St Mirren manager Jim Goodwin is determined to make the most of supporters’ money after the club this week became a fan-owned outfit.
The St Mirren Independent Supporters Association became the club’s majority shareholder on Tuesday when it acquired a 51 per cent stake.
Goodwin said: “It is a great moment for St Mirren Football Club and all the supporters out there who have worked tirelessly to make this happen and have invested a hell of a lot of their own money to get to this point.
“As far as I am led to believe the business will continue to run as it has been doing and we don’t need to change a great deal off the field.
“My budget has been set out a few months. It won’t affect this season. If anything it might only improve things.
“Of course we would always like to generate more money and that will be up to the commercial department and up to me as manager to try to put a product on the park that supporters deem worthy of paying money to come and watch.
“It is up to me to make sure that money is well spent. I’ve think I’ve done that in the last three summer windows and the two January windows we’ve had and hopefully I can continue to do that.”
Goodwin was speaking at a press conference to preview Saturday’s opening cinch Premiership game of the season at promoted Dundee.
After last season’s seventh-placed finish, Goodwin has his sights set higher this time around.
“Our aim, very similar to another seven or eight clubs, will be to try to get into that top half of the table,” said Goodwin, who added there was a “50-50” chance of signing an “attacking wide player” on loan in the next week.
“I think we’re all really excited. To get through the group stages of the Premier Sports Cup in the manner we did was very pleasing but the league is the most important thing to us.
“We really want to get off to a good start and get some momentum behind us.”
Goodwin is anticipating a highly competitive campaign.
He said: “I think it is probably going to be the toughest Premier League in a decade. All the big boys are back.
“The two big Dundee clubs, two Edinburgh clubs, two Glasgow clubs, and Aberdeen are there. If you look at the history of all those clubs, they are big clubs with big fanbases and decent budgets.
“That will only add to the quality of the league and we’re all very excited for it.”
