We are pleased to confirm that David Mackenzie has been co-opted onto the SMiSA Board. Following our call last month inviting interested members to declare their interest, we conducted several informal interviews with candidates. Through this process, we found David to be a strong candidate with qualities and insights that we believe will bring added value to the board.

We would like to clarify that this co-option to the SMiSA Board is entirely separate from the current recruitment process for the appointment of a new Director to the Board of St. Mirren Football Club. The application window for this appointment will close at 6pm Friday 15th November. Anyone interested in this position can request an application pack by emailing [email protected]. 

As per the SMiSA constitution, David will be required to stand for election at the 2025 SMiSA Annual General Meeting next May should he wish to secure a full board position. 

David said about his new role: "As a lifelong fan and longtime SMiSA member I’m delighted to be given this opportunity to take up the co-opted role on the board. I’m looking forward to doing my bit to continue the driving forward of the fan ownership model and in doing so making our club stronger.".

David will join the SMiSA Board for his first meeting on Monday evening. We look forward to working with David in the coming months as we continue to advance the goals of SMiSA and provide added value to our members.

As you may be aware, SMiSA need to appoint a new director to represent the society on the board of St Mirren Football Club as Alex White has confirmed he will step down at the December SMFC AGM, meaning a position to be one of our four SMiSA nominated directors on the club board has become available. Alex has made a significant contribution during his three years as a Director, and SMiSA would once again like to thank him for all he has done during his tenure for both SMiSA and St Mirren Football Club.

We are now calling for anyone interested in becoming a candidate for this position to apply.  You can do this by emailing [email protected] to declare your interest. Applicants who declare interest will receive an application pack containing informative documents about the process and role. They will also receive an application form. The closing date for applications to be submitted is Friday 15th November at 5pm.

New SMiSA appointments to the club board are subject to the formal recruitment process SMiSA has put in place. This will see the SMiSA board shortlist and interview those who best fit the job description, and select a preferred candidate who the members will then be asked to approve. It is preferred that candidates are already SMiSA members, however all applications will be considered. Interview dates and timings will be further discussed with candidates who are successful in the sifting process relating to their application and progress to the interview stage.

The successful candidate will be expected to act as the link between the club and SMiSA boards, ensure member views are considered in club decisions and have the skills and experience to make a positive contribution to the running of the football club.

If you have any questions, please get in touch with: [email protected].

Regards,

The SMiSA Board

For Bryan G. McWhirter, a proud Texan and operations officer at a major airport, a chance encounter at a San Antonio pub led to an unexpected passion for a Scottish football club. His journey from Fort Sam Houston to supporting St. Mirren FC and joining SMiSA is one filled with humour, camaraderie, and a deepening connection to a club thousands of miles away.

A Pub, a Joke, and a Club

Back in 2008, while training as a medic at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Bryan frequently spent his Saturday mornings at a local Scottish-themed pub called the Lion and the Rose. The pub’s warm atmosphere, good food, and a selection of British beers made it his favourite spot. But it was the football matches - Scottish football in particular - that would have the biggest impact on him.

“I frequented that pub a lot,” Bryan recalls. “They had all the Scottish football matches on the screens, and they served beer during breakfast - so it was a pretty good place to be on a Saturday morning.”

One Saturday, Bryan found himself next to a gentleman at the bar, who was intently watching a St. Mirren match. Amused by the black-and-white striped kits that reminded him of American referees, Bryan joked, “How many referees are in that game?”

The man smiled and replied, “That’s St. Mirren, the pride of Paisley - the best team in Scotland! Which team do you support? Hopefully not Morton.”

At the time, Bryan knew nothing about Scottish football, but the man’s passion for St. Mirren piqued his curiosity. “He helped me pick a club,” Bryan says. “I didn’t know anything about Scottish football, so he asked if I had any Scottish relatives.”

Bryan mentioned his last name, McWhirter, and the conversation took a memorable turn. The man immediately lit up, mentioning Norrie McWhirter, the well-known former St. Mirren player and Hall of Fame inductee, and jokingly suggesting that Bryan might be a distant cousin. “He insisted that I support St. Mirren as well,” Bryan recalls. “And that’s how it all started - a joke about referees and a chance connection to the McWhirter name.”

Bryan loves to show off his support at work...

Joining SMiSA: An Ocean Apart, but Part of the Family

Years after being introduced to the Buddies, Bryan’s loyalty to St. Mirren remained strong, even as he watched the club's progress from across the Atlantic. In an effort to feel even more connected, Bryan decided to take the plunge and join SMiSA.

“Joining SMiSA felt like the next step,” Bryan explains. “I wanted to be more than just a distant supporter. SMiSA gives fans an opportunity to contribute to the club by funding various projects and parts of the club such as the Youth Academy, and that felt important to me. Even though I’m in Texas, I wanted to be part of that.”

It wasn’t long before Bryan's sign-up caught the attention of Stuart Chawk, a member of the SMiSA Board. When Stuart heard that a gentleman from Texas had joined, he was curious and decided to reach out. He scheduled a Zoom call to learn more about Bryan's story and his unique path to becoming a St. Mirren fan.

