A fan’s guide – the club from early doors to today
One of Scotland’s most enduring clubs, St Mirren represent the mill town of Paisley, since swallowed up into Greater Glasgow, close to the airport.
Moved to a new-build stadium in 2009 out by the M8 motorway that connects Glasgow and Edinburgh, the Buddies were previously based at Love Street, giving rise to the idiosyncratic fanzine There’s a Store Where the Creatures Meet.
Since then, Saints’ fans had had little to sing about until Celtic old boy Paul McGowan converted a penalty to put St Mirren ahead against his former employees in the League Cup semi-final in 2013. The Buddies held out for a famous 3-2 victory, returning to Hampden two months later to beat Hearts by the same scoreline.
St Mirren had previously won three Scottish Cups, the most recent in 1987 featuring Paul Lambert and Frank McGarvey – but the club’s biggest claim to fame came a decade earlier when Sir Alex Ferguson managed them for four seasons in the mid-1970s. Ferguson then took two stars of the young promotion-winning side, Billy Stark and Peter Weir, with him to Aberdeen. St Mirren remain the only club to have sacked Ferguson.
Established in 1877 and founding members of the Scottish League shortly afterwards, St Mirren have been playing in black-and-white stripes for most of their near 140-year-old history. A shock Scottish Cup win came in 1926, the winning goal scored by Jimmy Howieson, an early pioneer of soccer in America. Howieson played alongside several members of the USA side that made the semi-final of the inaugural World Cup of 1930.
It was an American-Scot who scored the decisive goal in St Mirren’s next cup victory, the 3-1 win over Aberdeen in 1959. Gerry Baker, brother of England international Joe, played for USA in their 1970 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Regular winners of the Renfrewshire Cup along with Greenock Morton, St Mirren had been a permanent fixture just above the relegation zone of the Scottish Premiership before the inevitable happened in 2015.
Returning under former Buddies defender Jack Ross, who earned himself a move to Sunderland after winning the Scottish Championship in 2018, St Mirren trod carefully in the top tier until the arrival of former Northern Ireland international midfielder Stephen Robinson as manager in 2022.
With goals from former Motherwell striker Mark O’Hara, the Buddies went the first seven league games unbeaten in 2023-24, giving the club a reasonable shot at a first foray in Europe since the 1980s. In goal, young Middlesbrough loanee Zach Hemming improved his career prospects no end, after garnering awards at Kilmarnock.
Ground Guide
The field of dreams – and the story behind it
A new-build set between the M8 motorway and a bleak zone of warehouses and recycle plants, St Mirren Stadium looks little better than its surroundings – though once inside, it’s a reasonably intimate place to watch a football match.
Love Street, last used in January 2009, was St Mirren’s home from 1894. The indebted club was forced to sell the land to a supermarket chain, later refused planning permission to build – the plot has lain fallow ever since.
Many still drink in the pubs near Paisley Gilmour Street and walk past the original site to reach St Mirren Park. Home fans gather in the Main Stand and West Stand opposite, while the Tony Fitzpatrick (South) Stand behind the goal is set aside for families. Visitors are allocated the North Stand, accessed via turnstiles T17-T20. Capacity is just under 8,000.
getting here
Going to the ground – tips and timings
The nearest train station is Paisley St James, the other side of Greenhill Road from the stadium that you’ll see in full view from the platform. It’s only 17min direct from Glasgow Central, with trains every 30min. There are fewer at weekends.
Services are far more frequent to Paisley Gilmour Street (10-15mins) – you can either change there or walk up Old Sneddon/St James’ Street, across the roundabout to Caledonia Street (parallel to Love Street), then left down Murray Street. It’s a 15min walk but past no few St Mirren pubs.
The sat nav code for St Mirren Park is Greenhill Road, Paisley, PR3 1RU. There is no car parking at the ground on match days. The club suggests using nearby Murray Street (PA3 1QW), between the railway bridge and McKean Street, on the north side across from the repair works and lock-ups; and the north, park, side of Ferguslie Park Avenue (PA3 1BE), the other side of the ground from Paisley St James station.
if the opposition isn’t Celtic or Rangers, then McKean Street itself (PA3 1QP) should have places, on the same side of the street as the garages and warehouses.
getting in
Buying tickets – when, where, how and how much
The ticket office (Mon-Fri 10am-2pm, match-day Sat 10am-kick-off) is by the club shop behind the Main Stand the other side of Greenhill Road. The club also offers an online service.
For all enquiries, contact tickets@stmirren.com.
Seats are £26 everywhere, including for away fans in the North Stand. Discounted admission for seniors, full-time students and 12-18s is £16, under-12s are charged £6.
what to buy
Shirts, kits, merchandise and gifts
The club shop (Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, match-day Sat 10am-kick off & for 30mins after final whistle, non-match day Sat 10am-1pm) is found behind the Main Stand.
The current away kit is black with pink collar and cuffs, third-choice red with black collar and cuffs – and a suitable Paisley pattern across the front. Home tops, of course, are black-and-white stripes. Retro shirts are of 1987-88 vintage, bearing the name of the Clydesdale sponsors home and away.
Where to Drink
Pre-match beers for fans and casual visitors
A few bars cluster around Paisley Gilmour Street, starting with The Last Post, a huge Wetherspoons pub in the station building itself. Further up on Old Sneddon Street, The Argyll Bar flies the flag of St Mirren and shows matches.
At the stadium, the match-day St Mirren 1877 Supporters’ Club Bar is open for members and their guests.
