he is with the Scotland side as they prepare for their match tomorrow evening against Lithuania.

Neil Lennon has a lot of quality in his side and will have the likes of Club Captain David Gray, Paul Hanlon, Lewis Stevenson, Fraser Fyvie, Andrew Shinnie, Dylan McGeouch, Alex Harris, Marvin Bartley and James Keatings at his disposal.

This week has been a very positive one for St Mirren. After Tom Walsh’s late equaliser against Falkirk last Saturday to grab a precious league point, Jack Ross was named as the club’s new manager on Tuesday and earlier today James Fowler was confirmed as his assistant.  Tomorrow will see Allan McManus oversee the first team for the final time as he bows down from his care-taking duties as Jack Ross comes in on Monday.

Tomorrow’s IRN-BRU Cup, 4th Round tie will see the sides face each other for the time in the Challenge Cup tournament. In fact they haven’t been drawn together in cup football since 26th February 2005 when they met in a Scottish Cup tie at Easter Road which the Hibees won 2-0 thanks to goals from Scott Brown and Garry O’Connor.

More often than not the form book can go out the window with cup football so we are sure to see an exciting tie at Easter Road tomorrow as both sides look to start pushing forward with their season.

As Saints get ready to head to Edinburgh for tomorrow’s IRN-BRU Cup tie against Hibernian, defender Gary Irvine is set for a tough encounter at Easter Road and although he knows that new manager Jack Ross won’t be physically present at the game as he fulfils his last duty with Alloa, Gary is aware that his new gaffer will be keeping close tabs on what is happening at Easter Road. 

“It’s a wee break from the league going into a cup game which is always good. It’s a very tough fixture as Hibs have started well and obviously we’re going to Easter Road which is difficult.

“Like I say, with the way the week has gone with the new manager being appointed we know that his eyes will be on the game even though he is taking Alloa at the weekend. The boys will have that in their mind as well, that it is a fresh start for everybody with a new manager coming in and it is time to impress again and Saturday is the first time to do it.”

While Saints are the underdogs for tomorrow’s cup tie at Easter Road, Gary reckons underdogs are always in with a decent chance.

“I don’t really look at cup games like that because cup games are hard games for everybody, it doesn’t matter what team is in form in the league and what team is doing well going by where you are sitting in the league. A cup game can always cause upsets, the less favoured team can cause an upset and get the result and progress in the cup and go on a good run.

“At the end of the day everybody wants to win trophies in their career and it’s a cup game and we have got a chance to do that, that’s my frame of mind. I think everybody in that dressing room will be the same, you want to go out there and you want to win as many things as you can in your career and this cup game is no different.”

New manager Jack Ross will pick up his managerial duties next Monday and Gary is glad that the process of picking a new gaffer is over and everybody can start to move forward to try and progress the club again.

“It’s dragged on for maybe two, two-and-a-half weeks and it was just a new name every single day for the boys and naturally as footballers you start asking ‘what is this person like and what is that person like’. But now that we know who it is that is coming in and know that he has had a good career as a player and has had a good start to his management career as well, yes you start getting excited now. It’s back to a new manager coming in and back to everybody in that dressing room having to impress him now and be part of his plans and show him what each of us can do.

“There are small connections with things like Ben Gordon who is on loan at Alloa at the minute and also ex St Mirren players like Jim Goodwin so all these wee bits, not for myself personally, let the boys keep in touch with each other and you learn what kind of coach he is. But all that will be cemented by himself as he’ll come in and have his own ideas and take them out to the training ground. It’s alright hearing all the wee rumours but it’s what he does on the training pitch and I’m sure all the boys are looking forward to working with him.

“It’s always good in football, you’ll always learn in football. Every single day you will learn something new and when it is a new coach coming in it will be new ideas, fresh ideas and something different, all these things are good for players to come in and take on board what the manager is wanting, his style of play and his training methods. “

Tomorrow will see Allan McManus take temporary charge of the first team for the last time. Gary is appreciative of Allan’s efforts over the last few weeks.

“It’s been brilliant to be fair. He is an ex-teammate of mine from St Johnstone so I knew him really well and just to see his coaching methods you can see how much he has come on in coaching as well.

“All of the things he was doing over the last two weeks have been brilliant as the boys have taken to it. Again fresh ideas, a wee bit of fun and there was hard work there as well, I think the boys took to Allan really well. It was a great experience for Allan and the boys also really enjoyed it.

“He is doing a great job with the young boys in the youth set-up but it would be good to have him about putting in his ideas as well.”

The last couple of week’s Gary has taken on the captain’s armband due to the absence of Andy Webster, a role he has been honoured to take on.

“Throughout my career I’ve always fell into that position as being one of the names to take the armband and hopefully lead on the pitch for the other players. It’s always a good honour and a good thing as a player as well to have that armband and show that you are leading all the boys out.

“In the last couple of weeks, despite getting nothing at Dunfermline, I personally think that there was improvement there. Last week again we showed as we kept on digging in that we eventually got something from the game, so there were improvements there and when you are the captain and you’re feeling that there is a wee change in the team it is always a positive and it’s something to be proud of.”