The Scottish League was formed in 1890 and Saints were one of the eleven founder clubs. Of these clubs only five remain in the senior game today, St.Mirren, Celtic, Dumbarton, Hearts and Rangers.
In the first season Saints finished eighth.

Their first match was on 23rd August 1890 when they travelled to Tontine Park to take on Renton. This match ended in a  2-2 draw with Douglas and Dunlop scoring for Saints. However, Renton were later expelled from the league and their record expunged so Saints first official league match was at Westmarch on the 30th August 1890 when Cowlairs were the visitors. St.Mirren won 5-2.

Saints team for that historic game was:-
Deans, Hunter, A.McBain, Prentice, Jones, E.McBain Morrison, McAuley, Douglas, Dunlop and McFarlane.

Morrison had the honour of scoring Saints first ever league goal and he went on to add a second later in the match, but the scoring honours went to centre forward Douglas, who scored a hat-trick!

St.Mirren’s highest finish in the league is third, which was achieved in 1892-93 and repeated in 1979-80.

Worst season was undoubtedly 1920-21 when they could only manage seven victories in 42 matches! They also lost 31 times which is still a record, not only for Saints but ANY team in Scotland!! They finished bottom of the league. At this stage there was only one league in Scotland so they avoided relegation!

The lowest position St.Mirren have fallen to was in 1973-74 when they finished 11th in the Second Division, a lowly 29th in Scotland.

They have won four league titles. The Second Division in 1967-68 and the First Division in 1976-77, 1999-2000 and 2005-06.

The longest spell out of the top division is eight seasons between 1992-93 and 1999-2000.

Only Aberdeen, Celtic, Hearts, Hibernian, Motherwell and Rangers have played more seasons in the top flight.