St Mirren preserved their Scottish Premiership status by the narrowest of margins, edging Partick Thistle 2-1 on aggregate in the play-off final. A solitary goal from Marcus Fraser in the second leg at home proved decisive, sparking scenes of relief rather than euphoria inside the SMISA Stadium. The result capped a turbulent season that swung from historic cup glory to the brink of relegation.
The campaign will be forever remembered for December’s League Cup triumph—a magnificent win over Celtic at Hampden Park that delivered the club’s first major trophy since 1987. That day, under then-manager Stephen Robinson, St Mirren looked capable of challenging for Europe. Yet their league form disintegrated alarmingly after the cup success. A long winless run dragged them into the relegation mire, and when Robinson departed for Aberdeen in March, the board turned to former youth coach Craig McLeish as interim boss with one clear brief: keep the team in the top flight.
McLeish, just 36, inherited a side low on confidence and goals. He won four of his twelve matches in charge—a modest return that mirrored the team’s inconsistency. Three league victories from nine attempts weren’t enough to avoid the play-off spot, as Kilmarnock’s post-split resurgence forced St Mirren into a nerve-shredding finale. The two-legged tie against Championship side Partick Thistle therefore became a defining moment for the Paisley outfit.
In the first leg at Firhill, St Mirren scrambled a 2-1 lead, leaving everything hanging on the return fixture. Monday’s second leg was a tense, error-strewn affair. The first half was almost paralysed by fear; misplaced passes and rushed decisions dominated. McLeish later admitted it was less about tactics and more about controlling emotions. The breakthrough came when Fraser struck, and thereafter the hosts managed the game with grit rather than flair to secure survival.
After the final whistle, attention immediately turned to McLeish’s future. The interim boss did not hide his ambition: “I imagine Keith [Lasley, chief operating officer] will start to have conversations about that over the next few days,” he said. “If I get the opportunity to lead the group, my biggest thing is to make sure we’re never in that type of position again.” McLeish asserted he has always felt capable of handling the full demands of the role—a sentiment he had expressed from the opening day of his temporary tenure.
His record, however, exposes the scale of the task. The team’s chronic goalscoring issues—a problem that plagued Robinson’s final months—remained largely unsolved. A run of four consecutive defeats without a goal late in the season nearly proved fatal. Yet key defender Alex Gogic offered backing, suggesting McLeish would benefit from a full pre-season to imprint his ideas. “If he has a pre-season, it will probably be better than what it is,” Gogic said. “If the club decide to go his way, we’ll all be behind that.”
Former Dundee United and Partick Thistle manager Ian McCall believes McLeish’s stock has risen. “I don’t think he had any chance of getting the job if St Mirren were relegated,” McCall observed. “He has conducted himself really well and given himself a real chance.” McCall noted that the slide began under Robinson after the cup final, and that McLeish steadied the ship despite a crushing 3-0 home defeat to Kilmarnock. “He came through one dodgy moment… and came back from that really strongly,” McCall added.
Fan sentiment, however, is split. Social media responses captured the spectrum of opinion. Some supporters argued McLeish delivered exactly what the board asked for and should be allowed to build, while others demanded an experienced manager to avoid another relegation fight. One fan wrote: “Now let us find a good manager. Please not McLeish,” while another insisted a “massive clearout” is required irrespective of who is in charge.
The fallout from survival will shape St Mirren’s summer. The hierarchy must decide whether continuity under McLeish outweighs the perceived need for greater experience. The squad undoubtedly needs refreshment—an injection of creativity and a reliable goalscorer are priorities—but the managerial appointment is the first domino. McLeish’s knowledge of the club’s youth system could be an asset if the board chooses a longer-term rebuilding project.
For McLeish himself, the play-off success represents the strongest possible job application. He overcame the immediate test, kept his composure under immense pressure, and now awaits the verdict. Whether four wins in twelve games is enough to convince the St Mirren board remains the crucial question. The coming days will reveal if a young coach’s dream becomes a permanent reality.
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.
