St Mirren Football Club is aware of an incident following Saturday’s match in which a Livingston supporter had his bag, containing merchandise he had purchased from their club shop, snatched.

We are deeply disappointed by this incident and have apologised on behalf of the club to the supporter in question and to Livingston FC. We also offered to pay the costs to replace the goods that were stolen from the supporter. However, Livingston had told us this was in hand and instead the money will now be donated to charity organisation Kick Mental Health at Livingston's request.

We do not wish to see our club and supporters tarnished by the behaviour of a small minority and firmly believe this is not reflective of the wider fanbase who offer us brilliant support home and away every week.

ANNUAL REPORT AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS FOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 MAY 2023

The year to 31 May 2023 was one characterised by significant progress for the Club on and off the park. Accordingly, we are pleased to report results which are well ahead of what we forecast at the last AGM.

As a result of the stringent actions taken by the Board, the Operating Loss of £386,850 (2021/22 - £2,014,127) represents a major improvement compared to last year and the initial budget at the start of the financial year. Once profit on disposals of player registrations and interest receivable are added, as well as interest payable deducted, the Net Loss is £56,582 (2021/22 - £1,598,506). We remain on track to report a break-even trading position in the year to 31 May 2024 as forecast.

A copy of the club’s Annual Accounts can be found HERE.

As we approach the end of 2023, I wanted to provide an update ahead of the winter break and to have a look back at what we have achieved together during the past 12 months. 

Before doing so, I want to thank all our fans, sponsors, volunteers and staff for their tremendous work and support throughout the year. We appreciate all the support that the club receives from everyone, SMiSA, Kibble, Kibble Skills Academy and every individual that contributes to our club. 

It’s been fabulous to see the increased attendances at The SMiSA Stadium and the healthy growth in income generated from gate receipts and commercial activities. With gates regularly exceeding 7,000, the work done by the Marching On group and our pre-match entertainment organised and delivered by Paisley Panda & our SLOs, I’m sure you’ll agree that there’s now a much better atmosphere at home games.  

On the park, the team secured a top six slot in the Scottish Premiership at the end of the 2022/23 season for the first time ever in the current format. Since then we’ve occupied the top half of the league for most of this season after a very encouraging start to the current campaign. Whilst results recently have been less positive, it’s important to note that we remain in fifth place and have amassed almost the same number of points as last year (26 after 20 matches compared to 27 after 20 matches last season). We all feel disappointed when results don’t go our way but if we back the team positively, I have no doubt that will translate into better results on the park. We have built a strong squad as evidenced by the increasing number of players being called up for international duty. 

During the year we have moved forward with our work on the alignment across all of our football activities with the pathway from our Academy to our first-team being mapped out clearly. We have also been working to support the development of our Women’s team and the Girl’s academy. A special mention and congratulations to our Girl’s Under-14 team that recently won their league cup! 

Off the field you will have noticed the new LED scoreboard and advertising boards. This will be followed early in the new year with LED advertising boards on the exterior of the Main Stand and these will result in welcome additional revenues for the club in future. Three new Executive Boxes have been built in the Main Stand and will be brought into use in early January and we are grateful to SMiSA for supporting investment in this area. Again, these will bring in extra income for the club as we build a more robust financial model for the future.

These projects, along with the community activities in primary schools and the partnership with local charity, Home-Start, are clear examples of how we are progressing on our mission of being the best community centred development football club in Scotland. Related to that community ethos I also want to highlight the fantastic work that’s been done by our Charitable Foundation and Street Stuff. They’ve delivered so many fantastic programmes for the benefit of people across Paisley and beyond throughout 2023.

We are still working on securing funding to replace The Dome. As soon as any decisions have been made I will update further. Early in January, work will begin to clear the site behind the North Stand. 

So, whilst there is still much to do, I hope you’ll agree that the Club has made good progress on a number of fronts in 2023. With your continued support there is no reason why we can’t continue that progress in 2024.

Meantime, I wish you and your families a happy and peaceful New Year when it comes.

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 12th day of December 2023 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 2023 and the reports of the Directors and Auditors.
2. To transact any other ordinary business of the Company. 

By Order of the Board

Date: 27/11/2023 

………………………….

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 Youth Academy hosted an awards dinner on Friday 17th November as we celebrated the achievements of academy players and staff. 

The sold-out event at the Glynhill Hotel was kindly sponsored by Kibble and saw players from every Academy age group presented with a player's player of the year award in recognition of their hard work throughout the year. 

There was a special video message from St Mirren Youth Academy graduate and current Scotland international John McGinn as he reflected on his time at the club and the importance of hard work as the younger players look to forge a career within football.

We also raised a substantial amount of money from our auctions and raffle that will go directly into the running of the academy.

Head of Academy Allan McManus said: "It was an absolutely fantastic evening above everyone's expectations.

We want this to be a regular occurrence. It was a brilliant night and we hope this becomes an integral part of the yearly planner.

"I'd like to say a big thank you to Jim Gillespie and everyone at Kibble for sponsoring the event. They have spent a lot of money on different aspects of the academy and the junior academy throughout the course of the season.

"As we know, SMiSA continue to invest a substantial amount of money every year also. Without that ongoing support and financial input the academy wouldn't function the way that it can at the moment."

Following the retraction of Alan Wardrop’s threat of legal action against the Club and the Board (as a whole), his stadium ban has been lifted with immediate effect. We are pleased that this matter has been resolved satisfactorily.

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

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

Ahead of our cinch Premiership season getting underway this weekend, the club would like to provide an update to supporters.

