League placing: 11th
Scottish Cup: semi-final League Cup: round three

Ins: Lee Mair, defender; Michael Higdon, striker; Paul Gallacher, goalkeeper; Chris Innes, defender.

Outs: Jim Hamilton, forward; Ryan McCay, defender; Will Haining, defender; Marc McAusland, defender; Gary Mason, midfielder; Franco Miranda, defender.

Jack Ross St Mirren defender

We're just delighted to get started as it is a long pre-season because we had to prepare for the Co-operative Insurance Cup match a couple of weeks ago.

Consequently, it's been a bit strange, going back to playing a friendly in between, albeit a hard one against Wigan.

However, it should stand us in good stead and things have gone pretty good and we just need to put it into practice.

We had a chat at the end of the season and, as a group of players, we felt we had failed by finishing eleventh as we did.

But there is enough desire and character in the squad to show we are better than that.

We have lost a few players, but the players we have brought in are in the spine of the team and their introduction has been fairly seamless.

As for our targets, simply doing better than last season has to be our aim.

Chick Young BBC Scotland football correspondent Chick Young

Let's start with the certainties. That Renfrewshire Cup will cut a lonely shape in the trophy cabinet.

St Mirren couldn't win a three-legged race with the help of a bloke from the Isle of Man.

Gus McPherson will operate on the same budget as last year, which on first listening doesn't seem unreasonable in view of the evaporation of Setanta.

But that decision was taken by the board before the end of last term. And that - given the robust financial position of the club - seems a shade over-cautious.

The summer hasn't brought any haud-me-back-the-excitement's-too-much signings either. Couldn't Saints have matched Dundee's bid for Leigh Griffiths, who I guarantee will be sold on at a profit in years to come?

It will be a dogfight again I fear, the Buddies trying to elbow their way to safety alongside Falkirk, Hamilton and St Johnstone. But the fans will grumble less if the team can pepper the misery with wins, like last year, over the Old Firm.

This is a big season in Paisley - the first complete in the new stadium and pressure from the support to up the ante a little.

Sections of the fans don't fancy the gaffer either, a logic that is completely beyond me.

In St Mirren terms, Gus has been there since the ice age. But, be warned my friend, the heat is on.

One player I have high hopes for is Craig Dargo. He has had two terrible seasons with injury. I'm glad we have re-signed him, because injury-free he'll score and create goals.
saintgunni

The changes during the close season will not lead to more clean sheets, but a fit Dargo might lift us above the Falkirk/Hamilton dogfight.
edinsaint

MY SPORT: DEBATE How will St Mirren fare this term?

I reckon with Mehmet and Dorman we'll finish ninth. Without either of them, we will be deep in the smelly stuff.
exorcistdave

Think we look fine all over the pitch, apart from the positions taken up by Captain Calamity and 'Super' Mo. Would be more than happy for eighth this season.
captain_slow

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