The season isn’t over yet and we continue to push to finish as high as possible in the league. However, I wanted to write to you ahead of our 2025/26 Season Ticket launch to thank you, on behalf of the Directors, for your fantastic support throughout what has been a challenging but very successful campaign.

Following this season’s record season ticket sales you’ve backed us in record numbers again and the team have responded magnificently by delivering another Top Six finish.

It’s been a roller coaster of a year in many ways but the resilience, quality and performances from the players delivered once again. I’m sure, like me, you’ve enjoyed seeing the team become more competitive against the top teams in the country. They may enjoy bigger budgets but with great organisation and attitude it’s remarkable what can be achieved. I believe it’s been the same in the stands at The SMiSA Stadium where your vociferous backing has inspired the players to score many late goals and deliver excellent team performances. Thank you.

Behind the scenes Keith and his team have continued to improve the effectiveness of the business. They all work so hard for the club, along with our volunteers, and they are rightly receiving increasing recognition for the successes across the key areas of our strategy - Paisley, People and Performance. They do a brilliant job with the budget available.

As you’ll be aware we face increased costs across the board. Following the imposition of increased Employers’ National Insurance, a rise in the living wage and the effect of inflation, both our direct costs (wage costs) and indirect costs (stewarding, policing and other supplies) have risen significantly. However, by limiting the increase in season ticket prices as much as we can, our tickets for the season ahead remain very competitive when compared to our Premiership rivals. This is particularly the case for concessions and young people - our fans of the future.

It’s always difficult when prices rise, but we want to remain competitive in the Premiership and give Stephen and his staff as much support as we can. I’m sure you’ll agree with me that he has spent wisely on the squad and we have also continued to invest where we can at the training ground and the stadium to provide the best possible environment for them to train and perform. We also want to enhance facilities for our loyal fan base and hope to deliver further improvements to the match day experience in the coming season.

As a majority fan owned club, it’s critical that we continue to increase the sales of season tickets and I hope as many of you as possible will choose to renew your tickets or join the increasing number of season ticket holders. It’s also a perfect time to join SMiSA and contribute to the ongoing progress of the club. SMiSA has contributed vital monies in the past and if we can grow their membership further it will increase their ability to support the club financially in the future to help us compete with the clubs that have significant external financial investors.

Thanks again for your loyal and unstinting support.

St Mirren Football Club is appalled by the contents of a video circulating on social media that shows a St Mirren fan with additional support needs being verbally abused by opposition supporters during Saturday’s match. We condemn this in the strongest possible terms.

This behaviour is completely unacceptable and has no place at our stadium, in football or wider society.

Our 'Everyone is Welcome, We’re All Buddies' campaign promotes inclusivity at St Mirren Football Club and we want to make the matchday experience at The SMiSA Stadium an enjoyable one for everyone.

The club will work with Aberdeen FC and relevant authorities to identify the persons responsible.

St Mirren FC is disappointed with the decision not to award a penalty in the first-half of yesterday’s match against St Johnstone following a foul on Elvis Bwomono.

A VAR review cleared this decision without requiring the referee to look at the incident on the pitchside monitor. The club has spoken to Scottish Football Association’s Referee Department today seeking clarity on this and other decisions in yesterday’s match. 

Clearly, we are all humans and mistakes will happen. However, there has now been an accumulation of errors made against St Mirren. This is hugely disappointing for the club and our supporters, and we will continue to engage with the Scottish FA to improve standards of officiating.

The SMiSA Stadium, St Mirren Ticket Office and Club Shop will all be closed tomorrow (Friday 24th January) due to the red weather warning issued by the Met Office. 

The St Mirren Ticket Office will now open on Saturday morning between 9am-11am for anyone wishing to collect tickets for Saturday's William Hill Premiership match away to Aberdeen. 

St Mirren Football Club is aware of an incident on Saturday where a coin was thrown onto the pitch during our match against Dundee United at The SMiSA Stadium.

The club condemns this completely unacceptable behaviour in the strongest possible terms and is working with Police Scotland to find whoever was responsible.

Anyone found to be responsible will be subject to a football banning order and club ban.

For a second successive year we are delighted to be able to report a year of significant progress for the club. There have been notable achievements across the board and the highlights are set out below in line with the strategy which we launched just over a year ago aimed at becoming The Best Community Centred Development Football club in Scotland.

Performance

Our league form resulted in our highest finish since 1984/85 and a long awaited return to European football via the UEFA Conference League qualifiers. We also reached the ViaplayCup Quarter Finals.

In terms of financial performance, the Operating Profit before depreciation, amortisation and interest of £65,089 (2022/23 £376.382 after remeasurement of Scottish Government interest free loan plus the exceptional receipt of the insurance settlement for The Dome) demonstrates a stabilisation in trading, assisted by increased attendances and improved prize money as a result of finishing 5th in the Premiership. Once depreciation and amortisation, interest payable and interest receivable are taken into consideration, this resulted in a Net Lossof £396,430 (2022/23 Loss £56,582). We are grateful to our fans who have backed the team in increasing numbers since we made the decision to retain three stands for home fans at all matches.

