The 2012 season was St. Patrick's Athletic F.C.'s 83rd year in existence and it was the Supersaint's 61st consecutive season in the top-flight of Irish football. The Saint's were under the new management of Liam Buckley after Pete Mahon was let go at the end of the 2011 season. Pat's finished 4th the previous season and doing so qualified for the 2012–13 UEFA Europa League First qualifying round. The Saints also competed in domestic competitions such as the FAI Cup, Setanta Cup, Leinster Senior Cup, and the EA Sports Cup.
Friendlies and Setanta Cup exit
After appointing Liam Buckley as the new manager, Buckley wasted no time in changing the squad by bringing in fourteen fresh faces and only keeping five players from the squad last season. New faces included Christy Fagan from Bohemians, James Chambers from Hamilton and old saint Brendan Clarke back to the club from Sligo Rovers. Despite the new signings, Pat's also lost crucial players such as top scorer from last season Danny North to Sligo Rovers, Gary Rogers to Sligo Rovers also, Stephen Bradley to Limerick F.C. and Daryl Kavanagh to arch-rivals Shamrock Rovers.
The Supersaints started their pre-season programme when they cruised to a 2–0 win over non-league side Glebe North in Balbriggan with goals coming from new midfield signings Greg Bolger and Mark Rossiter. Pats played a behind closed doors friendly with the side they share training facilities with, Phoenix and won 2–1 with goals coming from James Chambers and Mark Rossiter at Scribblestown, near Blanchardstown. Liam Buckley's side then played a relatively trouble free 2–0 win over First Division Longford Town at Richmond Park with goals from defender Conor Kenna and new signing Kenny Browne seeing of the First Division side. After a good start to their pre-season, Pat's suffered an early exit from Setanta Cup with a two nil aggregate score line defeat to Cliftonville. Despite this defeat Pat's won their next pre-season friendly against Mervue 1–0 with Sean O'Connor scoring the winner early in the game.
On 27 August, the Saints again faced Longford Town in a mid-season friendly. Pats played a starting 11 of players who were aiming to regain their places in the regular starting line up. Longford found themselves being dominated throughout the entire game, although they took the lead just before half time through a wonder strike. Chris Deans was sent off for a poorly timed challenge on the edge of his box on Darren Meenan early into the second half. Jake Kelly's low shot was saved onto the post by former Saint Paul Hunt before Vinny Faherty scored his first goal since his return to the club when he played a one-two with Kelly and smashed his shot into the top left corner.
Friendlies
Setanta Cup
League of Ireland
The fixtures for the 2012 season were announced on 22 December 2011, with Pat's kicking off the new season at home to Bray Wanderers.
With a much changed team from last season, the Saints started their season with a 1–0 win against Bray Wanderers when Dean Kelly's glancing header from a Sean O'Connor corner was deemed over the line by the referee.
The Saints continued their winning start to the season with a 2–0 nil win against Dundalk F.C. with goals from Stephen O'Flynn and John Russell bagging the three points.
The Saint's next game was against newly promoted Monaghan United F.C. at home in Richmond. The game finished one 1–1 with Dean Kelly cancelling out Conor Murphy's opening goal for the Mon's but Kelly's night didn't end well, after he got a controversial red card for a high challenge on former Pat's player Stephen Maher. The Saint's could have won it late on with a penalty but Stephen O'Flynn failed to convert the spot-kick.
The next game for the Saint's was a Dublin Derby against Bohemians away, which was live on RTÉ. The game finished a bore 0–0 draw with Karl Moore and Stephen O'Flynn coming closest for both sides.
The Saint's next game was another Dublin Derby, this time it was against Shelbourne. The last time these two met it was in the FAI Cup Semi-Finals with Shels coming out on top on that occasion. Shels took the lead thanks to a Brendan McGill volley which hit the underside of the crossbar and came back down to hit the Pat's goalkeeper on the back and went into the net. But Pat's equalised before half-time with Christy Fagan scoring his first goal for the club. Even with Shels going down to ten men, the game finished 1–1 with Pat's unable to take advantage with the extra man.