Scottish Football

11/05/2024 – KILMARNOCK (H)

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cinch PREMIERSHIP
11th May 2024
SMISA Stadium, Paisley

St. Mirren 0-1 Kilmarnock

Vassell 37

ATT: 7,654


Referee: E Anderson
VAR: G Aitken

  • The home side miss out on a chance to qualify automatically for European football after losing 1-0 to Kilmarnock, however with Dundee going down 3-0 at Tynecastle and only 2 matches remaining, Saints actually strengthen their hold on 5th place as the goal difference is now 2 better off than at the start of the day.
  • In what was a scrappy and error strewn match, Kilmarnock seize on poor play between Fraser and Tanser to break quickly on Saints and score the only goal, with Vassell smashing home Watkins cutback after 37 minutes.
  • Saints give plenty of effort get back into the match, with Olusnaya the main threat and he cracks a shot from the edge of the box off the bar, but in general Saints attacking play is predictable and laborious and Killie see off the threat fairly comfortable.
  • This defeat extends Saints absurd record against Derek McInnes as a manager, with just 1 league win in 32 matches over 3 clubs, and no wins in 7 against Kilmarnock since he became boss at the Ayrshire club.

PlayerRating
Zach Hemming7
Ryan Strain 676
James Bolton 837
Alex Gogic6
Marcus Fraser6
Scott Tanser 676
Mark O’Hara7
Caolan Boyd-Munce 676
Conor McMenamin7
Toyosi Olusanya7
Mikael Mandron6
Keanu Baccus 677
James Scott 676
Lewis Jamieson 676
Richard Taylor 836

28/04/2024 – RANGERS (H)

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cinch PREMIERSHIP
28th April 2024
SMISA Stadium, Paisley

St. Mirren 1-2 Rangers

Bolton (Own Goal) 32
MANDRON 37
Dessers 74

ATT: 6,800
Referee: Nick Walsk
VAR: D Robertson

  • A familiar story unfolds in Paisley as Saints lose to Rangers again, despite having the better of the play and crreating the best chances throughout a tense 90 minutes.
  • It is a tale of 2 goalkeepers, as Zach Hemming makes 2 uncharacteristic mistakes to gift Rangers both their goals, while Jack Butland makes multiple saves for Rangers, including an extraordinary save from a James Bolton volley that would have given Saints a deserved 2-1 half time lead.
  • Mikael Mandron grabs the Saints equaliser after 37 minutes, after Bolton had given Rangers the lead when he tried to desperately to rectify Hemmings misjudgment of a cross, but could only knocked the ball into his own net. That lead lasted only 5 minutes however, when the impressive Mandron headed in a looping O’Hara cross.
  • A few minutes later, Bolton looked to have given Saints the lead when he volleyed a loose ball goal-ward after a scrambled corner, however Butland somehow readjusted his body to flick the ball over the bar.
  • The second half was a scrappy affair, and Rangers grabbed a late winner when some slack defending allowed Tavernier to cross and after Hemmings had misjudged the ball, Dessers had the simple task of netting at the back post from a yard.

04/05/2024 – Dundee (A)

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cinch PREMIERSHIP
4th May 2024
Dens Park, Dundee

Dundee 1-3 St. Mirren

GOGIC 37
TANSER 59
OLUSANYA 72
Mellon 76

ATT: 6,877 (2,056 Saints fans)
Referee: M McDermid
VAR: A Muir

  • European football is now just 2 points away for Saints after a comprehensive win over their only challengers for 5th place, Dundee.
  • Toyosi Olusanya almost nips in to score after only 10 seconds, and this sets the tone for the afternoon as the away side dominate for long periods and win with ease.
  • Saints finally open the scoring after 37 minutes when the imperious Alex Gogic reacts quickest to a loose ball and gives the keeper no chance.
  • Scott Tanser doubles the lead 22 minutes later with a unerring finish on the volley after he had chipped the ball over a Dundee defender, as the home side repeatdly failed to deal with Saints superior attacking play.
  • This was evident again after 72 minutes when Baccus drives into the box and finds Mandron, who dances through challenges before laying off to Olusanya who fires under the keeper to give Saints an unassailable 3 goal lead, which could have been double this number had Saints been more ruthless.
  • Mickey Mellon notched a late goal for the Dee, but by then most of their supporters had left and Saints comfortably negotiated the rest of the match.

