St Mirren will have a ‘right good crack at Europe’

Stephen Robinson will look to build a side that can have a “right good crack” at Europe, says Sunday Mail’s chief sports writer Scott McDermott.

Dundee’s defeat at Ibrox on Tuesday confirmed the Buddies place in the Europa Conference League, marking their first trip to the continent in 37 years.

McDermott believes St Mirren have become an “established” top-six team and will be looking to avoid European embarrassment that Scottish sides can sometimes suffer.

“It’s a brilliant achievement for Stephen Robinson and the players,” he told BBC’s Scottish Football Podcast.

“They were obviously disappointed at the weekend losing to Kilmarnock, so they still had a job to do. Certainly if Dundee had got something last night.

“If you think where St Mirren were a few years ago, for Robinson to come in, two top-six finishes, they feel now like almost like an established top-six club, which is brilliant for them.

“The progress they’ve made, the recruitment’s been good. I think behind the scenes is looking a lot better as well, so no, they’ll be delighted and as you say the St Mirren fans can get the passports out and look forward to a wee summer trip.

“Let’s hope it’s not just one European away trip because too often probably Scottish clubs, maybe like St Mirren, have got in to Europe and not done themselves justice and pretty much been out of Europe before the league season started.

“Robinson will build again in the summer, he’ll add to the squad and I think they’ll want to have a right good crack at it.”