Offord and Taylor sign new deals before heading on loan

St Mirren have handed three-year contract extensions to forward Kieran Offord and midfielder Fraser Taylor before sending both out on loan.

The 20-year-old Taylor joins Ballymena United in Northern Ireland’s top flight, while 19-year-old Offord will be with Edinburgh City in Scotland’s League 1, both until the end of the season, although the Premiership club have the option to recall them in January.

Manager Stephen Robinson believes both academy graduates have “a long-term future at the club” but need “competitive football” at this stage of their careers.

Both will train with us on a Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday which is perfect for us as it means they are still in our system.

“We will revisit it again at Christmas in the hope that they will come back in either January or ahead of the new season and become regular first-team players,” he told his club website.

Both players said they were delighted to be given another year to prove they have what it takes to develop into a first-team player.