St Mirren have received no contact from any other clubs amid transfer speculation surrounding 24-year-old midfielder Killian Phillips. (Daily Record, external)
Read Monday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Andy Burke
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter
Image source, SNSKillian Phillips says he wants to help St Mirren add a greater attacking threat this season after his double secured victory at Falkirk on the opening weekend of the Premiership.
The Irish midfielder struck either side of half-time as the Buddies earned a deserved three points at the Falkirk Stadium.
St Mirren's struggles at the wrong end of the table last season were in large part down to a lack of scoring, with their 30 goals in 38 games the poorest return in the league.
Now after bagging a brace in the first league game, Phillips wants to boost his and the team's goal tally this term.
"It's something I need to add to my game is numbers, so now I'm over the moon to get two," Phillips told BBC Scotland.
"It was a good team performance. I know I could have had a couple more and we could have had a couple more.
"On a normal day, those [missed] chances could have cost us. Probably last season, we struggled to create a lot of chances, so to have as many chances as we did today is more of a positive than a negative.
"It's a perfect opening day performance."
Highlights: Falkirk 0-2 St Mirren
Watch the best of the action as St Mirren win 2-0 at Falkirk in their Scottish Premiership season opener. (Available to UK users only)
We asked for your views after St Mirren started the new Premiership season with a 2-0 win at Falkirk.
Here are some of your comments:
Alan: Pleasantly surprised at our performance but no less than we deserved. If chances had been taken it could have been a huge win. Will have a better idea 10 games in of where we are.
Michael: Good, solid start from St Mirren and nice to see some fluid movement and play. Killian Phillips was just awesome and did not stop running much like most of his team-mates. Performance is not going to harm any move for Phillips at all sadly. Henry Fieldson is a real find. Good start, good performance and as this team gels looking good.
Stewart: Great away win at a difficult venue. We moved the ball about really smartly, the interactions of play were a joy to watch. However, we really do need to work on our finishing.
Stu G: Glad we won. Won't get carried away with it. Two teams with lots of new faces and I thought we were better without dominating. We do have to get behind the team now. For all the fans reservations about the manager and recruitment, it won't do anyone any good to continue with negative undertones, so onwards and upwards.
Grant: Strange game. Wasn't ultimately impressed by Saints performance, but it's three points nonetheless. Think there's certain players in the starting 11 who aren't up to the challenge. Still think we'll be in the dogfight again at the end of the season - hope I'm wrong!
Peter: Great attitude from the team. Yes, two or three gilt-edged chances not taken, but 2-0 I'm happy with. The link-up play by Saints upset Falkirk who didn't seem to have much of a gameplan.
Image source, SNSSt Mirren head coach Craig McLeish told BBC Scotland: "This is a really hard place to come and we showed quality on the ball at times, we counter-attacked well, which was part of our game plan, and we dug in and fought when we had to.
"We could have had one or two more goals if the final action had been a bit better, but I'm absolutely delighted with the group. The boys coming off the bench gave us real energy.
"We kind of get away with one with the disallowed goal and that would have been a sucker punch because we were quite comfortable at points.
"We were scoring goals in the cup and today we created good chances. That was the bit that was missing last season.
"We have to keep the core of what has made St Mirren successful in the last few years. We have to be hard to play against and defensively solid. A clean sheet gets us off to a good start with that.
"There's a bit of uncertainty after playing lower league opposition in the cup, so when it comes together like that on day one, it's such a good feeling."
Killian Phillips' double ensured St Mirren got their Scottish Premiership campaign off to a winning start with victory at Falkirk.
Image source, Getty ImagesNew St Mirren arrival Justin Thomas says he is on the "same wavelength" as "ambitious" head coach Craig McLeish.
The 27-year-old winger arrives in Paisley as a free agent after four seasons at Bristol Rovers.
He scored four goals and provided two assists across 39 appearances in all competitions last term.
Thomas is the eighth summer signing for McLeish, who replaced Stephen Robinson in March.
"I'm really excited for this new opportunity and I can't wait to get going," he told club media.
"After the first conversation I had with the gaffer, I remember getting off the phone and telling my agent to get it done and as quickly as that it was done.
"He told me how he likes to play and how he sees the game. He's so ambitious and that's what I am in my career. We're definitely on the same wavelength and I think it's going to be a really good relationship.
