St Mirren

Kit History

1880 c m

1883-1884 a m

1894-1898 m

1898-1900 a m

1901-1907 b m

1907-1910 d m

1912-1914 a m

1914-1917 m

1917-1919 m

1920-1924 m

1924-1933 a m

1933-1939 m

1944-1948Dec a m i

Jan1948-Dec1948 i

Jan-May 1950 i

1955-1956 d

1958-1959 g

1959-1960 a d

1962 a

1964-1965 e

1968 a

1970-1972 a i

1972-1973 h i

1973-1975 i

1976 a

1977 a

Umbro

1977-1979 a

Umbro

1979-1981 a i

Adidas

1981-1983 a f

Adidas

1983-1984 a

Adidas

1984-1986 a g

Adidas

1986-1987 g

Matchwinner

1987-1989 a g

Matchwinner

1989-1991 a

Matchwinner

1991-1992 a

Matchwinner

1992-1993 a

Matchwinner

1993-1994 a

Core

1994-1995 a

Core

1995-1996 a

Admiral

1996-1997 a

Uhlsport

1997-1998 a

Uhlsport

1998-1999 a

Xara

1999-2000 a

Xara

2000-2001 a

Xara

2001-2002 a

Xara

2002-2003 a

Xara

2003-2004 a

Xara

2004-2005 a

Xara

2005-2006 a

Xara

2006-2007 a

Hummel

2007-2008 j

Background

St Mirren hail from Paisley, an industrial Renfrewshire town to the south-west of Glasgow, that became associated with weaving during the nineteenth century, when demand grew for cheap imitations of the famous teardrop motif from India that became known as "Paisley Pattern." According to John Byrne (Scottish Football Historian September/October 1984) a group of young men formed a cricket club in 1874 named "Venus CC." Seeking financial help, they approached a local businessman who contributed 10/- (50p) on condition a name with local connotations was used. The lads chose "St Mirren", after an Irish monk, St Mirin, the town's patron saint. The club played cricket in the summer and rugby football in the winter. In 1877 a motion to play by association rules was agreed and two members walked to Glasgow to buy a ball (there were not enough funds for the train fare!). Taking pity on the boys, the shopkeeper gave them their fare home, adding they were the first from Paisley to buy a ball from him.

The club became known as "The Saints" or "The Buddies", a corruption of "Paisley Bodies", the nickname for natives of the town.

The club played their first match in October 1877, beating Johnstone Britannia at their home ground, then Shotroods. They entered the Scottish FA Cup for the first time in 1880 and the following year were beaten in the final of the Renfrewshire Cup by Thornliebank. They have subsequently won this competition no fewer than 47 times. In March 1890 they played Morton at Cappielow in a night-time game illuminated by patent oil lamps - one of the earliest "flood lit" matches on record.

Since 1898 St Mirren have generally worn black and white vertical stripes, but around 1900 they played in cream jerseys.

Their reputation was such that in 1890 they became founder members of the Scottish Football League, which was dominated by clubs from the west of Scotland. Their career did not start well and they had to seek re-election at the end of their first two seasons but in 1893 they finished third. In 1894 they moved into Love St, their current home. In 1908 they reached the Scottish Cup final for the first time but were trounced 1-5 by Celtic. That same year, the SFA ordered that Love St be closed for two weeks after supporters pelted the referee with ash and stones following a disallowed goal. Crowd disorder is by no means a modern phenomenon.

In 1912 and 1914, St Mirren finished last but, under the rules in force at the time, they were re-elected to the First Division and avoided relegation. In 1921 they again finished last, winning only seven matches out of 42 but once again they were spared relegation, the Second Division being suspended at the time. Love Street was comprehensively redeveloped this season and the club took part in an international tournament hosted by CF Barcelona. In 1926, the Buddies won their first major trophy, beating Celtic 2-0 to win the Scottish FA Cup.

In 1935, a year after reaching the Scottish Cup final once more (beaten 0-5 by Rangers), the Saints were relegated for the first time in their history but bounced back immediately.

Despite mediocre pre-war performances, St Mirren were placed in Division A (the top level) after the Second World War but enjoyed little success until 1959 when they won the Scottish Cup for the second time. In 1962 the team played once more in white shirts but this time with striped shorts - a design that met with general derision. In 1967 they were relegated after a series of poor seasons but such was the gulf between the two divisions at the time, they had no difficulty in regaining their status, winning the Second Division championship at the first time of asking. They continued to struggle and in 1971 they went down again. In 1977 they won the First Division championship (now the second tier following the restructuring) to take their place in the Scottish Premier Division. After finishing third in 1980 (equaling their best ever league position), they qualified for the UEFA Cup. In 1987 they won the Scottish Cup for the third time, which happens to be the last occasion that an all-Scottish side has lifted the trophy.

In 1991 the club finished bottom of the Premier Division but were (once again) spared relegation following the decision to add two clubs to the competition. The reprieve proved short-lived - the following season they went down with Dunfermline. After eight seasons in the First Division (second tier), a period that included an unpopular flirtation with halved shirts, St Mirren were promoted as champions in 2000 only to drop down again the following season. In 2006 they again won the First Division, this time by ten clear points, to regain their place in the Scottish Premier League, although their ability to sustain themselves at this level remains in doubt. Plans are currently underway to move into a brand new stadium in Paisley's Ferguslie Park, financed by the sale of Love Street for retail development, which, it is expected, will raise sufficient funds to also clear the club's debts.

Historical Football Kits

Kit History

Background

Sources