The financial results are all the more pleasing given that we have borne significant costs in terms of the well earned bonuses for players and management as a result of our Top 6 finish and European qualification. The income from the European matches will of course be reflected in the accounts for the year to 31 May 2025.

Finally we have been working more closely with our Women's team and Academy in the shape of greater financial support, training and match day kit, help with governance and sharing of methods on coaching and development.

So, overall a year of progress and achievement. This would not have been possible without the hardwork and
dedication of players, management, operational staff, volunteers, directors and our fantastic fans. Thanks to every one of you!

A copy of the club’s Annual Accounts can be found at Companies House.

It’s my pleasure to be providing my end of year update on the back of three wins in four in the William Hill Premiership and with the team back up to fifth place in the table. What a year it has been!

We achieved our highest league finish in 39 years in May and in doing so, achieved our long held aim of returning to European competition. The team played well in the four ties and it was fantastic to see our fans and dedicated staff coming together and making memories that will last forever. Having tasted this success it’s definitely something we want to do again, and soon.

The success on the park, and the work to make match days a positive experience for all, continues to bear fruit with attendances rising and Season Ticket sales now over 4600 - almost 50% up on pre-COVID levels.

We were also delighted to report an Operating Profit again in the year ended 31 May 2024. This was particularly notable given that we paid substantial and well deserved bonuses related to qualifying for Europe before the end of the financial year. The income generated from the European campaign will be reflected in the accounts to 31 May 2025.

Other successes have included a great start to the season by St Mirren FC Women’s team and an ongoing run in the Scottish Youth Cup for our U18’s. They play Queen’s Park away on 24th January 2025 in the quarter-finals. It would be great to see another good turnout of fans to cheer them on. They really are great to watch.

On that note of our younger talent, it’s also been great seeing Luke Kenny, Evan Mooney and Callum Penman break into the first team squad and make their debuts. Added to that we have several players out on loan who are making a real impact and getting vital game time. This flow of talented youngsters is a tribute to the hard work of their coaches at the Academy and the players themselves.

Off the park our vital work in the community continues to grow as well. I had the privilege and pleasure of helping the St Mirren Charitable Foundation’s Festive Friends initiative on Christmas Day. It was a genuinely joyful experience to to be part of delivering a bit of Christmas cheer to over 400 fellow Buddies living alone, and families who are struggling at this time of year. Your support for this and the Home-Start collections earlier the month really make a difference. This year also marks 15 years of Street Stuff which we run with financial support from Renfrewshire Council. The program continues to provide vital activities and support for young people which significantly reduces youth disorder and anti-social behaviour across our community.

We are also close to finalising plans for the replacement of The Dome and hope to provide a definitive decision early in 2025. The process has taken a while but I’m sure you will understand the importance of getting all of the details, both financial and operational, right before committing to the project.

So, 2024 has been a memorable year and that has only been made possible by the contributions from our fans, players, management, sponsors, volunteers, staff and directors. I want to express my heartfelt appreciation and thanks to every single one of you. It’s a source of real pride to see the progress we are making on and of the park - let’s keep that positive momentum going.

I wish you all a very Happy New Year and a peaceful and successful 2025.

St Mirren Football Club has today launched a new strategy as we aim to be the best community centred development football club in Scotland.

ST MIRREN FOOTBALL CLUB LTD. (THE) (the “Company”)

Company Registration No. SC005773

Notice of Annual General Meeting

NOTICE is hereby given that the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of the Company will be held on the 10th day of December 2024 at The SMISA Stadium, St Mirren Park, Greenhill Road, Paisley, Renfrewshire, PA3 1RU at 7:30pm for the following purposes:

Ordinary business

1. To consider the Accounts for the year to 31 May 2024 and the reports of the Directors and Auditors.
2. To transact any other ordinary business of the Company. 

By Order of the Board

Date: 25/11/2024

………………………….

Secretary

Registered Office: SMISA Stadium St Mirren Park, Greenhill Road, Paisley, Renfrewshire, PA3 1RU

Notes

A Member entitled to attend and vote at the meeting is entitled to appoint a proxy to attend and vote in their place. The proxy (in accordance with the terms of the existing Articles of Association) should be deposited at the Registered Office of the Company not less than 48 hours before the time of the Annual General Meeting.

If a member has not received a proxy or a copy of the Annual Accounts, please get in touch with info@stmirren.com with a valid email address or attend The SMiSA Stadium to collect a copy. 

St Mirren Football Club can confirm that Kevin van Veen's loan has ended and he will return to his parent club FC Groningen.