A Call from SMiSA: Strengthening the Connection

Stuart’s Zoom call with Bryan opened up a conversation about Bryan’s journey and his deepening connection with St. Mirren. The call was more than just an inquiry - it became a friendly chat that solidified Bryan’s place within the St. Mirren family.

“Talking with Stuart was fantastic,” Bryan recalls. “He wanted to know how an American from Texas ended up supporting a team from Paisley. It was great to share my story, and it made me feel even more connected to the club. It wasn’t just about being a member of SMiSA—it felt like being part of a larger community.”

The conversation also gave Bryan a glimpse into our club’s culture, history, and the passionate community of fans who, like him, were committed to supporting St. Mirren no matter where they lived.

The Lone St. Mirren Fan From Texas

Over the years, Bryan’s connection to St. Mirren grew stronger, even though he was far from Paisley. At his office, surrounded by co-workers who supported football giants like Real Madrid, Juventus, Chelsea, and Barcelona, Bryan proudly claimed St. Mirren as his team.

“They asked me which club I supported, and I remembered that day at the Lion and the Rose. I told them St. Mirren,” Bryan says. “I even joked that I had a cousin who played for the club,” referring to Norrie McWhirter, whose name he had heard that fateful day at the pub.

Despite being surrounded by fans of world-famous clubs, Bryan embraced his role as the lone St. Mirren supporter in Texas, enjoying the uniqueness of his connection to the club.

Looking Forward to a Future Pilgrimage

Although he hasn’t yet made the trip to Paisley to see St. Mirren play in person, Bryan’s dream is to one day visit Scotland and experience a match live at the SMiSA Stadium. “One of these days, I hope to make the trip to Paisley and experience St. Mirren football as God intended,” he says with a smile.

For now, Bryan proudly waves the black-and-white stripes of St. Mirren in Texas, sharing the club’s story with anyone who asks about his football allegiance.

“It started as a joke, but now it’s become something much more,” Bryan reflects. “St. Mirren may not be as famous as Barcelona or Real Madrid, but they’re my team. And one day, I’ll be in Paisley, cheering them on in person.”

His extensive memorabilia colllection at home...

Follow in Bryan's Footsteps - Join SMiSA to Contribute to Your Club

Bryan's story has shown how a membership of SMiSA is a great way to contribute to your club no matter where you reside. As well as making a financial contribution, you will be able to remotely join SMiSA quarterly members meetings and the SMiSA AGM where you will receive exclusive updates from both SMiSA and Club Board Director's, as well as having the chance to ask your questions to them. We are always looking to improve the member experience, and the SMiSA Board are trying to bring more value to overseas members. 

Click Here to Join SMiSA Today!

Related Links:

- Learn more about SMiSA and how you can get involved.
- Follow St. Mirren’s latest fixtures and support them from wherever you are.

It is with deep regret that the SMiSA Board have accepted the resignation of SMFC Director Alex White.

Since his appointment 3 years ago, Alex has made a significant contribution as a very hard working Director across the board but specifically in the area of improving our financial control and reporting.

The SMiSA Board thank Alex for all his hard work since becoming a Director of St. Mirren FC, and wish him all the best in the future.

Alex has agreed to stay on until December and we will commence the process to look for his replacement very soon.

Hi all,

My name is Lewis and I'm 22-years-old from Dublin, Ireland. I have been keeping an eye on the Saints since 2018 from Ireland, even though I only managed to get over to my first game in late 2021, that is where my real interest began, but overall, I've always had a liken for the Saints over the last six years.

And what a last six years it's been, with a few bumps along the way, but as a club we certainly have made very good progression on and off the pitch, and that's a credit to the Supporters, Volunteers, Boards, Players, Managers and the Staff at the Football Club.

Why St. Mirren?

The last promotion to the topflight under Jack Ross was what attracted me to the club originally, I remember watching my first stream of Dunfermline Athletic V St. Mirren. Cammy Smith and Jack Baird with our goals that night in January.

Over the years I've bought a couple of Jerseys, Training tops and Accessories for my car of St. Mirren. Wearing the merchandise out regularly across Ireland, which is great as I'd often get the odd person saying, "oh look there's a St. Mirren top", or the infamous question, "Why St. Mirren?"

The reason why I became a Buddie was because I liked what I saw from following the club abroad. I always enjoyed following the club on social media, checking for results on Score live, reading and listening to Player and Manager interviews via articles and the club's YouTube Channel. I liked the fact the club had ambitions in terms of looking to become majority-owned by the fans, and the club had strong ambitions to build again in the Scottish Premiership from being promoted in 2018.

When I attended my first game against Hibernian FC in December 2021, I felt a real connection between the players and the supporters. And since then, I felt that this culture has continued, which is fantastic to see, you really must credit everyone associated with the club for maintaining these levels of connection.

I've followed the Saints from Kilmarnock to Dingwall, and it's been good visiting so many places in Scotland along the way. My journey on a Saturday morning normally consists of waking up at about 3.30am to catch the usual 6.15am flight from Dublin Airport bound for the Airport in Paisley!