"I always watch Scottish football. It's something I've always wanted to experience and I'm lucky enough now to be able to go out and experience it. Hopefully I can grab this opportunity with both hands."
Image source, SNSFalkirk goalkeeper Scott Bain is pushing to return from an ankle injury while the Bairns are without Keelan Adams and Aidan Nesbitt following ankle surgery and the suspended Brad Spencer. Tom Lang is close to a return after 18 months out.
Liam Donnelly could return for St Mirren and on-loan Rangers midfielder Paul Nsio could make his debut while Declan John (hamstring) remains out. Ryan Mullen is making good progress following a thigh injury.
Keanu Baccus (Achilles) and Jonah Ayunga (knee) are long-term absentees.
Image source, SNSSt Mirren boss Craig McLeish says his team must prioritise defensive solidity this season if they are to make a tilt at the top six.
McLeish kept the Buddies up last season via the play-offs after taking over from Stephen Robinson, who previously guided the Paisley club to three straight top-half finishes and a League Cup triumph.
"If you just aim at surviving in this league and you fall short of that, you're in trouble," McLeish said.
"We have to aim as high as we possibly can and top six and European qualification is what we're going to strive to achieve."
After scoring 12 goals in the Premier Sports Cup group stage, McLeish said: "The way we're playing with an extra attacker, with some of the bodies we've brought in, hopefully that's the bit that we can solve this season as well because we also can't get away from what's made St Mirren successful over the years.
"We have to be hard to play against. We have to enjoy keeping clean sheets. We have to love defending and being aggressive in everything we do. It's keeping those core bits and then adding the attacking side to it as well.
"We want it to be exciting. We want it to be good to watch, fun for the players to play in. I want it to be enjoyable for the supporters. We will be hard working, we'll be high energy and we have to be tough to beat first and foremost."
McLeish still wants to add to his squad after signing 20-year-old Rangers midfielder Paul Nsio on loan.
However, a move for Ghanaian midfielder Abdul Hakim Sulemana has fallen through.
"Paul brings us a kind of level of physicality and athleticism that we can't source," McLeish said. "He can cover a number of different positions."
Image source, SNSLast season, St Mirren's Scottish Premiership games had just 85 goals (30 for, 55 against), the fewest of any side. By contrast, Falkirk were one of only two sides in 2025-26 to both score (50) and concede (62) 50+ goals in the division, along with Kilmarnock (50 for, 68 against).
St Mirren lost their opening league game of last season 1-0 at Celtic Park but have not lost on the opening day in back-to-back Premiership campaigns since 2013-14/2014-15.
Falkirk lost each of their final three league games of last season, their longest losing run in 2025-26. The Bairns last lost four in a row in the top-flight in December 2008.
St Mirren have won five of their last seven top-flight away games at Falkirk Stadium (losing just once) – including both last season.
Falkirk have only won two of their last 12 top-flight meetings with St Mirren (losing half of them), a 2-1 victory in April 2010 and 2-0 triumph in January last season.
Image source, SNSRangers midfielder Paul Nsio has joined St Mirren on a season-long loan, with Buddies manager Craig McLeish saying the 20-year-old brings the "calibre, physical attributes and athleticism" lacking in their own academy at present.
London-born Nsio spent last season on loan to Raith Rovers and helped the Kirkcaldy side win the Challenge Cup in April, making 31 appearances and being voted the club's young player of the year.
McLeish was attracted to the player's versatility, telling St Mirren's website: "He's had a really strong pre-season with Rangers. He started finding himself playing at right-back as well.
"We know he can play as a six and can play higher up as an eight in midfield, so he gives us a number of different options to use him.
"That versatility is a big part of bringing Paul in. His signing adds physicality to the group as well.
"It's finding a balance of developing your own players, bringing your own permanent ones in but also looking at the loan market to some bigger clubs to try and find the profile of player that we don't have access to within our own academy.
"Paul fits that mould where we don't have someone of that calibre, physical attributes and athleticism within our own building right now."
"Ambitious" Nsio, who has made three first-team appearances for Rangers, is hopeful of "a good test" that will help him reach "the highest level".
He added: "I know some of the lads here like Eseosa Sule and Roland Idowu. I've spoken to some of the senior boys as well and hopefully I'll just learn more from them and it'll help my development as a player."
