Scottish League
2026-05-21 - Partick Thistle vs St Mirren
A Sports Betting Pick by Auls
Football: Scottish Premiership Play Off
Thursday 21st May 2026 - Kick Off 8pm
This game is live on TV
Partick Thistle
After the initial shock of relegation from the Scottish Premiership at the end of the 2018 season, Partick Thistle had to actually drop another Division before reigniting a push towards the top of the pyramid. They won the League One title in 2021 and Partick Thistle have finished in the top four of the Scottish Championship in each of the last five seasons, but Play Off heartbreak has been the usual end of the campaign.
Three seasons ago, Partick Thistle reached the Scottish Premiership Play Off Final, but they were beaten After Extra Time by Ross County in the Second Leg. The side had been 3-0 ahead on aggregate with less than 20 minutes remaining, while the last two seasons have ended in Play Off Semi Final defeat. This time Partick Thistle have beaten Dunfermline Athletic to take their place in the Play Off Final with the home Leg first up.
Partick Thistle are unbeaten in 11 games since losing in the Scottish Cup against St Mirren, but they had drawn 4 in a row before the narrow win over Dunfermline Athletic to earn a place in this Final. That was a victory earned at Firhill Stadium and The Jags have won 3 of the last 4 fixtures played here.
St Mirren
It has been a tough season for St Mirren, but they still have two games left in their bid to avoid relegation to the Scottish Championship. They finished 6 points behind Kilmarnock in 11th place in the Scottish Premiership, but a couple of late season results may have given the squad some momentum to take into this Play Off Final.
The season was expected to be one in which St Mirren would once again compete in the Championship Group when the standings split in the final few weeks of the campaign. They have fallen well short of that and it is the 3-4-12 away record that has really let them down over the course of the campaign.
St Mirren had lost 4 League games in a row and had also been beaten in the Scottish Cup Semi Final, albeit After Extra Time, but they have finished up the regular season with a win at Aberdeen and draw with Dundee United. The win at Pittodrie does mean St Mirren have won 2 of the last 4 away games played.
Head to Head
St Mirren beat Partick Thistle 2-1 at home in the Scottish Cup Quarter Final in March.
They also have League Cup wins over Partick Thistle at home in 2020 and 2021, but the last time the clubs met at Firhill ended in a 5-0 win for The Jags in July 2017.
Partick Thistle have won 3 of the last 4 when hosting St Mirren.
Prediction
The team that finished 11th in the Scottish Premiership had been on a decent run in the Play Off Final before Ross County were beaten by Livingston last season.
That will give St Mirren confidence, but they have already seen how tough Partick Thistle can make things once this season.
A 2-1 win over the Championship club in the Scottish Cup Quarter Final will give St Mirren some belief, but they will also know that this First Leg at Firhill Stadium is going to be a huge challenge to face.
Partick Thistle have the confidence of having won the Play Off Semi Final and they are unbeaten in 11 games since that loss in Paisley. The home form has been more impressive with 3 wins from the last 4 when hosting and this is a club that have plenty of recent Play Off experience that could help them.
A narrow edge has to be given to Partick Thistle, but St Mirren have just shown a bit of resilience in the last week of the regular season.
Neither side is going to want to give anything away in the First Leg- Partick Thistle may feel they need a lead, but they won't chase one and leave themselves exposed.
With that in mind the draw could be a runner, but backing the home team on the Asian Handicap could be the most sensible approach with the edge towards The Jags, who may push for the winner for longer than St Mirren.
Games in the Scottish Premiership Play Offs have rarely ended in draws in recent seasons and Partick Thistle may have something to protect when these teams meet again in Paisley in the decisive Second Leg.
The Pick :
Partick Thistle 1-0 St Mirren
