St Mirren

We asked for your views after St Mirren drew 1-1 with Partick Thistle at Firhill in the first leg of the Premiership play-off final.

Here's what some of you said:

Jim: Probably one of the worst performances of the season. Some of the players looked like they had only to turn up for a result. Once again three forwards on the bench and a midfielder improvising. This does not look like a Premiership side, the football was non-existent and the defence was a bombscare. I fear the worst!

Kev: Glad we are not chasing the game going into Monday night. Thought we were decent enough in the first half, though never carried that through to the second, when Thistle changed their shape. Hoping with the home advantage we can get the goals needed to win the tie. Need every player on top of their game.

Gary: Never easy with St Mirren. I like Craig McLeish but he seems to have one way of playing. He didn't change things when Partick changed it in the second half. We played some nice football but most of Partick's chances came from our mistakes. It must be terrible being a St Mirren striker, the final ball is terrible or too slow.

Dougie: Saints gave a passable performance in the first half but, like previous games, we allowed Thistle to dominate us. Fed up with McLeish coming up with the same old excuses - we need to finish better. Mikael Mandron right through when leading 1-0 and ends up like a passback to their keeper. Too static. Nobody running off the ball. Will be up against it on Monday.

Stuart: Once again in control but can't score. Thistle make tactical change and we're floundering, midfield goes missing.

Alan: First half we did okay without creating enough. Second half we were pretty poor apart from maybe the last five/10 minutes. All to play for on Monday.

Jane Lewis
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Midfielder Killian Phillips is confident St Mirren can capitalise on home advantage to secure Premiership survival after a 1-1 draw away to Partick Thistle in the play-off final first leg.

Phillips' first-half strike at Firhill on Thursday night was cancelled out by Aiden Fitzpatrick to leave the tie finely poised.

"We all know how big the game is on Monday," Phillips told BBC Scotland.

"We've got ourselves into this, so we need to get ourselves out of it. We're confident given what's in our dressing room so we can get it done. It's up to us now.

"There is pressure. Like everyone says, pressure is a privilege. We know the magnitude of the games. It's an even bigger one now on Monday. We go into the game level and it's a game where we need to win ultimately.

"I think home advantage will be big.

"We know that when we take it to the SMiSA it'll be packed out and it'll be a big game. They've [the fans] pushed us through a lot of big games this year as well. I think it'll help, the home advantage, and we need all the help that we can get."

The 24-year-old, who was deployed as a striker by manager Craig McLeish at Firhill, was substituted on 77 minutes because of cramp but insists "he'll be out there on Monday".

The final of the Scottish Premiership play-off is finely poised after Partick Thistle came from behind to earn a first-leg draw at home to St Mirren. What did you make of St Mirren's performance?

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St Mirren interim manager Craig McLeish: "A bit of a game of two halves. I felt in the first half we carried out our gameplan pretty well, sustained pressure, a lot of corners, we created some chances.

"Maybe nothing too clear cut other than the goal. We were under a bit of pressure second half, then once they tire it opens back up again.

"We know what's at stake, we're not behind in the tie. Especially the second half, we have to be better than that and we can be better than that.

"That is the focus now for Monday."

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Former St Mirren midfielder Ryan Flynn thinks Partick Thistle have a "massive opportunity" of returning to the Premiership as they host St Mirren in the first leg of the play-off final.

Despite finishing the season with a victory at Aberdeen and a draw at home to Dundee United, St Mirren were already consigned to a relegation play-off after finishing 11th in the top flight, six points behind Kilmarnock and the Dons above them.

And while the Buddies are the Premiership team to beat when they face Partick Thistle, who beat Dunfermline in last week's semi-final, Flynn is worried about the side's lack of goals.

"I wouldn't say they have an advantage over St Mirren [having played in the semi-final but it definitely helps," Flynn said on the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.

"Thistle have a massive opportunity.

"In previous years you look at it and the Premiership side looks so far ahead of the Championship side and everyone believes it's the Premiership side [who will win].

"St Mirren haven't had a great season and the reason I say it's a massive opportunity for Thistle is St Mirren, no matter the football that they're playing or their defensive record, they are just lacking goals.

"If Thistle can put it together, they can get over the line, they have attacking threats, they have players that can change games by themselves, they have players that can come off the bench and change the game.