Rangers midfielder Paul Nsio has agreed a loan move to St Mirren, but the 20-year-old will not be signing a new deal at Ibrox as suggested before making the switch to the Paisley club. (Pete O'Rourke on X, external)
Raith Rovers Dougie Imrie has expressed his bitter disappointment at failing to take Rangers midfielder Paul Nsio back to Stark's Park, with the 20-year-old poised to join St Mirren on loan instead. (The Courier, external)
Read Thursday's Scottish Gossip in full.
Image source, SNSTunmise Sobowale played eight times for St Mirren
Defender Tunmise Sobowale has left St Mirren to join Shamrock Rovers on a permanent deal.
The 27-year-old went to the League of Ireland side on loan in February and has now signed a full-time contract after the clubs agreed an undisclosed fee.
Having moved to Paisley last summer from Swindon Town, Sobowale made eight appearances for the Buddies with seven of those as a substitute.
St Mirren also have a sell-on clause as part of the deal.
Mark Jardine
Fan writer
Where will you finish in the league and why?
Some people are being incredibly pessimistic, I'm trying not to be naively optimistic so I'll split the difference and say eighth. We've gone all in on changing our approach from Stephen Robinson's reign and I'm choosing to believe that we'll be rewarded in the long run. It may take some time to settle in.
Who is the best signing or has he not signed yet and who should it be?
We've been pretty vocal on being more data-led from this summer onwards so it'll probably take time for the true gems of this high-potential crop to reveal themselves. Eseosa Sule looks immediately exciting and, having been talked into signing permanently instead of on loan, you'd expect him to get plenty of starts.
What do you want from your manager this season?
Mostly, I want him to be given time. We're a notoriously grumpy fanbase and appointing a rookie manager has meant that some are already firmly against the idea. From the manager himself, some occasional pragmatism in shape would probably go a long way. I'm all in favour of us trying to play more football but the core of our squad have won silverware and top-half status through being hard to beat in a 3-5-2. Sometimes, that will be what's needed.
Who will be the breakout star in your squad?
New signings aside, I think most are seeing the appointment of Craig McLeish as a sign that we'll see genuine progression from our academy for the first time in a while. Luke Douglas, Carrick McEvoy and Thomas Falconer are already establishing themselves in the squad. Fifteen-year-old Marcello de Barros has just smashed Dylan Reid's youngest Saints appearance record by about six months. If I have to pick one that I think will get the minutes to catapult themselves into mainstream attention, then young striker Luke Douglas gets my vote.
What is your one major concern?
I think that we are still a few critical pieces away from having a squad capable of weathering the challenges of switching to a possession-based style. We need to replace Miguel Freckleton and support Alex Gogic with some real pace at the back and bring in someone who will seriously challenge captain Marcus Fraser at right-back. We need quality in wide areas to create more chances and some added forward experience to support Eseosa Sule in making sure we don't succumb to the same struggles in front of goal that resigned us to the play-offs last season.
Image source, SNSFormer midfielder Ryan Flynn says League Cup holders St Mirren have been "punished" for failing to to beat Dunfermline in their final group stage game with a tough last 16 draw at Rangers.
Before Sunday's game against the Pars, Craig McLeish's side had won all three of their group stage matches against Dumbarton, Cove Rangers and East Kilbride but lost 1-0 to Dunfermline on Sunday after Chris Kane converted a late penalty.
In order to have been seeded for the last 16 draw, St Mirren needed to finish as one of the three group winners with the best record but despite pipping Dunfermline to top of the group on goal difference, their nine points wasn't enough to secure a seeding.
Now the holders will have to overcome Rangers in order to progress to the quarter-finals.
"You always think you're going to face them [Rangers or Celtic] at some point but I I think you'd rather face them in the final and and get some easier draws along the way," Flynn told the BBC's Scottish Football Podcast.
"Seeing Craig McLeish's interview after their game against Dunfermline, I think he was frustrated and annoyed. He had spoken previously about trying to get the 12 point mark, get four wins on the board and potentially be seeded to avoid that harder draw. They didn't do the job and then they got punished for it.
"It's a very, very difficult tie so early in the season for them to try and remain holders of the the the League Cup."
Image source, SNSCraig McLeish does not think Eseosa Sule fouled Aston Oxborough
Craig McLeish has vowed that other teams are going to have "to claw" the Scottish League Cup trophy off St Mirren after his holders were given the "most difficult draw" away to Rangers in the last 16.