Most times coming home I probably wouldn't get home until about 1.30am on Sunday morning, but it's all worth supporting the Saints home and away. Regardless of if it's a Win, Draw or Loss I'll always be back, because that's what Supporters do. We support the team and get behind our club.

I do enjoy doing the Saturday morning ritual walk from the Airport down into Inchinnan Road and of course walking down the iconic Love Street, and then onto Town for a bit to kill time before the game.

I'm also a big fan of Shamrock Rovers (Member and Season Ticket holder) and the League of Ireland. Seeing the likes of Sean McLoughlin, Conor McCarthy, Jamie McGrath and Dylan Connolly at the club, who all started their careers in the League of Ireland coming to Paisley and contributing while they were here respectively was quite pleasing to see.

I've had the privilege of being at 14 Scottish Grounds to date, and some weekends I'd normally stay overnight to catch another game either in the Premiership or the Championship as I absolutely love Scottish football!

In 2022 and 2023 I was absolutely buzzing when the team were coming over to Northern Ireland for pre-season, but unfortunately two years in a row I wasn't able to go up to watch them in their matches due to work. However, it was great to see a big following from the fans over the two years in Belfast.

Member of SMiSA

I have now been a member of SMiSA since 2023, this was something I was hoping to do for a while time, and I finally became part of the SMiSA family last year.  As I'm not based in the UK, I am using the international subscription paying €15 per month. This option is available to anyone interested in getting involved with SMiSA that is based outside of the UK.

One of the main reasons as to why I signed up was because I could still contribute to the long-term development of the club even if I went to games or not.

The fact that all SMiSA subscription revenue is split to provide funding to different parts of the Club whilst also building a SMiSA Cash Reserve is certainly something to shout about. This really inspired me to sign up. So, I'm happy to be part of the 1,300+ that are now part of SMiSA.

The stronger SMiSA is, the better the fans can safeguard the future and invest into St. Mirren Football Club for the short and long term.

Sign up to SMiSA today by following this link: SMiSA - The St.Mirren Independent Supporters Association

Why start a Fan Account?

Taking inspiration from other people that travel over from England and Scotland to highlight their trips of the League of Ireland, I decided to start the 'Irish Buddies' account on X. The account was started in September of 2023 just to highlight trips over for home and away games. Genuinely I wasn't sure what to expect but the following and the support on social media has been great. From St. Mirren Volunteers, Fans, Staff, Board Members and even a player has been in touch with the account which is incredible really.

And just on from making the account, it really allowed me to connect with St. Mirren fans, and I would personally like to thank Willie, Alan and many others for welcoming myself and the group into the Court Bar and allowing us to travel on their Supporters Bus whenever we need to. Absolutely greatly appreciated, and to all the gang at the Court Bar, you know who you are so thank you for your welcoming. You've made it much better for us supporting St. Mirren.

We even got custom 'Irish Buddies' Coasters from Alan earlier this year which was an incredible gesture, but I think that sums up the club, it shows that we really are a community club that not only do we care for the club, but we also care about each other as supporters and those connected to the club.

Along with my two other mates (Cathal & Daire) who travel regularly, we have made friends for life in Scotland since coming over, and like I said it's been an absolute pleasure.

I've even got a couple of friends that support Shamrock Rovers, Drogheda United and Treaty United keeping an eye on the club now, and they're also interested in coming over next season to see what all the 'fuss' is about.

I'll hopefully get to meet a few more Buddies during the 2024/25 season. Thanks for reading this post. Hopefully I didn't bore you too much.

Come On You Saints!

We have just completed our fifth season of our 'Community Season Ticket' initiative. Since 2017 SMiSA have purchased from the club a number of season tickets and then distributed to community groups and charities in Renfrewshire and surrounding areas.

This season we have gifted 380 tickets to persons who wouldn’t normally get the opportunity to see our fantastic team, and what a season we all had. These groups include:

• The 8^th Paisley Boys Brigade
• The Star Project
• Pachedu
• Charleston Square
• Homestart Renfrewshire
• Renfrewshire Women’s Aid
• Renfrewshire Carers
• Langcraigs Primary School
• St Mirren YFC
• St Mirren Disabled Supporters Association
• Community Networks Renfrewshire
• CHSS Renfrewshire
• Neilston BB

 My two favourite ticket donations show the extreme difference these tickets make and how far they go. One week in April we gave all our tickets to the 33^rd Paisley Brownies and four weeks later we gave to Afghan United, a group of refugees who were staying locally in temporary accommodation Paisley.

It’s just wonderful the difference these tickets make. Tickets have been offered to groups and they comeback and say, “we don’t need them now, our volunteers and or group members have bought season tickets”.

This is all down to the SMiSA members’ donations that allows us approach the club each season to buy these seats in the Tony Fitzpatrick Family Stand.

If you are already a SMiSA member or you are going to join your money does so much to help the club, help SMiSA and help local communities. A big win for everyone.

If you’re not a member please join now by visiting www.smisa.net/signup

Jim Cumming

SMiSA

St Convals 2004 Attending Game via. SMiSA Community Season Tickets