"It's a massive opportunity for Mark Wilson and Partick Thistle.

"On St Mirren's side, they have turned it around, a fantastic result up at Pittodrie, they did rotate, everyone will be fighting fresh for these two massive games.

"McLeish actually spoke really well about the pressure off the game for big game players, they do have those within the dressing room.

"If it's a cagey affair and it goes back to St Mirren at home they'll get the job done."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Killian Phillips says there's more at stake than top flight status for St Mirren in the Premiership play-off final against Partick Thistle.

The Irish midfielder is aware that jobs could be lost at the club if the Buddies are relegated to the Championship.

"There's a lot of repercussions around the people that you don't see behind the scenes," he said.

"Jobs at stake, people's livelihoods are at stake. If we manage to stay up, then I think a cup win and a semi-final and staying in the league is an excellent achievement."

Although he's already assured of "club legend" status and a league cup winners medal, Phillips feels the home and away legs are far more important than the Hampden win over Celtic last December but he believes the big game experience will be a big help.

"These two games are bigger than a semi-final and bigger than the final," he added.

"But we've played in big games and we've performed in big games. You think about the Motherwell semi-final in the League Cup [a 4-1 win], then the final [beating Celtic 3-1] and even the Scottish Cup semi-final, I thought we were very good in that for ninety minutes.

"So we've seen that can perform in big games. So it'll definitely help us that we've played in those big games. We're confident."

Those cup runs have taken their toll on the Buddies though as far as the Irishman is concerned, stretching a small squad to its limits and contributing to a disappointing league season in which only 30 goals were scored and eight games won.

"A lot of our key players have been injured at key times," he said.

"We've had a lot of games and as mad as it sounds the the cup runs probably didn't help us as well because we're such a small squad.

"But ultimately, we didn't win enough games of football or pick up enough points. So as players, we had to be a lot better. So it's up to us to take care of this situation."

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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St Mirren interim manager Craig McLeish has been speaking to the media before the first leg of the Premiership play-off final against Partick Thistle on Thursday.

Here are the main points:

• McLeish wants the manager's job permanently "regardless of the outcome" of the play-offs.

• He adds: "Obviously, we want the outcome to be positive and I want to take the job on at that point. If it's the other outcome, I still feel like I'm the best person to take the club forward."

• McLeish wants the players - who won the League Cup in December - to be remembered as "legends" and says: "That's my responsibility, our responsibility as a group to be able to look back on the season with that positive outlook on it. It's not a situation we want to be in right now as a club but we have to handle it, we have to navigate it and then hopefully we get to look back on it and look at it for all the positives."

• The boss insists his side are "confident" but not "complacent" heading into the first leg: "We have to be at the top of our game to come out top over the two ties."

• After ending the season with a win away at Aberdeen and a draw against Dundee United, McLeish says "the group is in a really good place and we have to just keep that going into these games".

• He feels St Mirren are "at the end of a cycle" as a club and while the "short-term bit of it is staying in the league", it is time to "transition into a new period as well".

• The 36-year-old is urging his players to draw on their "big-game experience" from this season: "The experiences at Hampden, the big games that we've played in, the big moments that we've turned up. I know even the Scottish Cup semi-final ultimately ended in disappointment, but even the bits there have shown resilience are coming back for two goals down against Celtic. We have to draw on as many positive experiences as we can."

• He stresses "boys are playing for their futures, whether it's here or elsewhere" in the remaining two matches.

• McLeish has been impressed with what he's seen of Partick Thistle this season: "I have to draw on all of my experience as well to come up with a tactical plan to combat what they're doing."

• Dan Nlundulu and Conor McMenamin have returned to training and will be in the squad.

Mark Jardine
Fan writer

Sunday's team selection found Craig McLeish between a rock (please, just win something before the play-off and create some momentum, score at least once) and a hard place (please, don't get injured, don't get suspended).

In the end, McLeish listened to his better (play the weans!) angels and took a pragmatic approach to a game against opponents firmly locked into seventh place and their first airport pints.

Where senior players needed minutes, they got them. Where bodies like Mikael Mandron and Killian Phillips needed some respite, they got it. Miguel Freckleton and Mark O'Hara steered the ship for a half before presumably being bundled into the proverbial cotton wool. Marcus Fraser got an hour back in the tank, Liam Donnelly wasn't risked; so far, so sensible.

