CRAIG RITCHIE

David Nicol has urged SMISA members to stand for election to the trust’s committee.

The Buddies director will stand down from his position at the forthcoming SMISA AGM and election but not before calling on others to step up and continue where he will left off.

Nicol remains a director at St Mirren, having been asked to stay on the club’s board beyond his two-year term as the elected fan representative, with David Riley voted in to replace him.

As the rules state one-third of SMISA’s elected committee members are required to step down each year, meaning the member who has served the longest since last being elected – Colin Orr – is required to stand for re-election.

And Nicol believes it is the perfect opportunity for others to work closely with the club and the trust as they both strive to improve Saints.

Nicol told Express Sport : “Joining the SMISA committee is a fantastic opportunity for those wanting to help make a difference.

“You can play a major role in shaping the direction that the club is taking both on and off of the park and it is a really fulfilling experience.

“A strong SMISA can help ensure that we have a strong St Mirren, which is what everybody involved wants.

“It has been a fantastic journey to be a part of, and although I will be leaving the SMISA committee, I am looking forward to still being involved.

“I would urge anybody who believes they can make a difference to stand for a position.”

The trust is due to hold its annual general meeting this spring and have provisionally scheduled for Saturday, March 30 (prior to the Dundee game) at lunchtime in Paisley town centre.

The AGM will look back on what has been achieved in the past year, as well as ahead to what the trust hopes to achieve in 2019/20. A running order for the day, including annual accounts, will be issued no less than 14 days before the meeting.

It also means the election of members to the trust committee. As it stands, three of the nine places will be open for election.

Six committee members previously elected will continue to serve for at least another year – Alan Quinn, Kenny Docherty, Graeme MacPherson, Janette Swanson, Jim Cumming and George Adam.

As it stands, two of the group – Nicol and Kevin Park – are planning to step down from the committee at the AGM, although both will continue to play an active role in SMISA’s work.

Any members who wish to put themselves forward can do so.

Committee members are expected to attend fortnightly meetings and be able to make a meaningful contribution to the trust, both in terms of their time and the quality of their input.

Anybody who would like to stand should email contact@smisa.net and request an application form.

To stand, you will need to be nominated by two members of the trust and to have been a member of SMISA for at least 90 days prior to the date nominations are due to close, which is Sunday, March 3.

You will also need to submit a 500-word statement explaining why you would like to be elected and to submit a photograph, both of which will be used on the election webpage on the SMISA website.

Voting will run for two weeks from Wednesday, March 13 and will be concluded in time for the AGM. The election will be administered by an election management group made up of committee members not up for election, who will verify all nominations.