The summer transfer window is always a crucial period for any football team at any level.
A club’s season can be made or broken before a ball is even kicked by the standard of their wheeling and dealing off the park.
For Stephen Robinson his first foray into the market as Buddies boss was always going to be crucial.
Having inherited a squad built by Jim Goodwin to play the Irishman’s way, the first opportunity to make wholesale changes was always going to be a busy period for the new man in charge.
Determined to muster a team capable of producing his style of football, Robinson has worked wonders with the relatively modest budget he’s been handed.
Particularly given a more significant number of St Mirren players than usual were already committed to the club for the upcoming 2022/23 campaign.
Having lost star goalkeeper Jak Alnwick to English Championship side Cardiff City, who so often dug the Saints out of trouble last season, bringing in a new number one was priority number one.
And to bring in Trevor Carson, a Northern Ireland international with vast Scottish Premiership experience, in on a free transfer will likely prove to be an excellent bit of business for the Buddies.
Better was still to come though in the form of Scotland international Declan Gallagher.
With Conor McCarthy turning down a new deal with the Paisley club, eventually signing for English Championship outfit Barnsley, defensive reinforcements were vital and again Gallagher has proven his worth on the domestic and international stage.
With nine Scotland caps to his name, Gallagher played a pivotal role as Steve Clarke’s side finally broke the nation’s hoodoo and qualified for a major tournament once again.
In Scotland’s crucial play-off final against Serbia, Gallagher put in a sublime performance to stifle Fulham striker Aleksandar Mitrovic to help the Dark Blues eventually make Euro 2020 after their historic penalty success.
Robinson has worked with both Gallagher and Carson before, and has clearly used his past relationships with both to persuade them to continue their careers in Paisley.
While some Motherwell fans have taken to mocking the amount of former Steelmen at the SMISA Stadium, at the moment Robinson is using everything in his power to improve the squad and in the end that’s all that really matters to St Mirren heading into the new season.
Two more arrivals, with no link to the North Lanarkshire club whatsover, are Keanu Baccus and Ryan Strain.
Both have been in and around the Australia national team set-up, with Strain called up to the Socceroos just last August before a hamstring injury stopped him picking up a first cap.
Having only recently turned 25, there’s every chance he’ll go on to make that senior debut if he makes a strong impression in the Scottish Premiership.
Baccus meanwhile is just 24 and has picked up several caps for Australia’s Under-23 side.
He has every chance of making the step up to senior side too if he makes a splash in Scotland, as many are tipping the talented midfielder to do.
With Mark O’Hara, Jonah Ayunga and Toyosi Olusanya all joining on free transfers, it’s fair to say that Robinson has done a fine looking job in his first transfer window in charge.
The calibre of player he has managed to recruit has rightly got St Mirren fans excited for the new season to kick off.
And after their final pre-season fixture with Linfield tomorrow, many will get a first chance to see them in the flesh next Tuesday when the Buddies welcome Paul Hartley’s Hartlepool to the SMISA Stadium.
Hopefully the majority can hit the ground running when the business on the park really gets going next weekend as the Premier Sports Cup gets this year’s competitive campaign underway.