Season Tickets

We have reached record full season ticket sales at The SMiSA Stadium for 2023/24 with the support of Kibble and SMiSA's community season tickets helping us to our highest full season ticket sales since we moved into the stadium in 2009.

The second batch of physical cards are due to be received by the club this week. We are hopeful that these will be posted out to supporters that requested physical cards within the next week. If your card doesn't arrive in time for the first home match against Dundee on Saturday 12th August, you can either download our digital app (details below) or visit the St Mirren Ticket Office where our team will print off a paper ticket. 

We would like to thank all supporters for their backing. There's still time to be a part of the journey and be a part of #OurFamily with season tickets still available ONLINE and at the St Mirren Ticket Office.

Digital app 

St Mirren 2023/24 digital season tickets are LIVE for supporters to add to their Apple and Android devices. These replace the e-tickets and physical cards from previous years unless you have opted for the physical card option when purchasing your season ticket. 

Please click HERE for full instructions on how to download your new digital season ticket. If you require any assistance, please contact the St Mirren Ticket Office or email tickets@stmirren.com and they can help. 

Kits

Our 2023/24 #Connected home and #TogetherAsOne away kits have been very well received and sold in similar numbers to last season's kits. 

Home and away kits are still available to purchase now at the St Mirren Club Shop and online at stmirrendirect.co.uk.  

Community 

Help a Buddie

The Help a Buddie initiative will be relaunched this season after a successful first season. Launched in last June, Help a Buddie is an initiative where St Mirren supporters can purchase and donate a match ticket for those less fortunate. 

The club received welcome contributions from many fans, which allowed groups to come to your club such as ACCORD Hospice, Ukrainian families, The Disability Resource Centre, Barnardo's Paisley Threads and Spinners Gate Resource Centre who would not normally be able get to The SMiSA Stadium.

More details on the relaunch will be available soon. 

Schools programme

Following the success of our schools programme last season, in which schools within Paisley and Renfrewshire were donated match tickets for home matches, we are pleased to say it will be returning in 2023/24. 

A number of first-team players visited schools throughout Renfrewshire last season, taking part in coaching sessions and Q&As before handing over tickets to selected matches. This remains an integral aim of ours to engage with our local community. 

Tony Fitzpatrick Family Stand Matchday Entertainment

Our hugely popular matchday entertainment in the Tony Fitzpatrick Family Stand and around The SMiSA Stadium will return bigger and better this season after the club agreed to up its funding.

Colin Bright and the SLOs do a terrific job in providing lots of FREE pre-match fun to supporters in and around the Tony Fitzpatrick Family Stand and we are excited for its return this season. 

Facilities

Executive Boxes

Final approval is imminent on the building warrants for work to get underway for new executive boxes within the Main Stand of The SMiSA Stadium. The new executive boxes will offer a bespoke hospitality package for clients and will be an important way of generating new income at the club.

The boxes will be located on the top floor of the Main Stand and we expect work to begin on these asap. 

SMiSA Donations

SMiSA have very kindly donated ice baths as well as other medical & gym equipment for the St Mirren Training Ground.

These additions will be used by our first-team and academy and will help our players with rehabilitation and injury prevention. 

We thank SMiSA and its members for their continued support in improving our training environment. 

Scoreboard and digital advertising

Software developments over the last few years as well as general wear and tear have rendered the current scoreboard obsolete. As such, the club has taken the decision to invest in a new scoreboard at The SMiSA Stadium. 

A new scoreboard will offer more commercial opportunities and help us enhance the matchday experience. As well as the scoreboard, we will also be taking delivery of new LED pitchside advertising boards as well as two new digital advertising screens that will be placed outside the Main Stand.

The club had been hopeful of delivery of these in time for our first cinch Premiership home match against Dundee, however, logistical delays mean that delivery is anticipated at the end of August/beginning of September. 

1877 Club

A new committee has been formed to take leadership of the 1877 Club and they will be working more closely with the club.

The club will be opened to members as normal for our first home league match against Dundee on Saturday 12th August. 

St Mirren Airdome 

The planned decommission of the airdome site will begin shortly. The airdome has been out of use after an act of vandalism rendered it beyond repair last season.

We are exploring a number of options for a new facility on a new site. Planning at is at an early stage and will keep supporters updated on the progress. 

St Mirren Training Ground Upgrades | Kibble Skills Team

With a focus on the continual improvement on the training environment and with continued help and support from Kibble Skills Team, the following upgrades have taken place at Ralston: 

• First-team changing room has had a partial floor rebuild and new flooring added.
• Extension to the gym has been created.
• Physio room extended, re-floored and decorated. 
• Portacabin changing rooms re-floored, new ceiling and decorated. 
• Academy offices have had the roof sealed, with the water tank plant room having a completely new facing. 

This continual improvement of facilities is vital for the progression of the club and we thank Kibble and their Skills Team for their support. 

Environmental Impact

We are currently working on a carbon reduction plan as we aim to become more sustainable and environmentally conscious. 

We have already developed our own waste and recycling initiative #BuddieBinIt - becoming one of the first senior clubs to create a waste and recycling scheme for our stadium and we encourage all fans to support our efforts.

To read more about our commitment to the environment, please click HERE.

Volunteers

We would like to thank our wonderful, dedicated group of volunteers who have been working hard over the past couple of weeks to get the stadium in condition for the new season. 

The club recently held a 'volunteers night' at The SMiSA Stadium with manager Stephen Robinson, Diarmuid O'Carroll and a selection of players coming along to thank volunteers for all their hard word.