EUROPEAN CUP WINNERS CUP

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P4 W1 D2 L1 F1 A2

DATEOPPOSITIONATTVCOMPETITIONSCOREOSCORERS
16/09/1987TROMSØ7,797HUEFA CWC, 1st Round, 1st Leg1-0WMcDowall
30/09/1987Tromsø5,114AUEFA CWC, 1st Round, 2nd Leg0-0D 
21/10/1987Mechelen6,746AUEFA CWC, 2nd Round, 1st Leg0-0D 
04/11/1987MECHELEN14,368HUEFA CWC, 2nd Round, 2nd Leg0-2L 

PLAYERAPPGLS
Billy ABERCROMBY20
Ian CAMERON40
Paul CHALMERS40
Neil COOPER40
Robert DAWSON30
Ian FERGUSON30
Tony FITZPATRICK30
Peter GODFREY40
Brian HAMILTON20
Paul LAMBERT40
Kenny McDOWALL31
Frank McGARVEY10
Norrie McWHIRTER10
Campbell MONEY40
George SHAW10
Keith WALKER30
Tommy WILSON30
David WINNIE30

APPEARANCESECWC
Ian CAMERON4
Paul CHALMERS4
Neil COOPER4
Peter GODFREY4
Paul LAMBERT4
Campbell MONEY4
Robert DAWSON3
Ian FERGUSON3
Tony FITZPATRICK3
Kenny McDOWALL3
Keith WALKER3
Tommy WILSON3
David WINNIE3
Billy ABERCROMBY2
Brian HAMILTON2
Frank McGARVEY1
Norrie McWHIRTER1
George SHAW1
GOALSCORERSAPPGLS
Kenny McDOWALL31

SEASONS

UEFA CUP

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P10 W2 D3 L5 F9 A12

DATEOPPOSITIONATTVCOMPETITIONSCOREOSCORERS
17/09/1980Elfsborg 3,776AUEFA CUP 1st Round, 1st Leg2-1WSomner, Abercromby
01/10/1980ELFSBORG8,326HUEFA CUP 1st Round, 2nd Leg0-0D 
22/10/1980ST. ETIENNE11,471HUEFA CUP 2nd Round, 1st Leg 0-0D 
05/11/1980St. Etienne17,870AUEFA CUP 2nd Round, 2nd Leg 0-2L 
14/09/1983FEYENOORD10,211HUEFA CUP 1st Round, 1st Leg0-1L 
29/09/1983Feyenoord18,286AUEFA CUP 1st Round, 2nd Leg0-2L 
17/09/1985Slavia Prague7,000AUEFA CUP 1st Round, 1st Leg0-1L 
02/10/1985SLAVIA PRAGUE11,768HUEFA CUP 1st Round, 2nd Leg3-0 aetWMcGarvey (2), Gallacher
23/10/1985Hammarby4,349AUEFA CUP 2nd Round, 1st Leg 3-3DGallacher (3)
06/11/1985HAMMARBY11,278HUEFA CUP 2nd Round, 2nd Leg 1-2LMcGarvey

PLAYERAPPGLS
Billy ABERCROMBY71
Rowan ALEXANDER10
Alex BECKETT40
Steve CLARKE60
Neil COOPER30
Jackie COPLAND40
Andy DUNLOP10
Tony FITZPATRICK50
Mark FULTON20
Brian GALLACHER44
Peter GODFREY30
Derek HAMILTON40
Alan LOGAN10
Peter MACKIE30
Phil McAVEETY20
Frank McAVENNIE20
John McCORMACK60
Frank McDOUGALL60
Kenny McDOWALL40
John McEACHRAN10
Frank McGARVEY43
Campbell MONEY40
Lex RICHARDSON50
Jim ROONEY40
Ian SCANLON30
Doug SOMNER41
Gardner SPEIRS50
Billy STARK40
Billy THOMSON60
David WALKER20
Peter WEIR40
Tommy WILSON40
John YOUNG40

APPEARANCESUEFA CUP
Billy ABERCROMBY7
Steve CLARKE6
John McCORMACK6
Frank McDOUGALL6
Billy THOMSON6
Tony FITZPATRICK5
Lex RICHARDSON5
Gardner SPEIRS5
Alex BECKETT4
Jackie COPLAND4
Brian GALLACHER4
Derek HAMILTON4
Kenny McDOWALL4
Frank McGARVEY4
Campbell MONEY4
Jim ROONEY4
Doug SOMNER4
Billy STARK4
Peter WEIR4
Tommy WILSON4
John YOUNG4
Neil COOPER3
Peter GODFREY3
Peter MACKIE3
Ian SCANLON3
Mark FULTON2
Phil McAVEETY2
Frank McAVENNIE2
David WALKER2
Rowan ALEXANDER1
Andy DUNLOP1
Alan LOGAN1
John McEACHRAN1

