A massive win last week but odds still against the Accies

There has almost been an air of expectancy over Hamilton’s position in the top-flight and even though last weekend’s triumph in Paisley kept their dreams alive, the club needs to do it again and hope results go in their favour. And that is not just for this weekend…but in all the remaining relevant fixtures.

A home game versus Hibs, who lost to St Johnstone last timer around presents the Accies with the chance to go at it again and if Hamilton fans want to have a team in the top flight, they should get themselves along to the ground. Then again, if Hamilton fans cared about having a team in the top flight, they should have bothered turning up over the course, a feat all but the hard-core have failed to do.

However, now is not the time for recriminations…it is the time for a massive performance and then see what happens.

There is every chance that St Mirren will go up North and get at least a point against Caley. Some will say this is madness after Inverness’ big win against Celtic but if anything, this just makes it all the more likely that the Saints will take something from it.

Caley put everything into the match on Wednesday and as many other teams have found, it is difficult to reach that level of performance two games in a row. Beating Celtic gave everyone at Caley a massive lift but there may well be a come down to follow and Danny Lennon should have his team fired up to take advantage from any sign of lack of commitment from the home side.

It really is still against Hamilton Accies and Saturday may be the day when their battle against the drop falls away. After the previous two seasons, it has been a shame the way that Hamilton have fallen away this season but it was always a risk with the business model of the club. Hopefully the youth system at the club can bring forth another set of youngsters which will have them back in the top flight and looking to play football as opposed to the mainly turgid fare that has been delivered this campaign.

There is no suggestion that Billy Reid will be relieved of his duties if the Accies go down but you can’t help but think the manager will be rueing not moving on when his stock was high, much like some of the players he developed.

The 1st Division is not an easy league to get out of but if they are to go down, Hamilton may find that league reconstruction gives them an easier route back…especially as the opposition to the 10 team league doesn’t look like going away.

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Both closer to achieving their aims

The win against Hamilton on Saturday was a massive one for St Mirren but sometimes there can be a drop in performance levels after a huge victory. No doubt some Buddies would have been worried about throwing away their good work against Aberdeen but another home win has opened up a 12 point gap between them and Hamilton.

With just 21 points to play for and St Mirren having a goal difference that is 14 better than Hamilton, the Buddies are almost there. There will be no one at the club saying this but with Hamilton having only picked up 16 points from 31 games, asking them to pick up 13 points from 7 is a tall order. And of course, St Mirren can put it all beyond doubt by picking up points themselves.

They did this last night, with Saturday’s hat-trick hero Michael Higdon opening the scoring early on, which was the only goal of the game at half-time. Aberdeen drew level thanks to an own goal but a two goal burst from Craig Dargo and Steven Thomson put the Buddies on easy street. Like on Saturday, Aberdeen grabbed a late consolation goal, Rob Milson scoring, but the Buddies held on.

It’s all about survival for St Mirren but given that they are now only 3 points behind Aberdeen, Danny Lennon should be imploring his team to overtake the Dons. St Mirren have two tough trips to Glasgow before the split but their top flight future doesn’t look far away.

As for Motherwell, they took great strides in booking their top six place for the split. The Steelmen moved 7 points clear of Inverness Caley, with the team from up north only having 9 points left to play for. Caley have a far superior goal difference though but you’d much rather have the points. If Motherwell win at Tynecastle on Saturday or Caley lose at Killie or both of the games end in a draw, Motherwell will have confirmed their top six status.

The Well went two goals up in the first half when Jamie Murphy scored from a neat angle and Chris Humphrey made it 2 whose shot spun off Dillon and over the startled Purnis in goals for United. Johnny Russell netted late on for United, who then laid siege to the Motherwell goal with Darren Randolph making a number of decent saves to keep all 3 points at Fir Park.

With the split edging closer, the table is starting to take shape and the home wins at St Mirren Park and Fir Park may be decisive in ensuring these teams are where they want to be.

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All ifs and buts at the moment

The FA Cup down south managed to get all four of its quarter final ties played with a winner at the first time of asking but this wasn’t the case up here.

Three draws and one postponement means the semi-final draw is looking rather full with all 8 quarter finalists still having genuine hopes of reaching Hampden.

The draw is:

Dundee United or Motherwell v Brechin City or St Johnstone

St Mirren or Aberdeen v Inverness Caldeonian Thistle or Celtic

The ties are scheduled to be played the weekend of 16th and 17th of April.