What, then, did we learn from this most deceased of elastic, waterproof polymers (thank you Wikipedia)?

We learned that Luke Douglas, recognised by Scotland regularly at age group level and touted as the natural successor in Paisley to Evan Mooney's "get him on the pitch, he's better than them surely" crowd moniker, might well be the real deal.

Highly familiar to the Saints interim gaffer from his journey through multiple age rungs of the academy, Douglas had made cameo appearances in recent weeks as squad depth demanded. However, Sunday offered the 16-year-old the opportunity to start a senior fixture for the first time - and, boy, did he make the most of it.

The teen was denied a dream arrival on the top-flight stage by only the offside flag, a half yard of daylight and a half second's delay on Freckleton's through ball.

Despite this, the youngster showed the kind of movement, grit and bullishness in front of goal the frustratingly profligate Saints have missed for most of the league season.

Reconciling the cup side that crashed in nine goals at Hampden this season with the league side that sit bottom of the goals scored standings by a full 10 is a brain-scratching task.

Douglas was not alone in grabbing his opportunity and sparking some intrigue amongst the PA3 crowd. In a squad depleted of left-sided strength in the absence of Declan John (injury, definitely) and Conor McMenamin (injury, probably), Thomas Falconer starred in his second-half runout.

His strike off the base of the post came so close to writing the following day's headlines, not to mention his impressive running to cover his flank at both ends of the pitch.

Caiden McMillan, in making his senior debut, made it four teenage appearance makers on the day when he joined loanee Jacob Devaney on the pitch to see out the final stages. Although his cameo was altogether briefer, he had sufficient time to drive forward as the Saints chased a winner and looked far from out of place in his surroundings.

A point, in the end, did little for the Saints' final points tally or in making a statement of intent before Thursday's away leg in Maryhill.

However, the green shoots of young reinforcements bolstering a squad that has looked tired since lifting the League Cup in December gave rise to a little bit of cautious optimism to a following crowd much in need of it.

The demand, now, is simple. Get it done over the next week and ensure the 150th chapter in Saints' history is written in the top flight.

Mark Jardine can be found at Misery Hunters, external

We asked for your thoughts after St Mirren warmed up for their play-off against Partick Thistle with a 1-1 draw against Dundee United.

Here's what some of you had to say:

Bill: An encouraging performance with the young players bringing a real freshness to the table. The sight of Gogic nearly scoring with an overhead kick was wonderful. I have no fear going into the play-off as we are a much better team than Patrick Thistle.

Douglas: A far better looking front line with young Douglas and Young on from the start. Better in that there was far more movement off the ball, a lot quicker than we get with Mandron and I would play Idowu from the start on Thursday. He is a talented player with brilliant skills.

Anon: Thought we should have played the same team as against Aberdeen to gain momentum. But our three youngsters played well. They showed that we should have dropped many of our players before now.

St Mirren go into the play-off final with Partick Thistle after a win over Aberdeen and a draw with Dundee United.

Are fans encouraged going into these vital games?

Read the report.

Have your say here.

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St Mirren interim manager Craig McLeish: "First half had a bit of an end of season feel to it. Second-half, I thought there was more energy, more intensity, we moved the ball quicker.

"We asked for a positive performance to build confidence for the games we've got and I thought we got that.

"Luke Douglas was excellent. Thomas Falconer came on and did well too.

"I know the quality Luke has got and the tenacity he's got. We're so excited by him but we need to care of him as well.

"The whole point of today was to get through unscathed and to bring some boys into the fold who haven't been involved as much recently.

"Now we need to do everything we can to try and stay in the league. If we turn up and perform the way we can, we're confident. We have to go into it with excitement and belief."

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St Mirren will likely make changes ahead of the play-offs while Declan John (hernia), Dan Nlundulu (thigh), Shamal George (ankle), Ryan Mullen (thigh), Jonah Ayunga (knee), Malik Dijksteel (groin) and Keanu Baccus (Achilles) remain out.