GOALSCORERSAPPSGLS
Brian GALLACHER44
Frank McGARVEY43
Billy ABERCROMBY71
Doug SOMNER41

SEASONS

1985/86 UEFA CUP

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UEFA CUP 1985/86 1st Round

17th September 1985
UEFA CUP 1st Round, 1st Leg
Slavia Prague 1-0 St. Mirren

Match Details

2nd October 1985
UEFA CUP 1st Round, 2nd Leg
St. Mirren 3-0 Slavia Prague

Match Details

Saints win 3-1 on aggregate

UEFA CUP 1985/86 2nd Round

23rd October 1985
UEFA CUP 2nd Round, 1st Leg
Hammarby 3-3 St. Mirren

Match Details

6th November 1985
UEFA CUP 2nd Round, 2nd Leg
St. Mirren 1-2 Hammarby

Match Details

Saints lose 5-4 on aggregate

04/11/1987 – MECHELEN (H)

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UEFA CUP WINNERS CUP 2nd Round, 2nd Leg
4th November 1987
St. Mirren Park, Paisley

St. Mirren 0-2 Mechelen

Ohana 33
Ohana 49

ATT: 14,368

Referee: E Halle (Norway)

  • With just a home win separating St Mirren from the Quarter Finals of the European Cup Winners Cup, a record crowd for a European tie of just under 15,000 turns out to try and roar the Paisley men to success, but their heroes were second best all match to an underrated and fine Belgian side, who would win 2-0.
  • The ‘favourites tag’ afforded to Saints beforehand was perhaps naivety on behalf of the media, and once injuries and unavailable players for the home side were considered, even before a ball was kicked the Paisley men were up against it.
  • With both natural left sided defenders Derek Hamilton and David Winnie out injured, Tommy Wilson had to fill in at left back as Robert Dawson came in on the right side. Dawson’s former Stirling Albion teammate Keith Walker deputised for the suspended Ian Ferguson, with both players only turning professional a few months beforehand. Paul Chalmers started in attack with Frank McGarvey still unavailable due to personal reasons.
  • Mechelen on the other hand were missing suspended captain and Belgian international Lei Clijsters, however they still started the match with seven capped players, and the gulf in class was evident for much of the match, particularly with Israeli winger Eli Ohana giving Dawson a torrid time throughout the game.
  • Ohana would in fact net twice, 12 minutes before half time and a few minutes after, with the first strike a fine solo goal and the second a tap in after the ball hit the post. These were the only goals Saints would lose in the entire tournament at the end of their 4 matches played, but they were more than enough to sink the dream of Saints playing in the last 8.
  • The Belgians would go onto win the tournament at the end of the season, and eventually 12 of their squad that played against Saints would be international players, with a total of 254 caps gained over the next decade. It was no disgrace losing to the Belgians, but the disappointment was still high, especially during a period when smaller Scottish clubs reaching the latter stages of European tournaments was far from being a fantasy.

ST. MIRRENNOMECHELEN
MONEY Campbell1PREUD’HOMME Michel
DAWSON Robert2DE MESMAEKER Paul
WILSON Tommy3JASPERS Raymond
FITZPATRICK Tony4SANDERS Koen
GODFREY Peter5RUTJES Graeme
COOPER Neil6HOFKENS Wim
LAMBERT Paul7OHANA Eli
WALKER Keith 638THEUNIS Paul
CHALMERS Paul 9CLUYTENS Bert
McDOWALL Kenny 6310KOEMAN Erwin
CAMERON Ian11DEN BOER Piet
HAMILTON Brian 6312DE WILDE Pascal
SHAW George 6313DE GREEF Yves (GK)
GALLAGHER Brian14DE NIL Alain
BUTLER John15EMMERS Marc
FRIDGE Les (GK)16DROUGUET Pierre

21/10/1987 – Mechelen (A)

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UEFA CUP WINNERS CUP 2nd Round, 1st Leg
21st October 1987
Achter de Kazerne, Mechelen

Mechelen 0-0 St. Mirren

ATT: 6,746 (250 Saints fans)

Referee: L Hartman (Hungary)

  • After becoming the first team from the UK to visit Belgium since the Heysel Disaster in 1985, Saints presence in the Low countries means the the match is given a category A security listing by the Belgian government, with a restriction on traveling supporters and the allocation of armed police.
  • The Belgians are in fine form and top their league, however Saints are labelled favourites to make the quarter finals and manager Alex Smith believes the Paisley side have a stronger squad than their continental counterparts.
  • The 0-0 draw may seem to back this up as it is a fine result for St Mirren, however Saints withstand heavy pressure, particularly near the end and rely on Campbell Money and the woodwork to keep the Belgians out.
  • Crucially for Saints, Ian Ferguson is booked and will miss the return leg in Paisley. With Frank McGarvey still refusing to train with the club, this severely limits the attacking options for Alex Smith who is also without midfielder Abercromby through injury.
  • The Belgian Government praise St Mirren supporters following the match for their behaviour as a clear distinction continues to be drawn between the behaviour of Scottish and English fans abroad.

