ST MIRREN

LAST SEASON

PREMIERSHIP 11th SCOTTISH CUP Fifth Round

LEAGUE CUP Second Round TOP SCORER Danny Mullen (7)

FANFILE GORDON RUSSELL

The big talking point among the fans is the departure of manager Oran Kearney. Sad news. He will be a hard act to follow, but struggled with the commute from Northern Ireland.

I won’t be happy unless we stay up without nerve-wracking play-offs and penalties. Not good for the old ticker. Our most underrated player is Gary Mackenzie, who’s signed for another year. A commanding central defender who can play a bit. Bonkers, too.

The best away ground is Easter Road. I like a trip to the capital, and it's our opening game of the season.

The best away fans are Aberdeen’s and Ross County’s. All that travelling. The opposition player I secretly admire is ex-buddie John Mcginn. His brothers Stephen and Paul still play for us. When do we play Aston Villa? The pantomime villain will be Scott Brown at Celtic or Alfredo Morelos at Rangers. Only heroes in Paisley.

Look out for Ethan Erhahon [below]. The one change I’d make to the club would be to stop giving up two stands to the Old Firm whenever they visit. Save the date for the Scottish Cup final. You never know, eh?

The best thing about the matchday experience at St Mirren Park is the hardcore North Bank, named after one of Love Street's former stands. The signature local dish is a visit to Burger and Keg in Paisley town centre for beers, live music and, er, burgers. The other recommendation for away fans is check out The Bull Inn, plus the fish and chip shop across the street, owned by local superstar Paolo Nutini's dad. Sadly, not a Saints fan. Did you know that St Mirren played in the first official game at Les Corts, Barcelona's ground before the Camp Nou, in 1922. We beat Notts County 2-1 and the Barcelona Cup still sits proudly in our boardroom.

Our key player will be Vaclav Hladky, the best keeper playing in Scotland. The fans’ opinion of the gaffer is that ex-player Jim Goodwin is a great appointment. We want stability after nine managers in 10 years.

We’ll finish an optimistic 7th.