Aberdeen left it late in Paisley where St Mirren yet again lost a late goal in the 1-1 draw.

Plucky Brechin grabbed the lead but then hauled back a 2-1 deficit against St Johnstone to leave that tie at 2-2.

Dundee United and Motherwell served up a great treat at Tannadice with the holders pulling back from a goal behind on two occasions to create another 2-2 draw.

And of course, a waterlogged pitch prevented Caley and Celtic locking horns with that match scheduled for Wednesday night.

It is a farce that the Celtic v Hibs game on Wednesday has been postponed to allow this tie to be re-scheduled at short notice but that’s the rules of the cup taking precedence. However, with Sky not planning to show the re-arranged game and the money going into the pot as opposed to being split between the two sides, how hard will Caley work at making the pitch playable….

The St Johnstone v Brechin replay will be televised live on Sky on 22nd of March, giving the broadcaster some football to show in the build up to the international fixtures.

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Good wins for the Edinburgh sides

It is hard to get a good measure of the bottom half of the SPL due to the uneven nature of games that teams have played this season but even with this in mind, things are starting to look grim for Hamilton Accies. Winning their game in hand over St Mirren will push them two points behind the Buddies but on current form, Billy Reid would much rather have points on the board than the opportunity to win them.

Facing Hearts is not an easy task this season but yet again, the Accies were dismissed quite easily and with Hibs looking as though they have remembered how to win matches, it may well be that St Mirren are the only team that Hamilton will have a chance of overtaking.

These two sides don’t clash until the 2nd of April but on current form, there may not be too much of a difference in their points tally then from what there is today.

This is possibly harsh on St Mirren who once again showed battling qualities against Inverness Caley, even if they were unable to finish off their opponents. Turning around an early deficit to lead 2-1 within half an hour showed great qualities from St Mirren but chucking that lead away within three minutes is a sign of a team lacking in confidence. Caley again grabbed the lead around the hour mark only to be pegged back with 15 minutes to go.

A late winner would have meant the world to Danny Lennon and St Mirren but it wasn’t to be on another mixed day for St Mirren. Battling qualities are essential when you are near the bottom of the league and turning around deficits will breed confidence. However, continually throwing goals away is a major problem and one that St Mirren must overcome to put daylight between them and the Accies.

St Mirren need to start winning because Hibs look as though they will start moving up the table and today’s win over Killie will provide a lot of breathing space for Colin Calderwood. Hibs are now 8 points above the Accies and even though Billy Reid’s men have 2 games in hand over Hibs, you would not bank on hem taking 6 points. It is probably too much to ask for Hibs to make the top six but they should motor away from the relegation dogfight before too long.

It’s shaping up to be a tight finish for Billy Reid and Danny Lennon.

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Three year deal with Carbrini

Any Scottish football club announcing a three year deal has to be congratulated as bringing money into Scottish football is vital, at all levels. St Mirren may be in the middle of a three-way relegation dog-fight but the announcement linking them with JD Sports (through the Carbrini brand) is a positive piece of news for Danny Lennon’s boys.

The only thing is…and this may be us…but isn’t JD Sports the shop where neds get all of their top of the range gear? Its not a major criticism, I’m sure the JD Sports shoppers spend more money on their clothes than the WeKnowSFA team but…well, that is not a barometer of good taste!

Beggars cannot be choosers and if this offer is the best for St Mirren then fair play to them for grabbing it but when you consider some of the great kit manufacturers the Paisley side have been associated with in the past, this just seems a bit of a comedown.

It will be interesting to see what the new St Mirren kits are like though with JD Sports promising a bespoke outfit for the Buddies. Surely there is a perfect opportunity for a mash-up between Burberry and Paisley pattern with an away kit design that would the football world. A dashing and innovative style would not only be the toast of Paisley folk, the blending of two distinct fashion styles would appeal to mods and the young teams everywhere. St Mirren could make an absolute packet if they market this right!

In all seriousness though, it is good to see that clubs are still pulling in deals they want to trumpet so hopefully the Buddies will use the money wisely and shore up their financial status.

What away kit would you like JD Sports to create for St Mirren?

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Jim Goodwin comes from Hamilton to aid the Buddies battle

At times it feels as though there is staleness about the SPL and a lot of this is to do with teams playing each other so often. However, another reason for it is even clubs make signings, they so often just buy players from other SPL teams.