The Paisley side lost 1-0 at home to Dunfermline Athletic in their final group-stage game, the late penalty meaning St Mirren failed to finish with enough points to be one of the seeded teams in the draw despite still topping their section.
"Frustrated by the ending of it," manager McLeish told BBC Scotland. "I don't think it's a penalty, but we kind of brought pressure on ourselves when we don't need to when Dunfermline are throwing everything at us to chase the game.
"We need to be smarter in our decisions at that stage of the game."
Samuel Ramos also had a goal disallowed when Eseosa Sule was adjudged to have fouled goalkeeper Aston Oxborough.
"I also don't see how our goal's been disallowed in the first half," McLeish said.
"That kind of changes the game. I don't think there were many clear-cut chances in the game, but when we have a good bit of play and finish it off, I don't see why we are penalised for it.
"The frustrating thing is we have thrown away the opportunity to come out as one of the seeded teams for the draw and we've had the draw there and we couldn't have asked for any more difficult draw than Rangers away.
"But we are the holders and I've told the boys we are going to fight and make sure somebody has got to claw it off us.
"If we are going to defend the trophy, we have to beat big teams and we had to do it last year to win the cup."
Image source, SNSNew England Revolution, San Jose Earthquakes and LA Galaxy are weighing up a £375,000 move for 24-year-old St Mirren midfielder Killian Phillips. The National, external
Image source, SNSSt Mirren have agreed a new one-year deal with a one-year option with striker Jonah Ayunga even though he will likely be absent with his ACL injury until the new year.
Ayunga hasn't featured for the Buddies since a 2-0 defeat at home to Livingston on 25 April 2026 during which he had to be carried off on a stretcher. Before then he made 32 appearances and scored twice in the club's historic League Cup final victory over Celtic in December.
The 29-year-old's contract was due to expire this summer after he joined from English outfit Morecambe in 2022.
"We wanted to look after him," manager Craig McLeish said.
"It was the right thing for the club to do to look after him throughout his period of rehab.
"He's been a fantastic servant. He goes down as a hero in the club's history books because of what he did in the cup final and he deserves to be looked after.
"We look forward to having him back around the new year. Hopefully it feels like a new signing for us. We know that we've got a really strong and experienced player coming back."
Craig McLeish also joked that someone "must have paid £20" after journalist Fabrizio Romano's social media post claiming the Buddies are signing Ghanian under-20 player Abdul Hakim.
"Somebody paid Fabrizio 20 quid to put that out," he added.
"He's one we're speaking to.
"We'll hopefully have more information on that when things become a little bit more concrete. Nothing is done or confirmed but we'll maybe have an update in a week or so."
Image source, SNSMalik Dijksteel completed St Mirren's fightback against East Kilbride
Scott Allan believes being part-time caught up with his East Kilbride side as the Scottish League 2 champions lost to holders St Mirren despite having led 3-0 in their Premier Sports Cup group-stage tie on Tuesday.
The victory means St Mirren will progress to the knock-out stage as Group C winners unless Dunfermline Athletic win by three goals when they visit Paisley on Sunday.
East Kilbride miss out and disappointed coach Allan told the BBC Scottish Football Podcast: "They'd put so much in, especially in the last couple of weeks having the Saturday Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, so there's been no kind of respite for us.
"Played some fantastic football, really brave, go 3-0 up and then last half an hour, when St Mirren got that goal back, momentum shifts, St Mirren get their tails up and I just think the pace and power of St Mirren in that last 25 minutes and our boys were kinda dead on their feet the last 25 minutes just trying to hang in there.
"But I felt to lose the game was extremely extremely harsh considering the effort they'd put in for large parts of the game.
"We'd have been into the next stage of the competition, so really disappointed."
East Kilbride manager Mick Kennedy has completely rebuilt their squad despite their title win, with 13 coming in and 17 leaving this summer.
"Ultimately, we're still four players away from being our strongest squad," Allan suggested. "The big thing for us is we're creating chances and we're having a lot of control in matches and to show you can do that against Premiership opposition and obviously last season's Scottish Cup finalists in Dunfermline, it stands us in good stead.
"There's a lot of belief in the squad, but we haven't had time yet to work on how we look behind the ball when we're attacking, because we only train twice a week. We don't want to be conceding four goals against anybody."
