Latest news with #Robbo
Daily Record
19 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
St Mirren handed opening day trip to champions Celtic amid tough start
The SPFL released the fixtures for next season this morning and the Buddies are off to the east end of Glasgow. St Mirren were today handed a daunting trip to champions Celtic on the opening day of the new Premiership season. After ending the 2024-25 campaign in Glasgow's east end, the Buddies will return to Celtic Park to begin their 2025-26 adventure on Sunday, August 3. There will be a sense of occasion as the Hoops unfurl the champions' flag before the match which is to be shown live on Sky Sports. Saints drew 1-1 when the sides last met as Jonah Ayunga's opener was cancelled out in injury time by James Forrest. The first home game of the season will be on Saturday, August 9, when Jens Berthel Askou's Motherwell visit the SMiSA Stadium. Stephen Robinson's men face three of last season's top six in the opening month of the new term. Russell Martin's Rangers arrive at Greenhill Road on the weekend of Saturday, August 23 with a trip to Hibernian the following weekend. No winter break is planned and, as it stands, there will also be no games in the Premiership on Boxing Day and January 2, 2026. There are five midweek league games planned pre-split at this stage with Saints hosting Hearts on both Wednesday, October 29 and Wednesday, February 4. A trip to Pittodrie to face Aberdeen has been scheduled for Wednesday, December 3. Saints go to Ibrox to face Rangers on Tuesday, December 30 and visit Kilmarnock on Wednesday, February 11. The final pre-split fixture for Robbo will be a replica of the opening day as they travel to Celtic Park on Saturday, April 11. On the opening weekend, there will only be one 3pm game taking place on the Saturday due to TV coverage and European commitments, with Killie hosting Premiership new boys Livingston. Saints' clash with Celtic will be the fifth game played despite Brendan Rodgers' side being champions. Robbo's men are back in pre-season training and face League Two Dumbarton in a friendly next Saturday, June 28, before jetting to Murcia for a Spanish training camp. Meanwhile, former Buddies loan keeper Zach Hemming yesterday completed a move to Sky Bet League Two side Chesterfield from Middlesbrough.
Daily Record
09-06-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Inside St Mirren recruitment plan as "one-man band" hailed amid six signings bid
Manager Stephen Robinson is looking ahead to the new campaign after three successive Premiership top-six finishes. Stephen Robinson is eyeing six new signings for St Mirren this summer. The Buddies boss has outlined his squad-building plan following a third successive Premiership top-six finish. And he paid tribute to the efforts of head of recruitment Martin Foyle who he describes as a 'revelation'. The Northern Irishman insists the former Port Vale goal machine is a one-man band who travels the UK looking for rough diamonds. Robbo will be relying on his spy in the stands more than ever after a number of players moved on from Saints at the end of the season while Richard Taylor and Caolan Boyd-Munce turned down new deals at the SMiSA Stadium. The Paisley club would like to sign keeper Zach Hemming and wing-back Ryan Alebiosu on permanent deals following successful loan spells and have been linked with Jamaica international defender Richard King. And there is plenty more business needing done in other areas of the team. Robbo said: 'We need to sort the goalkeeper situation out. I believe we need another wide player, another centre-forward and another centre-half. Maybe two. 'We'll need to replace Caolan so we're probably looking at five or six players over the summer to bring the squad up to what's been lost. The club's policy is finding boys who are less well known. 'We want to bring boys in who are around 22-23 years who have maybe fallen behind where their talent should allow them to be. There's always something missing for that to be the case. Whether that's desire, fitness levels, whatever it may be. 'There are small points and coaching points you can help with – and you can give boys new motivation. We get a lot of pleasure from that. That's the model. In an ideal world, we'd then sell them on for a lot of money. 'We sign players we believe have a resale value, as well as boys who give us a real experienced, solid base to the team.' Robbo is grateful for what some may regard as Foyle's old-fashioned approach – and gave an insight into how it all comes together behind the scenes. 'Martin has been fantastic,' he said. 'He's been a revelation. He's a one-man band. We don't have any data or analysis. We basically have two Wyscout log-ins in the whole club that we have to fight over to get on and look at players! 'I have to praise Martin and give him so much credit for the relative success we've had. People sometimes use the term 'old school' like it's a bad thing. But there's a lot of old things that are still very, very good in this modern world. 'We don't have the finances to use the data analysis that Hearts, Aberdeen and Hibs are using. We don't have Tony Bloom putting £10 million into the football club. 'We have one scout. We do not have any other full-time scouts other than Martin. So, he has to go to every game. He has to eat in service stations every day on his travels. Most of my conversations with him are when he's charging up his car! 'He gets no help from anyone, really. We've got one guy in Australia who helps us out with bits and pieces who essentially does it for expenses. Other than that, it's Martin putting players to us and us making those decisions.'
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
'Whoever comes must knock him out of the position, not the other way round'
[Getty Images] We asked for your views on what Andy Robertson's future as a first-team regular at Liverpool is, amid links to Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez. Here are some of your comments: Robert: Robbo has been a fantastic player for the club but his recent mistakes have led to goals conceded and this would be a problem in what I expect to be a tougher season. Advertisement Callum: Robbo has been a great player for Liverpool, a real legend. Last season it was mistake after mistake at times and I think it's down to his game being all about high intensity and his age creeping up on him. His minutes need to be managed now, but he definitely still has a place in the squad. Jimmy: Looks like Robertson's time as the number one left-back at Liverpool could be coming to an end. Robertson might have to get used to being the back-up for Kerkez. AnfieldRed: Robbo is our left-back. Whoever comes in has to knock him out of the position and not the other way round. He's got nothing to prove. Always need a Scot in the team. Neil: Move him on given his contract status. Tsimikas is an able back-up.
