St Mirren confirm Craig McLeish as head coach following Premiership retention

St Mirren have decided to maintain their confidence in Craig McLeish, who will continue to manage the first team after helping the club retain their place in the Scottish top flight after the play-offs. Arriving on an interim basis following the departure of League Cup winner Stephen Robinson in March, McLeish had won three of his nine league matches. Despite everything, the club finished in penultimate place in the standings, victim of Kilmarnock's meteoric rise after the split.

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The pressure was then maximum during the play-off against Partick Thistle. The Saints were able to preserve the essentials by winning 2-1 on aggregate, including a decisive goal from Marcus Fraser in the return match at Paisley. Now formalized at the head of the bench, McLeish, 36, has signed up for three seasons. He will be supported by Stuart Taylor, 51, expected to become deputy.

St Mirren, returned to the elite in 2018, remained on three consecutive qualifications for the top 6 group stage before a more delicate season this year. Stephen Robinson, at the helm since February 2022, gave the club its first national cup in twelve years, before joining Aberdeen when the club was tenth in the championship, three points ahead of Kilmarnock.