ST MIRREN WOMEN ON A WINNER

Kibble sponsorship deal announced last week will be matched by the club board

St Mirren Women have netted another significant sponsorship deal they believe will help them continue to grow women’s football in Paisley and beyond.

On Saturday, we exclusively revealed that charity Kibble had committed to a threeyear funding boost that head coach Kate Cooper described as a “huge step forward for the club”.

And coinciding with International Women’s Day, that sponsorship has today been matched by the St Mirren board, who have agreed to equal the support for the women’s team for the same period.

St Mirren Women’s chairperson Janette Swanson was delighted with the deal and believes it will help bring the men’s and women’s team even closer together going forward.

Swanson said: “The club committing this funding is excellent news for the women’s team.

“Women and girls football is at such an exciting time as the growth and participation continue to explode.

“This investment will bring stability and provide the base from which we can grow our pathways and opportunities for female players across our region.

“It’s also a big opportunity for us to become more integrated into the football family of St Mirren.”

St Mirren Women are enjoying arguably their best spell ever on the park, currently sitting in fourth in the SWF League One table after thumping both Dundee West and Falkirk 5-1 in their last two fixtures.

With promotion now a real possibility and talks ongoing regarding playing another match at the SMiSA Stadium later this season, St Mirren chairman John Needham feels the in-form women’s team will continue to bring great value to the Buddies as a club.

Needham said: “We are delighted to support the women’s team over the next few years. Our aim is to help create the stability which will enable them to push to the next level.

“We as a board recognise the value the Women and

Girls Academy brings to our football club.

“We will continue to develop the partnership, exploring opportunities and areas so we can grow not only the women’s and girls’ programme but also the club overall.”

See pages 22 and 23 for our International Women’s Day feature on the volunteers and staff making a huge impact at St Mirren.

FULL STORY:

Teamwork St Mirren chairman John Needham and women’s chairperson Janette Swanson Ryan Flynn has been tipped for coaching greatness by St Mirren boss Stephen Robinson. But the fans’favourite midfielder still has a big part to play on the pitch in their top-six push, according to the Saints manager. Flynn has been working with academy director Allan McManus as he prepares for life after hanging up his boots. And while revealing he feels Flynn has all the right attributes to become a successful coach, Robinson is still counting on the experienced club stalwart to see the Buddies hang on to a top-six spot come the split. PAGE 21 Talented Ryan Flynn