Valur insider in St Mirren camp has Buddies 'well versed' on how to handle Conference League foes

Stephen Robinson reckons St Mirren fans are right to make a big noise about their first Euro adventure in 37 years. And the Buddies boss insists his players are equally determined to ensure it doesn’t end in a whimper.

Saints head out to Iceland today for the first leg of their Conference League second qualifying round clash with Valur. Only 200 Paisley punters will get into the tiny Hlíðarendi ground in Reykjavik. But Robinson knows they’ll make themselves heard as he looks to secure a result that gives them the best chance of finishing the job back in Scotland next week.

If they do they will face the winner of the tie between Dutch side Go Ahead Eagles and Norwegians SK Brann. And Robinson said: “I believe this is only the fifth time the club has been involved in European football so that speaks volumes for what the players have achieved. But we don’t want to go out with a whimper. We want to progress. There is a big incentive for us to progress with this week’s draw for the next round.

“The fans go through all the bad times. They pay an absolute fortune to watch their football. So they have got to enjoy these times. It’s just a shame there’s so few tickets for this game.

“The home match will be a fantastic experience but we have to make sure we come back for the second leg very much in the tie, if not ahead. That would then give them something to cheer us on for, with the even bigger incentive of trying to progress. We have to relieve all the pressure off the players.

“They will feel the weight of that pressure. We try to tell them not to but they will all read social media. The expectation levels have risen at St Mirren but it’s up to us to meet that.”

Robinson is confident his dossier on the Icelanders will give his