St Mirren
Simple Digital Arena
Capacity:
8,006 (all seated)
Address:
Greenhill Road, Paisley, PA3 1RU
Telephone:
0141 889 2558
Fax:
0141 848 6444
Ticket Office:
0141 840 6130
Pitch Size:
110 x 70 yards
Pitch Type:
Grass
Club Nickname:
The Buddies
Year Ground Opened:
2009
Undersoil Heating:
Yes
Shirt Sponsors:
SkyView Capital
Kit
Manufacturer:Joma
Home Kit:
Pink and Black
After spending 115 years at Love Street, the club moved half a mile to this purpose built stadium in 2009. The 'new' St Mirren Park, as it is known was built by Barr Construction at a cost of around £8m. The ground is comprised of four separate stands and although it probably won't win many design awards, it is at least modern and functional. The stands on three sides are all single tiered, have large windshields to each side and are of the same height. The East Stand on the remaining side, is taller than the others, but contains a smaller amount of seating, with a large paneled area behind that rises up to the roof. This stand also has the team dugouts in front of it. Although this is the Main Stand at the ground, the television cameras are located opposite.
The was called St Mirren Park but in 2018 it was renamed the Simple Digital Arena in a sponsorship deal.
Away fans are located at one end of the stadium in the North Stand, where just over 1,600 supporters can be accommodated. It is expected that for Old Firm games, that sections of the West Stand will also be made available. As you would expect from a new stadium, the facilities and playing action are good. However, one slight drawback is that that the fans are set quite back from the playing action, as there is a large perimeter area surrounding the pitch. Also the St Mirren Park's proximity to Glasgow Airport means that airplanes can be frequently be seen overhead taking off and coming into land.
Colin Weir informs me; 'There are very few pubs near the ground at all, with the ground being in between a residential and industrial area. Away coaches are still parking on Clark Street where they did for Love Street so it is likely that away fans will continue to drink in the pubs off Greenock Road. Other than that St Mirren fans are likely to continue to drink in the existing pubs around Love Street and the Town Centre simply remembering to leave for the match 10 minutes earlier than they used to!'
There are a couple of pubs near to the old ground, although with the lack of pubs close to the new stadium many may drink in the town centre before heading to the game. The Wee Barrel on Love Street itself is a smallish two roomed pub, which gets very busy before games, but on my visit there was a good mix of home and away support and the service was good. George Clarke adds; 'The Cottage Arms next to a Chinese takeaway just off Greenock Road has long been a popular haunt for away fans, as the away coaches park up near there on Clark Street and it is only a few minutes walk away from the ground'. Near Paisley Gilmour Street station is the Tile Bar on Smithhills Street.
In the town centre, which is around 3/4's of a mile away. Peter Balmforth, recommends; 'Just outside the station entrance, is a Wetherspoons outlet called the 'Last Post'. However please note that fans are not admitted wearing colours, so remember to roll up your scarf and stick it in your pocket'. Rene a visiting Celtic supporter informs me: 'I found the Wallace Bar on Causeyside Street in the town centre, to be a friendly enough place to enjoy a beer'.
The ground is particularly easy to get to due to its proximity to the M8.
From the West
Exit the M8 at J29 St James Interchange signed A737/Glasgow Airport/Paisley. At the roundabout both lanes of the slip road lead around to the A726 Greenock Road towards Paisley and East Kilbride which is the 3rd exit. Directions are then as M8 East below.
From the East
Exit the M8 at J29 St James Interchange. It is best to be in the 2nd lane on the viaduct, as the inside lane leaves at J28a just before the junction 29. Turn left at the traffic lights on the roundabout onto the A726 Greenock Road (signed Paisley and East Kilbride). At the second set of traffic lights from here, turn right onto McFarlane Street which double backs on itself. After 300m the road has a sharp left bend onto Greenhill Road and the Ground is a further 300m away. The ground it usually signed from the St James Interchange.
From the South
Fans travelling along the A737 from Ayrshire, can also exit at St James Interchange, however leaving and joining the road at Linwood may help beat the traffic. Exit at Linwood, and turn right on the roundabout towards Paisley. After passing the Asda, at the 3rd roundabout turn left onto Barskiven Road. Follow this road for about a mile going straight across two roundabouts. After the second you will be on Ferguslie Park Avenue, the road then turns to the right and the ground is about 400 yards away on your right.
Car Parking
John Schiavone informs me; 'There is a large matchday car park located directly behind the West Stand that costs £5. It is accessed via Ferguslie Park Avenue.' Otherwise street parking.
Thanks to Colin Weir for providing the directions.
The nearest railway station is Paisley St James, which is situated almost just across the road from the Paisley 2021 Stadium. It is a 17 minute journey from Glasgow Central Station.
Colin Weir adds; 'If you are coming to the ground by train Paisley St James has a half hourly service on the Glasgow-Gourock line and is located on Greenhill Road directly behind the away stand. Come out of the station onto Greenhill Road and the stadium is directly on the left. A campaign by fans of the club hopes to persuade Transport Scotland to rename the station Paisley St Mirren, however for the near future Paisley St James is where you should alight.
