Paisley Pandemonium at Hampden: St. Mirren win the Premier Sports Cup

Paisley Pandemonium at Hampden: St. Mirren win the Premier Sports Cup!

St. Mirren 3-1 Celtic

Fraser (2'), Ayunga (64', 76'); Hatate (23')

Pre-match buildup to kick off

For the buildup to kick-off at Hampden, St. Mirren’s motto all week has been ‘faith over fear’ and for the first time since 2013, The Buddies have won a major trophy.

An entertaining final from the outset was predicted, many neutrals could not predict which team would end up with the trophy come full-time. Buddies’ boss Stephen Robinson entered into his third cup final as manager, having lost the previous two finals to Celtic in the 2017/18 season with Motherwell. In the Celtic dugout was Wilfried Nancy who became the first manager to have lost his opening two games in charge of the club – against Hearts and Roma- and already was under pressure heading into kick-off at the National Stadium.

A rapid start

St. Mirren started the final excellently; the Buddies won a corner inside the opening minute, Keanu Baccus took it, and managed to find the head of Marcus Fraser, a former Celtic defender, who guided the ball straight into the far corner to give the Saints a dream start after only 90 seconds on the clock. It could have gotten even better for the men from Paisley with Dan Nlundulu missing two guilt-edged opportunities to double their lead.

⚫️⚽️| 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐫| 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝟏-𝟎 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜

What a start at Hampden for the Buddies!

St. Mirren ahead after only two minutes thanks to their captain Marcus Fraser who heads in from a corner kick!

[📹: @PremSportsTV]pic.twitter.com/SBuMNcXUp4

— FootballPark - Scotland (@FP_Scotland) December 14, 2025

The holders respond

Celtic started to show signs of their quality after 15 minutes, Kelechi Iheanacho was denied superbly by the hand of Shamal George. However Celtic would get their goal just minutes later; a brilliant ball in from Kieran Tierney found Reo Hatate at the back-post, and the Japanese midfielder finished brilliantly to make it all square.

🍀⚽️| 𝐇𝐚𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞| 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝟏-𝟏 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜

Back level at the National Stadium!

Brilliant cross from Kieran Tierney into the Saints' box and Reo Hatate meets it on the volley and it's all square in the final!

[📹: @PremSportsTV]pic.twitter.com/gIhvkGAYuu

— FootballPark - Scotland (@FP_Scotland) December 14, 2025

Celtic tried and tried to put St. Mirren under pressure but when they were able to breach the Saints defence, they found Shamal George in superb form. You can’t blame Wilfried Nancy for a number of injuries to key Celtic players for this one; they were already missing the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers, Alastair Johnston and Jota for the final and had to be without Kelechi Iheanacho who left the field injured just before half-time.

Saints seize the moment

Into the second half and both teams tried to find a way to put their side ahead. Declan John tried to find Alex Gogic just after the restart but the Cyprus international couldn’t get his head onto the end of it. Baccus was in good form for the Buddies, and he sent a great ball into the box, but no Saints players gambled to get on the end of his cross.

It would not be a surprise if some in a St. Mirren frame of mind were thinking it wasn’t going to be their day against Celtic once again this season, after two late defeats in the Premiership. However, St Mirren came again and they retook the lead just after the hour mark. Dan Nlundulu played the ball back to Gogic, who stabbed the ball forward towards the head of Jonah Ayunga who finished beyond Schmeichel and sparked wild scenes amongst the travelling Buddies fans.

⚫️⚽️| 𝐀𝐲𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚| 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝟐-𝟏 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜

Could it be St. Mirren's day at Hampden?!

The Buddies retake the lead thanks to Jonah Ayunga who is there to head home past Kasper Schmeichel!

[📹: @PremSportsTV]pic.twitter.com/dnmAVYbCIQ

— FootballPark - Scotland (@FP_Scotland) December 14, 2025

The goal did not spark Celtic into life at all, if anything they were shellshocked by a spirited St. Mirren who simply wanted the win more than the current holders did. Celtic were made to pay for their sluggish performance when the Buddies got a third goal; Miguel Freckleton with a brilliant ball to Declan John who was on the breakaway and went beyond Celtic substitute Colby Donovan. John reached the Celtic penalty box and found time, space, and composure to find Ayunga who broke into the box unmarked and fired the ball home with Schmeichel unable to save despite getting a hand to it.

⚫️⚽️| 𝐀𝐲𝐮𝐧𝐠𝐚| 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝟑-𝟏 𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐜

The Buddies are in dreamland!

What a break from Declan John who lays the ball on a plate for Jonah Ayunga and it's St. Mirren's cup to lose now with 10 minutes remaining

[📹: @PremSportsTV]pic.twitter.com/k15NFTxo70

— FootballPark - Scotland (@FP_Scotland) December 14, 2025

Celtic pushed for a response but were unable to bring the game to a grandstand finish, the closest they came to getting their second was a Johnny Kenny shot from outside the box and was brilliantly saved by Shamal George in the Buddies goal. No goal to spark them back to life, no hope of a comeback.

History for the Buddies

The full-time whistle signalled the party to begin in Paisley. For the travelling Buddies inside Hampden, Stephen Robinson, in his third year in charge, has guided the club to back-to-back top six finishes, European football and now a fifth major honour for the club.

For the first time since 2013, the Buddies have won the League Cup and Robinson gets his first major honour as a manager after over 400 games in charge.

🏆| 𝐒𝐭. 𝐌𝐢𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐢𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐂𝐮𝐩!

It's the Buddies night! It's the Buddies trophy!

St. Mirren have won the Premier Sports Cup for the first time since 2013!

[📹: @PremSportsTV]pic.twitter.com/FKO5J8T4dg

— FootballPark - Scotland (@FP_Scotland) December 14, 2025

Nancy under pressure...already?

Celtic have now lost back-to-back cup finals at Hampden, after losing to Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final back in May. If Wilfried Nancy was not under pressure already before today, he most certainly is now. His first three games as Celtic manager have all resulted in losses; A top of the table Premiership clash v Hearts, a UEFA Europa League league phase match v Roma and now a cup final against St. Mirren.

This has been a far cry to Martin O’Neill’s interim spell in charge with many fans believing that the outcome would have been different if he and Shaun Maloney were still in charge. Nancy does not have long to wait for a response, as Celtic travel to Tannadice in midweek to take on a Dundee United side out of form.

Defeat now is simply not an option for Nancy and Celtic.

🫣 Loss at Celtic Park to SPFL leaders Hearts
❌ Loss at Celtic Park to Roma in the Europa League
😱 Loss to St. Mirren in the Scottish League Cup Final

Wilfried Nancy's start to life at Celtic has not gone to plan 😬 pic.twitter.com/XspPCnvGeI

— OneFootball (@OneFootball) December 14, 2025

Buddies night under the lights

This was St. Mirren’s day, not in the Hampden sun more like the Hampden cold night and make no mistake about it they more than deserved the win and the big thing about it is this was not a surprise. Stephen Robinson has installed a togetherness and believe within the football club and finally they get their rewards.

For one night, one cold Hampden night, this was Paisley Pandemonium!

This group 🖤🤍

pic.twitter.com/UBu0AdJdBk

— St Mirren FC (@saintmirrenfc) December 14, 2025