Winger Elliott signs 'multi-year' Saracens deal
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Daily Record
5 hours ago
- Daily Record
Stephen Robinson says St Mirren season starts 'for real' as he lauds Ayr boss Scott Brown
The Buddies will go head-to-head with Ayr United in a bid to guarantee a place in the last 16 of the Premier Sports Cup. Stephen Robinson believes St Mirren's season starts for real tomorrow as they bid to qualify for the next phase of the Premier Sports Cup. The Buddies know anything less than a win will see Ayr United clinch Group D and leave them sweating on advancing as a best runner-up. The SMiSA Stadium showdown is live on the cup sponsor's channel as Scott Brown's Honest Men arrive intent on sealing the deal. And Saints gaffer Robinson feels this is the ideal situation to build up for the start of another Premiership campaign. He explained: 'The other games [in the competition] are tough in different ways. There are tough surfaces and the stage of the season we're at it is tough. But we're at home. The pitch is in great condition and it's live on TV. 'Scott will bring a team that's started the season really well. They've got a lot of boys with great experience, including guys we know like Curtis Main. 'That will hopefully set us up for the league season. Now it feels real. This is a real competitive game and it's now about us stepping up now and doing what we have done better.' Robbo knows it isn't going to be easy with Ayr playing attractive, attacking football – and he has been impressed with how former Celtic captain Brown has gone about his business since swapping the pitch for the dugout. 'Scott's had an excellent grounding,' the Northern Irishman said. 'He was a brilliant player that I admired from afar very much and when we played against him. 'He'll have learned a lot from the managers he's worked under and now he's putting his own stamp on it. He's done very well and was unlucky not to get promoted last season. 'I'm sure that, with the backing they have, they see themselves as a Premiership side and I'm sure Scott is the man to take them there.' Saints have had a mixed Premier Sports Cup campaign so far. Having drawn with Arbroath at Gayfield in the opener (losing out on the bonus point on penalties), they held on for a narrow win over Forfar Athletic at Station Park. However, the team seemed to click last Saturday when Annan Athletic were trounced 8-2 with Mikael Mandron grabbing a hat-trick. Robbo says that, despite the slow start, his Buddies are still on a fine run dating back to last term. He said: 'It's taken its time. We're only just getting signings in that we've been after all summer. 'Those boys haven't played any football and the squad isn't complete as yet. That has shown in a couple of the early games. But if you look at our overall form, we haven't lost in 13 or 14 games going back to last season. 'You can debate Arbroath but we got a point in that one. We've got a set way of playing and we play some very good football.'
Daily Record
6 hours ago
- Daily Record
Jimmy Thelin on Aberdeen lessons as Ipswich named 'the level we are aiming to'
The Scottish Cup holders rounded off their pre-season with defeat the Championship side Jimmy Thelin has insisted the challenge of Ipswich Town and Fulham will help get his new-look Aberdeen squad ready for the new season. The Scottish Cup holders finished off their pre-season campaign with a 3-1 home defeat to Ipswich and lost to the Cottagers in a closed door friendly. Thelin knows it is still early doors and it is all about peaking for Monday's trip to Tynecastle to face Hearts. The Swede said: 'We are ready for the season to start and looking forward to it. We're fully ready for the first game. 'Our opponents tonight are the level we are aiming to, you want to push yourself and learn as a team. 'Both of the games, Fulham and now Ipswich, were good for us to play. 'We wanted opponents with extra intensity, speed of the game and teams who will punish you. 'Some parts were good, but when these teams break against you with their speed and decision-making you get punished. 'So it was good for us because we will learn from this. We tried to be compact but we still have things to adjust.' You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Celtic page, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to your phone. Join our Celtic community here.
Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Ollie Watkins' telling exit comment as Man Utd add Aston Villa star to three-man wishlist
Manchester United have expressed an interest in Ollie Watkins but Aston Villa insist their player isn't for sale, even though the Englishman has made it clear he will not accept a squad role Ollie Watkins has made it clear he will never be one of those players who his "happy to sit on the bench" after Aston Villa rejected an advance from Manchester United to land the striker. The Red Devils are on the lookout for a No 9 and have shortlisted three players with the England international among them. Villa signed Watkins several years ago after he impressed in the Championship and he's since proven himself in the Premier League. Villa, who lost Jhon Duran back in January, have made it known that they have no interest in selling their forward despite interest from those on the red half of Manchester. Watkins will hope to return to the club's first choice striker after a difficult few months to end the season. Ironically it was the loan arrival of Marcus Rashford from United that saw Watkins' playing time suffer as a result. Rashford has since left and joined Barcelona on loan, but it means Watkins will face less competition as things stand. Last term Villa enjoyed a run to the last eight of the Champions League, beating Club Brugge, before running PSG close in the quarter-finals. For that tie Unai Emery opted for Rashford over Watkins - which was not well received. The ex-Brentford striker made it clear that was not a role he wanted. Watkins said last season: "He's the manager at the end of the day and you've got to respect his decision, but I'm not one of those players that's happy to sit on the bench. I was fuming I wasn't playing and I let him know that." Emery also had Marco Asensio as a loanee for the second part of the season, but he and Rashford have since left. Villa are yet to make any major attacking additions this summer and the Spanish manager has rejected the prospect of Watkins leaving with Arsenal keen on him back in January. Emery said: "I don't want (to sell Watkins). It is good news to have offers from other clubs. We want to keep our sporting objective through the players we have in the squad." He also maintained: "Watkins is our striker." United are also thought to have considered moves for PSG's Randal Kolo Muani and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic. Ruben Amorim though has claimed that he would be happy to go on with his squad as it stands, claiming: "If I start the season with this squad I will be happy."
