St Mirren will name their new manager by early next week as they prepare for the new season in the Scottish Premier League. Manager Gus MacPherson, who was sacked after seven years in charge at the club, despite being unfortunate to lose the Scottish League Cup final to Rangers in March.

Rangers reserve team coach Tommy Wilson and Celtic counterpart Willie McStay have both been linked with the vacancy, but also former Kilmarnock boss Jimmy Calderwood, Scotland youth team coach Billy Stark and MacPherson's assistant at the Paisley club Andy Millen.

"We've had large numbers of candidates applying for the role of manager at St Mirren Football Club and we hope to be in a position to announce something towards the end of this week or possibly early next week," Saints chairman Stewart Gilmour told the Paisley Daily Express.

"St Mirren are a Premier League club. I would have expected the calibre of the applicants to be high."