Paisley Gilmour Street is one stop away from St James and around 15 minute walk from the ground, but has a much more frequent service with trains every 10 minutes.
At the bottom of the stairs from the platforms turn right to take the back entrance to Old Sneddon Street and then turn left. Once you are at the traffic lights at the Court and Love Street, continue along St James Street and onto Underwood Road, where you pass under the railway. 400m further along you pass a pedestrian crossing and the Royal Mail Centre on your right at the corner of Greenhill Road. Head down Greenhill Road and the ground is 200m on your left.
Most service buses to Paisley also stop next Paisley Gilmour Street station and directions are the same for them. It is possible to catch a number 64 Arriva bus to Ferguslie Park from Gauze Street in the Town Centre which takes around 5 minutes and passes very close by to the ground'.
Booking train tickets in advance will normally save you money! Find train times, prices and book tickets with Trainline. Visit the website below to see how much you can save on the price of your tickets:
Home Fans
Main Stand (Centre Padded Seats): Adults £24, Concessions £14
Main Stand (Other sections): Adults £22, Concessions £12, Under 12's £6
West Stand: Adults £22, Concessions £12, Under 12's £6.
South (Family) Stand: Adults £22, Concessions £12 Under 18's £6, Under 12's £3
Away Fans
North Stand: Adults £22, Concessions £12, Under 12's £6.
Concessions apply to over 65's, under 18's, full-time students and the unemployed.
If you require hotel accommodation in Paisley or Glasgow then first try a hotel booking service provided by Booking.com. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will help towards the running costs of keeping this Guide going.
Official Programme £3
Greenock Morton.
St Mirren FC fixture list (takes you to the official St Mirren website).
If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Late Rooms. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will go to help with the running costs of keeping the Guide going.
Record Attendance
At the new St Mirren Park
7,542 v Kilmarnock
Premier League, 31st January 2009
At Love Street:
47,438 v Celtic, August 20th 1949.
Average Attendance
2019-2020: 5,376 (Premier League)
2018-2019: 5,356 (Premier League)
2017-2018: 4,448 (Championship League)
Official Web Site: www.saintmirren.com
Unofficial Web Sites:
www.blackandwhitearmy.com
www.stmirren.info
If anything is incorrect or you have something to add, then please e-mail me at: [email protected] and I'll update the guide.
Special thanks to Geoff Jackson for providing the photos of St Mirren Park and to Owen Pavey for providing the stadium layout plan. Check out Geoff's Cumbrian Groundhopper blog.
St Mirren Park – St Mirren
Sunday November 7th, 2010
V Rangers, Premier League, 1pm
By Jim Prentice
1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):
In short, just another ground to tick off the list! The Rangers supporters' club I am a member of, the Harrogate True Blues, organises a few away trips every season and, having been to the usual suspect such as Easter Road, Tynecastle, Celtic Park etc, a lot of us fancied going somewhere 'a bit different', so plumped for a Sunday lunchtime kick off at St Mirren's new home in November 2010. I'm a bit of a traditionalist and love old grounds so wasn't really savouring the prospect of a trip to yet another new breezeblock-constructed stadium, but I was prepared to give it a go if only to say I'd been. We took an almost-full bus to the match, although travelling 250-plus miles for a Sunday lunchtime kick off in Paisley meant we were always going to be in for a long day!
2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
The ground is quite close to both Paisley railway stations and is only just off the M8 motorway, just a few short miles from Ibrox, which we passed while en route. The ground is situated on an industrial estate and there is both a decent-sized club car park in addition to plenty of off-street parking for cars and supporters' buses. It is perhaps one of the more accessible stadia in Scotland.
3. What you did before the game pub/chippy…. home fans friendly?
There are a few bars close to the ground and it's not too far from the town centre, but being a Sunday all of these were most definitely closed until after the match was due to kick-off. I didn't notice any chippies or other eateries in close proximity of the stadium, although there were a number of fast food vans on the aproach roads. We didn't arrive in Paisley until about 45 minutes before kick-off so we just headed in the direction of a long queue of Rangers fans waiting to get through the turnstiles. Putting it lightly, fans of non-Old Firm clubs tend to be a wee bit hostile to Rangers and Celtic supporters, so there was exceptionally limited inter-club mingling prior to the match, although St Mirren fans seemed about as friendly as anyone outside of the 'big two' is ever going to get!
4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?
The ground is still very new and is quite smart and functional, if a little characterless and on the small side. It is quite reminiscent of Shrewsbury Town's New Meadow stadium or Chesterfield's B2Net ground. The away end holds around 1,500 fans and, with Rangers' allocation behind the goal taken, St Mirren had also allocated part of the West Stand, which runs along the side of the pitch, to away followers. Although small, the rows of seats in the away end were sufficiently steep to give a decent view of the playing action, and the legroom and space between seats was okay. There is quite a balanced and compact feel to the ground, although something about it just felt a bit unfinished – perhaps it just requires 'bedding in' over the next couple of years!
5. Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..
The concourses and toilets are pretty basic but the service was both quicker and friendlier than most I've come across over the years. There are television screens along the concourses that show Sky Sports News (it always makes me wonder why they don't pipe just a bit of sound through when you're trying to lip read what the presenter is saying!). I didn't see any programme sellers outside the ground but there were plenty to be had once I'd made it through the turnstile. The stewards, thankfully, were pretty quiet and unlike at some grounds didn't demand that standing fans retake their seats, and while the Rangers fans were unusually quiet for much of the game, some of the St Mirren fans in the West Stand tried to create a bit of an atmosphere by showing off some creative and interestingly designed banners.
Despite having had a barnstorming start to the season and sitting at the top of the league prior to kick off, Rangers hadn't quite found the knack of playing well for 70+ minutes and had thusfar only managed one decent half in every match played. This encounter was no different, and after a lacklustre first period, Rangers took a stranglehold on the game after 48 minutes when St Mirren's Mark McAusland could only direct a header into his own net. Ten minutes later, Steven Naismith made it two from close range and, after another ten, Kenny Miller pounced on a defensive dalliance before roling home the third. Michael Higdon replied for the hosts, firing home a dubiously-awarded penalty, but Rangers ran out convincing and deserved victors.
6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
We didn't experience any problems at all – upon leaving the stadium small groups of us met up and walked the 10-minute journey to our bus. As soon as everyone was on board we got away immediately – the crowd was just under 6,000 which meant that most of the traffic managed to get away much quicker than after games at Ibrox. There was, however, a bit of a queue for the exits at the club car park give that there was only one way in and one out!
7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
I had a good day at St Mirren – not the best ever but certainly not the worst. The ground has a nice new feeling about it but it might take a good few seasons for it to feel as familiar as Love Street, the Buddies' former home. Love Street was not as practical as New St Mirren Park but, having been the club's home for so many years it had a real traditional feel about it where you could sense the history of the old place. Looking at both the pluses and the drawbacks, a trip to St Mirren isn't the best day out I've ever had but it certainly one worth making – even if only to tick it off the list!
Scotland v Switzerland
Women's World Cup Qualifier
Thursday 30th August 2018, 7.35pm
Paul Donaldson (Scotland)
St Mirren v Hearts
Scottish Premiership
Saturday 28th September 2019, 3pm
Stuart Edwards (Neutral)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the Simple Digital Arena?
Two previous attempts to watch the Buddies in Paisley had come to grief with matches postponed due to bad weather. A weekend in Glasgow provided an ideal opportunity to finally get to the ground and see a game.
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
I took the train from Glasgow Central to Paisley Gilmour Street (about 15 minutes) then walked to the ground (another 15 minutes). The ground, though new, has tall floodlights.
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Once at the ground bought a ticket and went straight in.
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the Simple Digital Arena?
The ground is box-like from the outside. I sat in the Main Stand and had an excellent view. The four stands all look very similar and I would think the view from all of them would be equally good. A bonus for any plane spotters would be the sight of planes taking off from Glasgow Airport, although this view wouldn’t be available to visiting supporters as the planes were behind their stand.
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
For a 0-0 draw, it wasn’t a bad game. The atmosphere in the ground was good with a near 6,000 crowd making plenty of noise. Stewarding was low key. My halftime birdie was excellent, but there was no milk to be had for my coffee.
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:
Getting from the ground and back to Glasgow was as easy as getting there.
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:
Overall this was a good day out. A visit to Paisley to take in a match is recommended.
Game Attended
St. Mirren v St. JohnstoneCompetition
Scottish PremiershipDate
28/10/2023Kick Off Time
3pmTeam Supported
NeutralWhy were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
Won 2 tickets to a Premiership match and decided that as St Mirren were playing well, 3rd in the table, it would be a good match to go and see. Although not a Buddy I've always had a bit of a soft spot for them.How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
Was unsure about where best to park the car so initially was going to head into the town centre and get the train out from Gilmour Street. With a rather later time in leaving the house than expected I decided that it wasn't worth heading into town so instead parked at Bishopton park and ride and caught the half hourly train from there. 5 mins and £2.90 return. Paisley St James barely a 2 minute walk from the ground.What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
Didn't have time for the boozer but a decent pie & bovril once through the turnstyles was welcome. All fans encountered around the ground were chatty and friendly.What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Functional looking from both the outside and in and that's by no means a slur, it looks like a football stadium and it is a football stadium. We were sat in the Main stand towards the goal at the home end and gave us a good view. It was also very clean inside and plenty of bins for recycling and general rubbish.Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
The group in the far corner never stopped banging the drum and bouncing about the entire match which gave a great feel. St. Johnstone started the brighter but ended up being routed 4-0. Crowd was fantastic all game. Salt and chili pie was a good size and quite tasty. £14 for 2 pies and 2 bovrils seems about right.Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Out the ground, along to the station, train back to Bishopton. Couldn't have been simpler.Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Very enjoyable and will certainly be back.Images