Dundee United wing-back Will Ferry has joined up with the Republic of Ireland squad but Emmanuel Agyei returns from suspension. Dario Naamo (foot), Amar Fatah, Luca Stephenson (both hamstring), Kristijan Trapanovski, Isaac Pappoe (both knee) and goalkeeper Ashley Maynard-Brewer (shoulder) remain out.

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St Mirren interim manager Craig McLeish is having to balance fitness concerns with momentum as his side gear up for a Premiership play-off final against either Dunfermline or Partick Thistle.

The final Premiership game of the season at home to Dundee United on Saturday is effectively a dead rubber with the Buddies' play-off place already confirmed.

After last weekend's victory over Aberdeen, McLeish stressed the importance of momentum when preparing for a crucial play-off match.

"We have to balance what we do against Dundee United," he said.

"You want to keep momentum going into the play-off games, but we might need to get some boys some minutes as well.

"We will need to lean on some of the subs from Tuesday in the play-off games too so we will need to balance some of that and build for the three games."

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• St Mirren haven't won their final league match in any of the past five seasons (D3 L2). Excluding the curtailed 2019-20 campaign, they last won on matchday 38 in the Scottish Premiership in 2018-19 (3-2 v Dundee).

• Dundee United have failed to score in three successive league games, last doing so in four in a row in the Scottish Premiership in December 2021.

• United have only lost their final game in one of their past six Scottish Premiership seasons (W4 D1), a 3-2 defeat to Motherwell in 2022-23.

• St Mirren have won two of their past four top-flight home games against United (L2), more than their previous 18 beforehand (W1 D9 L8).

• United have won five of their past seven Scottish Premiership matches against St Mirren (L2), including most recently in March (2-1).

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Killian Phillips insists the impressive win at Aberdeen gives St Mirren a much-needed confidence boost for their relegation play-off.

Midfielder Phillips was on the scoresheet as Saints ran out 2-0 winners at Pittodrie on Tuesday night, only to be consigned to 11th place by Kilmarnock's victory over Dundee.

That means the Buddies - who complete the regular season at home to Dundee United on Sunday - will face a two-legged play-off with either Dunfermline or Partick Thistle for a place in the top flight.

"This has to give us confidence to take into Sunday," Phillips told BBC Scotland.

"We need a positive result on Sunday, it gives us even more confidence going into the relegation play-off.

"It has been a very tough season, we know the big thing now is to stay in the league.

"We just need to focus on Sunday and then see whoever we play, we need to get ready for that."

The win at Pittodrie ended a run of four straight league defeats for St Mirren, who suffered a chastening 3-0 home loss to Killie at the weekend.

"It has been a tough couple of games," Phillips added.

"But we believe in what is in the group and we believe what Craig [McLeish] is trying to do. It is up to us to implement it.

"Last Saturday wasn't good enough from the players, we have to take that on the chin. It can't always be the manager, it has to be the players and we spoke about it on Sunday and we gave a couple of harsh truths but that is how it is.

"You saw the reaction, we have some very good players in the group no matter if we are down to the bare bones.

"It is just about helping each other, helping the group and we believe that we can do it."

Sportscene pundit and former Livingston boss Marvin Bartley praises St Mirren's performance as the Paisley side are condemned to a relegation play-off despite beating Aberdeen 2-0 at Pittodrie.

We asked for your views after St Mirren's relegation play-off fate was sealed despite a 2-0 win at Aberdeen.

Here's what some of you said:

Stu: Great result and great effort after the poor showing against Kilmarnock. It's important to get a result against Dundee United and keep the momentum going. The league season has been dreadful but it's interesting that Craig McLeish has won three of his eight games in charge and Stephen Robinson only managed five wins, so something has changed. Let's hope we win the next three games and stay up.

Peter: More like the things we needed to be doing. Alex Gogic makes a big difference when playing. We head into the play-offs and need to ensure we take the same effort into both games. Don't play anyone carrying an injury against Dundee United.

Marc: Realistically our chances of avoiding the play-off spot were incredibly slim. However, this result will certainly give a much-needed boost in confidence levels to the players ahead of a two-legged affair to preserve our Premiership status. This group of players has been given plenty of plaudits in recent years for achieving three consecutive top-six finishes in addition to League Cup glory in December. However, we need them to step up again for one final time when we are deep in the trenches and when we need it most.