St Mirren manager Craig McLeish is relishing the club's strong start to the Scottish Premiership season. The Paisley side are unbeaten after four matches, a run that has propelled them to second place in the table with 10 points.
This positive opening represents a dramatic turnaround from last season's struggles, where St Mirren finished second bottom and had to secure their top-flight status via a play-off final victory over second-tier Partick Thistle. McLeish, who has taken over the managerial reins, told the BBC that the atmosphere around the club is exactly what he wanted. "It has to be enjoyable, it has to be fun. I think it has been. I've loved every minute of it," he said.
The team's form shows three wins and one draw, with seven goals scored and only three conceded for a +4 goal difference. Their most recent result was a hard-fought 1-0 away victory at Kilmarnock on Wednesday night. Earlier results included a thrilling 3-3 draw with Motherwell. Fans can track the team's progress and upcoming schedule on the club's fixtures and standings pages.
What are St Mirren's upcoming fixtures?
St Mirren face a demanding immediate schedule, starting with a home match against reigning champions Celtic on Saturday at 20:00 BST. Celtic currently lead the Premiership, putting St Mirren just two points behind the leaders ahead of this key clash. McLeish acknowledged the scale of the challenge. "We know that we need to be at our absolute best and we need to hope that Celtic aren't at their best to come away with a positive result," the manager stated.
Following the Celtic game, St Mirren will travel to face Rangers in a rearranged Premiership fixture next Wednesday. This run of four games in a short period is testing the squad's depth, especially with several players currently unavailable. The latest injuries list confirms that Keanu Baccus, Killian Phillips, Liam Donnelly, and Malik Dijksteel are all sidelined.
How does this start compare to last season?
The contrast with the previous campaign could not be starker. Avoiding relegation via the play-offs was a stressful experience for everyone connected with St Mirren. McLeish's arrival and the team's subsequent performances have injected fresh optimism. The solid defensive record, conceding just three times, has provided a platform for success. Building consistency will be vital as they aim to stay in the upper reaches of the table.
What is this season's squad situation?
While the results have been excellent, the injury list presents a concern. The absence of four first-team players, including key figures like Baccus and Donnelly, means others in the squad must step up during this congested period. Managing fitness and recovery will be as important as tactics for McLeish and his staff. The team's ability to grind out a 1-0 win at Kilmarnock despite these absences is a positive sign of resilience.
After the upcoming matches against Celtic and Rangers, St Mirren's next Premiership assignment is an away trip to face Dundee, who are fifth, on December 26th. The team's recent form of Win-Draw-Win-Win (WDWW) gives them a strong foundation to build upon for the rest of the season. St Mirren travel to Ibrox to face Rangers on Wednesday evening.