MECHELENNOST. MIRREN
PREUD’HOMME Michel1MONEY Campbell
DE MESMAEKER Paul2WILSON Tommy
SANDERS Koen3WINNIE David
RUTJES Graeme4FITZPATRICK Tony 63
CLIJSTERS Lei 5GODFREY Peter 77
THEUNIS Paul 466COOPER Neil
CLUYTENS Bert7LAMBERT Paul
HOFKENS Wim8FERGUSON Ian
OHANA Eli9CHALMERS Paul
KOEMAN Erwin10WALKER Keith
DEN BOER Piet11CAMERON Ian
DE WILDE Pascal 4612HAMILTON Brian 63
JASPERS Raymond13DAWSON Robert 77
DE NIL Alain14McDOWALL Kenny
EMMERS Marc15SHAW George
DROUGUET Pierre16FRIDGE Les (GK)

THE TRIP

Stadium: Achter de Kazerne, Mechelen, Belgium
1987 Capacity: 16,000
Record Attendance: 18,477 (1989)
1987 City Population: 75,622
Distance From Paisley (air): 494 miles – 1.5 hour flight
Distance From Paisley (road): 648 miles – 14 hours drive
Times Played at Stadium: 1 (1 draw)

THE STADIUM

30/09/1987 – Tromsø (A)

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UEFA CUP WINNERS CUP 1st Round, 2nd Leg
30th September 1987
Alfheim Stadion, Tromsø

Tromsø 0-0 St. Mirren

ATT: 5,114

Referee: Kurt Horsted (Denmark)

  • Saints travel well over 1,000 miles to the Arctic Circle to face the Norwegians in what was the most northerly football ground ever to be used in European football at the time.
  • The crowd of 5,114 was a record attendance at the stadium for several years, which had only opened in the summer of 1987.
  • Alex Smith decides to tactically contain the part time side, protecting the slender lead gained a fortnight earlier, primarily by using Billy Abercromby and Ian Ferguson as midfield enforcers, a complete change for Ferguson who had been used predominantly as an attacking player by Smith up until now.
  • If the main aim of Smith was progression though, the tactics worked perfectly as the Norwegians had no threat whatsoever during the match, and Saints comfortably although narrowly made the next round.
  • Unfortunately for Abercromby, the Scottish Cup winning captain was stretchered off after only 16 minutes to be replaced by club captain Tony Fitzpatrick, who had handed in a transfer request at the start of the month after not featuring much this campaign, but the Saints legend left any resentment behind to put in a man of the match performance.
  • Abercromby on the other hand would be out for over a year, and sadly never played for St Mirren again.
  • Saints drew Mechelen of Belgium in the last 16, and an opportunity to reach the Quarter Finals of European competition awaited.

TROMSØNoST. MIRREN
FLEM Bjarte1MONEY Campbell
PEDERSEN Tor2WILSON Tommy
SOLSTAD Nils3WINNIE David
ALBERTSEN Trond4ABERCROMBY Billy 16
NILSEN Tore5GODFREY Peter
ESPEJORD Lars6COOPER Neil
RISMO Tore 687LAMBERT Paul
JOHANSEN Bjorn8McDOWALL Kenny 76
FORFANG Sigmund 779FERGUSON Ian
JOHANSEN Trond10WALKER Keith
HOGMO Per-Mathias11CAMERON Ian
ANDREASSEN Elvind 6812FITZPATRICK Tony 16
OLSEN Kjetil 7713CHALMERS Paul 76
KRAEMER Morten14DAWSON Robert
BENDIKSEN15GALLACHER Brian
HANSEN Per (GK)16FRIDGE Les (GK)

THE TRIP

Stadium: Alfheim Stadion, Tromsø, Norway
1987 Capacity: 6,859
Record Attendance: 10,225 (1990)
1987 City Population: 48,838
Distance From Paisley (air): 1,192 miles – 3 hour flight
Distance From Paisley (road): 2,541 miles – 49.5 hours drive
Times Played at Stadium: 1 (1 draw)

THE STADIUM