This is not to criticise the signing of Jim Goodwin, no doubt Danny Lennon feels the midfielder can do a job for the Paisley side. Goodwin himself benefits from a new contract, the security that goes alongside and on this season’s form, he is joining a club that appears to be in better position.

There is a long way to go of the 2010/11 season but St Mirren look a far safer bet to stay in the SPL than Hamilton. Mind you, give it a month and if Accies can pick up points in their games in hand, we’ll be singing a very different tune.

Players can react differently to different managers and systems but there is an air of predictability in the SPL. With so much at stake, this is probably understandable. Danny Lennon took some risks in the summer by dropping down the divisions to pick up players for St Mirren and he hasn’t fared too badly.

However, at this time of the season, you need players who have been over the course and know what the league is about. Pinning your hopes on a new signing from abroad or even down South brings other gambles so maybe the signing of Goodwin is exactly what the Buddies require at the moment.

It may not be a signing that will have the Paisley fans rushing to the club shop for a name and number on their kit but if Goodwin can provide the steel to the Buddies midfield, it will prove to be a valuable signing.

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There’s a topical heading for you

The way football is at the moment, the players are in full control of their career and can make the decision that is right for them. This is as true for the biggest clubs in the world as it is those down the chain but for SPL clubs, it is really important to make the most of their squad.

Being able to sell players for a large sum is the hope of many managers and chairmen in the SPL but the benefit of retaining a player can be better than trying to replace a player.

St Mirren recently offered a contract to David Barron but according to Buddies boss Danny Lennon, talking on the deal has stalled. Danny told this to the official St Mirren website in his regular diary section.

It may well be that St Mirren decide in January that it is better to offload the player and make some money from him. The club needs to perform a balancing act between having the services of a player until the end of the season or the money in the bank and wages saved.

In January 2010, Celtic offloaded Gary Caldwell to Wigan for around £1m, St Mirren themselves sold Steven McGinn to Watford whilst Rangers held onto Kris Boyd and Falkirk kept Darren Barr even though he was bound for Hearts on a Bosman deal at the end of the season. Without the benefit of hindsight, it is impossible to say what the best approach to take with a player is.

Whilst Barron was a key player last season in a successful fight against relegation but it is not as if there will be floods of tears in Paisley if Barron does leave the club. Its not as if St Mirren will be the only club faced with this dilemma come January, it just appears that St Mirren have moved earlier in this regard.

Do you think its better to sell in January?

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Well, if you ignore the Glasgow two it is

Motherwell have yet to win a SPL match at Fir Park this season but surely Saturday’s match will provide them with a perfect opportunity to do so. This hasn’t prevented Craig Brown’s side from reaching third place in the SPL and it should be noted that 5 SPL teams have yet to win at home.

At just under half the league, that’s quite a number after 6 league games each (3 at home for all sides).

Fans of the Lanarkshire club will be hoping to carry on the positivity from their last two games, with Motherwell booking a place in the League Cup quarter finals and then winning 2-0 at Tynecastle. Hearts may not be the force their fans think they are but the manner and comfort of the victory was particularly pleasing for Motherwell. This will be the sort of performance they will need to produce at Fir Park on Saturday.

If Motherwell fans are concerned about 1 draw and 2 defeats at home in the SPL, St Mirren fans will be worried about three defeats on the road. It is still far too early for Danny Lennon to be judged and it is not as if St Mirren are detached from the rest of the league, so there is no need to panic just yet.

However, with just 5 goals scored in the 6 games, the Buddies must be worried about where the goals will come from to start picking up the points to move them up the SPL. An away win would bring Motherwell to within 3 points of St Mirren and the league would take on a very different look from the one that is in the papers today.

On league placing and form, Motherwell should have more than enough to take care of St Mirren but you never know what could happen. 5 goals conceded at home by Motherwell will give the away team hope of scoring. Then again, 5 goals in 3 games looks bad but 3 of these came on the opening day of the season in an entirely open match versus Hibs.

Since then, Craig Brown’s team have shipped just the single goal in games against Celtic and Aberdeen, so the Paisley side may struggle for goals….but the Fir Park backline can be got at.

Is this the weekend Danny Lennon starts to drag his side up the table?

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Fresh start in Paisley

We felt that St Mirren would have been better served going with a fresh face for the season ahead and the Paisley board have done just that with Danny Lennon, the ex-Cowdenbeath boss.