Daily Record
05-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
'St Mirren's season was a success,' says Stephen Robinson
The Saints gaffer has reflected on a special season as he hails his players' for making the top-six for the third consecutive year. Stephen Robinson reckons St Mirren's season was a success as he took a final look at an action-packed campaign. The Buddies boss believes his side rose to the challenge in the second half of the season by breaking into the Premiership top six for a third successive year. At the beginning of 2025, Saints fans would have been forgiven for glancing over their shoulders and fearing a battle to beat the drop following four straight defeats. However, a 3-0 win over Aberdeen at Pittodrie was a shot in the arm for a top-half spot. And wins over Rangers, Kilmarnock and Ross County got them over the line as Hearts fluffed their lines in a 0-0 draw at Motherwell in the final round of pre-split fixtures. Robbo's men then went on to have the best form of anyone in the top half after going unbeaten against Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Hibernian and Dundee United. Saints just missed out on making it back-to-back European adventures on the final day – but taking the fight that far was a measure of how much things turned around. 'From the second part of the season, I thought we were very, very good,' Robbo said in an interview with the club's media team. 'We played some really good football and had some pace and energy about the side. 'Our results are mirrored by the last five games in the top six where we managed to get nine points and remain unbeaten which was a very good achievement.' The Northern Irishman says it wasn't just a smash-and-grab in how they managed to pick up the points playing attractive football. He said: 'I alluded to the fact that the level of football – and standard – we were playing at to get into the top six at that stage was good. 'Overall, when you reflect on it, it was a hugely successful season and the consistency was the bigger thing. 'We are always trying to get to that stage [of playing nice football]. When you are winning games, and people are playing with confidence, that is easier.' By the season's end, St Mirren improved in many areas they were hoping to with the club ending the campaign with more points, touches in the opposition box, shots on target and goals scored compared with the last two seasons. New signings helped, with keeper Zach Hemming arriving back on loan from Sky Bet Championship side Middlesbrough. Ryan Alebiosu was a loan recruit from Belgium while free agent Declan John committed his future to the SMiSA Stadium. The Buddies even survived the late-season loss of top goalscorer Toyosi Olusanya – who joined MLS side Houston Dynamo in the United States for an undisclosed fee – thanks to Mikael Mandron and Jonah Ayunga finishing with a flourish. Robbo added: 'The personnel that we added and the people that started to come to form helped. 'Caolan [Boyd-Munce] was excellent in the last six months of the season. 'Ryan and Deccy gave us a different profile in the wing-back areas as they were more like wingers. 'And we played with real pace and energy with some of the one-touch football around the box which was very pleasing on the eye and good to watch; with it being something we will continue to do.'
Daily Record
03-06-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Stephen Robinson reflects on 'three seasons in one' after St Mirren drama
The Buddies gaffer didn't have his troubles to seek in the early part of a campaign which had a happy ending. Stephen Robinson insists he has come through the hardest season of his career. The St Mirren manager had multiple problems to deal with during the campaign but still guided the club to a top-six Premiership finish. From training ground issues which forced the squad to prepare for crunch European games at Neilston's Brig O'Lea and the Garscube complex in Glasgow to the sheriff court appearances of three players, there was a lot of adversity. Behind-the-scenes documentaries are all the rage in football just now from Salford City's Class of 92 films to the Netflix hit 'Welcome to Wrexham' and Buddies boss Robbo knows there would have been plenty to keep the cameras rolling after 'three seasons in one'. 'It has been the hardest season I've ever had to deal with,' the Northern Irishman admitted. 'The things that have happened make it feel like it's been three seasons in one! 'To a board and a playing staff, these things don't really happen once in your career. For it to happen three times in such a short space of time, it was a lot to deal with. 'All the issues we've had throughout the season as well with training pitches not being available, losing staff and all the things that go with that, it's been really, really difficult. 'The lesson from that is that people kept believing. The players kept believing, the staff kept believing and the board kept believing. 'My wife was asking me, 'Can you believe you're in the top six again? That you're unbeaten in the top six?' And I have to say, back in September, I couldn't see that happening. 'So, that's testament to the players and the staff that we've not only come through all of that, but come through it flying. We've played brilliant football and been an exciting team to watch.' When times were tough, Robbo knew he had to provide the direction. He added: 'You have to come in on a Monday morning and be the one that puts things into perspective. Sometimes I have to put a brave face on.' Meanwhile, the Buddies' Premier Sports Cup group stage fixtures have been confirmed. Saints will travel to face Arbroath at Gayfield on Saturday, July 12 and then are back up to Angus on Tuesday, July 15 for a date with Forfar Athletic. On Saturday, July 19, Annan Athletic make their first-ever visit to the SMiSA Stadium which also hosts Scott Brown's Ayr United on Sunday, July 27 for a televised clash. ■Saints hero Stephen McGinn has left his academy role to become first-team coach at Premiership new boys Falkirk. The club have announced that Craig McLeish will head a new Under-19s set-up.
