For all Buddies, the 16th May 1987 was a very special day in the history of our club. Coventry City fans are exactly the same.

We have been in touch with a group of Sky Blues supporters who are keen to see the return leg of the 1987 challenge match concluded.

At this time of the year as both Coventry City and St Mirren embark on this season's cup adventures, we would like to note our support for this and have initiated discussions with the SMFC Chief Operating Officer and Club Board to investigate the feasibility of the second leg tie being arranged.

Members of Sky Blue Army SC promoting the 2nd leg push

Best of luck to Coventry City in the FA Cup, as they move into the Fourth Round following their win on penalties vs Sheffield Wednesday last week. It would be great to see both clubs back in our respective finals and lifting silverware once again!

The first leg of the final, in December 1987, was drawn 1-1 at Highfield Road. David Phillips put the Sky Blues ahead before Kenny McDowall equalised for the Buddies.

But despite the tie being finely poised, a second leg scheduled for St Mirren’s former Love Street home never took place, with congested fixture lists and lack of interest primarily blamed.

Best Regards,

The SMiSA Board

We have been made aware of new emails being sent from both VeryConnect and GoCardless to our members regarding their subscription payments, so we are providing some clarification around these emails and why they are being sent. 

These new emails are a result of the exercise undertaken by VeryConnect in December last year, to allow all membership payments to be managed through their platform. We would like to note that the SMiSA board were unaware that these issues would arise following this exercise, and apologise for any inconvenience or confusion.

With all payments now being initiated by our VeryConnect platform, this is why all members will now receive a 'payment confirmation' receipt email from "[email protected]". An example of the contents of this email is shown below:

As well as this email, members are being sent an email from GoCardless (who are our payment handlers). The contents of this email depend on when you signed up to SMiSA.

PAYMENT APPROVAL EMAIL FROM GOCARDLESS

It appears that members who signed up before 2016 are being asked to approve their payment by GoCardless ([email protected]). Please click "Review this payment" to follow the link, then click "approve payment" if you have received this email. If you do not do this, we will be unable to withdraw your subscription fee from your bank. Your membership would then expire and you will cease to be a SMiSA member since payment cannot be taken.

Once you approve this month's payment, any future subscription fees will be taken as normal without this approval.

We have been made aware of an email which has been issued from GoCardless to many of our members, stating that their subscription has been cancelled.

VeryConnect, who run our membership platform, are currently undertaking a syncing exercise behind the scenes to simplify how our subscriptions are managed. They have now just made us aware that this email from GoCardless may be sent to some members as part of their exercise.

Please be assured that no membership subscriptions have been cancelled, and you can disregard the email from GoCardless.

We would like to apologise for the confusion the cancellation email would have caused.

Best Regards,

The SMiSA Board

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.