There is not much of a difference in age between Lennon and current Rangers captain Davie Weir but two years of experience in the lower reaches of Scottish football has paid dividends for Lennon. Back to back promotions with Cowdenbeath has raised the profile of Lennon and made him the ideal candidate for the Paisley club.

Lennon knows Scottish football very well from his playing time in the 90s and 00’s and is probably best remembered for his time at Raith Rovers. Few will forget the brief period when Rovers led Bayern Munich in the Olympic Stadium and it was Lennon who grabbed the goal.

Like the other Lennon who may be managing an SPL team soon, Danny Lennon is considered to be a Northern Irish internationalist. The former midfielder was born in Whitburn but picked up four Northern Irish B caps through a grandmother.

As for his ability to manage St Mirren in the SPL, it is hard to argue with his promotion feats with The Blue Brazil. We’re not going to lie and say we know anything about the way Lennon had his team playing and some Buddies would have hoped for a manager with a bit more experience at a higher level but it has to be said this is a positive move for the Paisley club.

After deciding to dispense with the services of Gus McPherson, it made sense for St Mirren to go with a up and coming manager in an attempt to build a freshness. Replacing McPherson with a tired SPL face from the merry-go-round would have did little to excite the fans and players so this move should revitalise everyone.
The Buddies won’t have that much to spend on transfer deals so being able to bring new energy to the club has to be seen as a positive step.

Buddies fans, positive about the new season?

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Paisley club could appoint new boss soon

The success of Craig Brown in getting Motherwell into Europe, Jim Jefferies getting Hearts into the top six and Jimmy Calderwood keeping Kilmarnock in the top flight means there may be a thought about sticking with the tried and test with regards to appointing a new manager.

Celtic appear to be bucking the trend with what appears to be imminent appointment of Neil Lennon but let’s remember that St Mirren are also looking to find a new man in charge. Gus McPherson did a decent enough job with the Paisley side, keeping them safe in the SPL but there seemed to be a divergence between where he wanted to take the club and where the board wanted to go.

It is obvious that Jimmy Calderwood will see his name linked with the job but given complaints about Killie’s budget for next season, would Calderwood be a sensible choice?

There could be an argument for going with an up and coming manager, bringing in fresh and innovative ideas to spark some new life into the existing squad. In the back of the boards mind should also be the fact that SPL reconstruction may be coming, buying St Mirren time to experiment and allow a rookie manager to find their feet.

Some of the candidates include:

Derek Adams
St Mirren fans may think Adams isn’t quite up to the task because after all, the Buddies hammered Celtic 4-0 whereas Adams and Ross County could only beat Celtic 2-0. In all seriousness though, defeats of Hibs and Celtic sit very well alongside continual improvement and progression in his squad.

Adams may consider he is building a team and legacy at Ross County but then again, he may think that a Scottish Cup final is the pinnacle of that teams achievement. If Adams is interested, he is definitely worth considering by the Buddies board.

Willie McStay
No first team experience in Scotland but over a decades worth of time at Sligo Rovers, Celtic Reserves and then Ujpest Doza sees McStay with an in-depth history and knowledge to call upon.

McStay is highly thought of with many insiders at Celtic Park but clearly he is behind the current flavour of the month. St Mirren could find that McStay is able to bring a different approach and reasonable contacts from Europe and youngsters from Celtic Park.

Andy Millen
With the rumours about ex Buddies boss McPherson heading to Kilmarnock, it may be that Andy Millen will join McPherson at Rugby Park. However, the former assistant manager may decide it is time to venture out by himself.

The St Mirren board may consider Millen to be the affordable option as well as acknowledging the fact that Millen will have an awareness of the current St Mirren squad. This would allow Millen to start building for next season without having to assess the squad too much. This time saving benefit of appointing Millen may work in his favour.

However, at the end of St Mirren’s disappointing League Cup final defeat, Millen appeared to be in heated debate with fans and the club chairman, and the rumour mill kicked in with tales that Millen would be out of a job soon.

Other more recognised managerial names in the frame include:
Ian McColl
Billy Stark
Mixu Paatelainen

St Mirren have to be aware of the financial constraints that appointing a new manager and meeting his squad rebuilding demands will impact on their attractiveness to any budding Buddies bosses.

Buddies fans, who do you hope for?

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