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There remain two teams with a 100 percent record as the cinch Premiership emerges from its second week. Celtic are predictably top of the table – although it was not for the want of trying to chuck away three points at Aberdeen yesterday – but the identity of the second side is perhaps more of a surprise.
Or perhaps not. St Mirren faced European-weary Hibernian in their opening game of the season and won with a goal a minute from the end. That could be read as one of two things: a characteristic resilience from Stephen Robinson's men or a legginess in Hibs ranks. Either way, all that mattered was the three points. At the weekend, they beat newly-promoted Dundee and required a couple of fine saves from Zach Hemming to do so. Again, this could be perceived as good fortune were it not for the fact that since Robinson took over in Paisley, Saints have been on an upward trend which culminated in a first-ever top-six finish last season. It's worth bearing in mind that St Mirren missed out on a place in the Europa Conference League qualifiers by six points, and also worth considering that they lost last season's two opening games to Motherwell and Aberdeen by a combined margin of five goals to one. As chance would have it, that's the two teams St Mirren face next, albeit one of those games is in this weekend's League Cup second round fixtures when they host Motherwell in Paisley as opposed to the league. Nevertheless, there is a chance to measure progress in a roundabout sort of way.
St Mirren have been considered movers in the transfer market this summer bringing in players that – while not exactly big name signings – appear to be good fits for Robinson's system.
Mikael Mandron's arrival was mocked in some quarters with the journeyman striker's goal return held up as evidence that he would struggle at St Mirren. Of course, it is early in the season but the Frenchman already has four goals to his name for the campaign and while three of those strikes have come against lower league opposition - in the the shape of a double against Forfar and one against Arbroath in the Viaplay Cup – his deft header in the 2-1 win over Dundee gave an indication that Mandron could be a regular contributor to the goals-for column for St Mirren. In any case, past performance is no indicator of future performance and Scottish football is littered with the names of strikers who couldn't hit a barn door elsewhere but suddenly became prolific in Scotland's top flight: Sam Cosgrove and Louis Moult anyone?
But perhaps the most intriguing new signing at St Mirren this season is that of Conor McMenamin.
The Northern Ireland international winger is at the older end of the age scale for most players leaving his homeland seeking a career in Scottish or English football but there are a couple of things to consider about his move. The Irish League is a much stronger level of competition than it was previously: one only has to look at the decision of a number of former SPFL players to join clubs in the province as evidence. As such McMenamin's form should translate well. He has won six caps, had a one in two strike rate at Glentoran and was shortlisted for the league's player of the year a couple of seasons ago. And, while he had a relatively quiet start in the season opener against Hibs, he was considered to be one of Saints top performers in the 2-1 win over Dundee. If he can continue that good start he will be a formidable cog in the St Mirren attack – and a long-awaited return to European competition – for the first time since 1988 – could be St Mirren's for the taking.
This article has been corrected to clear up errors which appeared in the original version.
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