Kenyan striker Jonah Ayunga’s Scottish side retain top-tier status
By Luke Oluoch, May 27, 2026St Mirren FC, home to Harambee Stars striker Jonah Ayunga, will be playing in the Scottish Premiership in the 2026/27 season after securing their top-tier status through the promotion/relegation playoff route.
The Paisley club secured their place in the Scottish Premiership for the next season after edging St. Patrick’s Thistle on aggregate 2-1 in a two-legged final.
Saints battled to a 1-1 draw in the first leg against Thistle before Craig Fraser saw them emerge the victors of a tense promotion/relegation playoff final on Monday, May 25, 2026.
Saints’ relief
Speaking after the league status was confirmed, Fraser said the season had all in its nervy moment, expressing relief after they ultimately survived the chop.
It is amazing. We knew we had the fans behind us. It has been a rollercoaster, but even through the hard times, they were always there. And thank God we managed to nick it at the end,” he said.
The outcome marked a rollercoaster season for the club, which went from the high of maiden top-league silverware to battling in the end-of-season relegation scrap fight.
In December 2025, Saints wrote themselves into Scottish football folklore by clinching the domestic Premier Sports Cup in a historic 3-1 win over Glasgow Celtic.
The triumph sealed the Paisley club’s first major trophy in 12 years, with the Harambee Stars striker leading the history with two goals in the dramatic final.
Ayunga restored St. Mirren’s lead in the second half with a well-taken finish from Alex Gogic’s cross.
Double in final
He added his second shortly after, receiving a precise pass from Declan John and calmly finding the net. His performance highlighted the striker’s composure and sharp finishing, earning him widespread praise and cementing his place as the match’s standout performer.
Ayunga and his teammates could not repeat the same success as they crashed to a bitter 6-2 extra-time defeat to giants Celtic in the semifinal of the Scottish Cup played on Sunday, April 19, 2026.
As part of the changes, the club also had to endure a managerial change with coach Robinson Edwards leaving the outfit after the cup win, with Mcleish taking over midseason.
Their league survival, however, comes days after the Kenyan striker suffered a serious leg injury, and it remains to be seen if he earns an extended stay at the club with his contract soon running out.