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Partick Thistle F.C.

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Partick Thistle
File:Partick Thistle Badge.jpg
Full namePartick Thistle Football Club
Nickname(s)The Jags
The Harry Wraggs
The Maryhill Magyars
Founded1876
GroundFirhill Stadium,
Glasgow, Scotland
Capacity10,887
ChairmanScotland Allan Cowan
ManagerScotland Ian McCall
LeagueScottish First Division
2007-08Scottish First Division, 6th

Partick Thistle Football Club are a Scottish professional football club from the city of Glasgow. Despite their name, the club are based in the Maryhill area of the city, and have not played in Partick since 1908. They are members of the Scottish Football League, and currently play in the First Division after being promoted through the play-offs at the end of the 2005-06 season.

History

Partick Thistle were formed in 1876 in the burgh of Partick (administratively independent of Glasgow until 1912 when it was incorporated into the city). They originally played on what is now the site of the Partick railway station and Morrisons supermarket near the River Kelvin. They have had a number of other homes in Partick including at the site of the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum before finally settling at Firhill Stadium in the Maryhill district of Glasgow in 1909. They had to move as their Meadowside ground was demolished to make way for a granary (which was itself only very recently demolished).

Thistle won the Scottish Cup in 1921 beating Rangers 1-0 in the final, and more famously they won the Scottish League Cup in 1971 by defeating Celtic 4-1 in the final. They have never won the Scottish Football League; their highest ever League placing being third, achieved on three separate occasions - 1948, 1954 and 1963. They have triumphed seven times in the Glasgow Cup, in 1935, 1951, 1953, 1955, 1961 1981 and 1989.

Thistle's original colours were navy blue shirts with white shorts, similar to those currently used by Dundee. These were replaced for the 1936-37 season by the clubs current red, yellow and black favours, borrowed from the local West of Scotland rugby team. Since the change in colours, the club have predominantly played in red and yellow hooped jerseys with black shorts, although for a period in the early 1970s took to the field in yellow jerseys with red shorts. Other, shorter-lived variations have involved replacing the hoops with stripes, playing in red shorts and a single season experiment with a red and yellow halved jersey.


The club have undergone a period of decline in fortunes since the mid 1980s and in 1998 the club almost went out of existence. Faced with massive debt, it looked as though they would certainly go bankrupt until the supporters organised a 'Save the Jags' campaign (the Jags being the club's nickname). This managed to at least ensure the club's survival although they were still relegated to the Second Division that year.

Partick emerged as a well known, what is called "jaky" club, in 2000. The so called mighty jags were relegated twice and picked up their most prolific goal scorer, Mark Roberts, form local rivals Airdrie United.

In 2001 they won promotion from the Second Division to the First Division, and the following year they managed to win promotion from the First Division to the Scottish Premier League, the top division in Scottish football, under the leadership of Thistle legend John Lambie. They were relegated back to the First Division in 2004 - after finishing 10th the previous season - having finished bottom of the SPL (12th). The club's aim at the start of the following season was to get out of the First Division and back into the SPL. Thistle instead were relegated to the Second Division. This was the first time a club in Scotland had been relegated from the top league and then relegated again the following season due to poor performance (Clyde and Dunfermline Athletic's successive relegations in 1974/5 and 1975/6 were triggered by league reconstruction).

On 15 April 2006 Thistle secured their place in the Playoffs by beating nearest rivals Stirling Albion 2-1 at Albion's Forthbank stadium.

On 6 May 2006 Thistle secured their place in the Playoff Final by beating Stranraer 4-3 on aggregate, playing Peterhead in the final.

On 14 May2006 Thistle won promotion to the Scottish First Division due to a heroic performance against Peterhead in the first division playoff final. Thistle headed into the playoff decider with a 2-1 deficit to overturn, and the prospect of facing a home side likely to sit and protect their lead from the first leg. But the Jags squad was fuelled by anger and disappointment at throwing away a 1-0 half-time lead in the first leg. After conceding an early goal in the 5th minute from Peterhead's striker Martin Bavidge, Thistle's chances looked slim and they needed at least 2 goals for a chance of promotion. Goals from Thistle's season-long goal hero Mark Roberts scoring his 22nd goal of the season and Billy Gibson's dramatic injury time equaliser took the game to extra time. Thistle put on the pressure and created the best chances but couldn't break through Peterhead's strong rearguard. The game went to penalties and Thistle went through, winning 4-2. Penalties: Roberts (goal), Kilgannon (goal), B. Gibson (goal), Snowdon (miss) and Ritchie (goal).

The 2006/07 season saw the Jags struggle in the First Division leading to the sacking of manager Dick Campbell on March 27, 2007. Then assistant manager Jimmy Bone was appointed caretaker manager for the remainder of the season, with Terry Butcher as his assistant. A 2-1 win against Dundee with two games remaining secured Thistle's survival in Division One, with Dundee manager Alex Rae adding to the party atmosphere by getting himself sent off for the second time in two matches at Firhill, this time for a rash challenge on Jimmy Gibson.

Thistle's search for a new manager ended on May 25, 2007 with the announcement that ex Airdrie, Dundee United, and Queen of the South manager Ian McCall had been appointed to the post.

Since 1996 the Jags have been relegated 4 times, promoted 3 times and been through financial difficulties which almost saw the Club become defunct in 1997.

Current squad

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player
— GK Northern Ireland NIR Jonathan Tuffey
— GK Scotland SCO Craig Hinchcliffe
— GK Scotland SCO Charles Samushonga (Youth Squad)
— DF Scotland SCO Michael Robertson (Youth Squad)
— DF Scotland SCO Alan Archibald
— DF Scotland SCO William Kinniburgh
— DF Scotland SCO Ricky Little (Youth Squad)
— DF Scotland SCO John Robertson
— DF Scotland SCO Marc Twaddle
— DF Australia AUS Simon Storey
— MF Scotland SCO Simon Donnelly
No. Pos. Nation Player
— MF Iran IRN Pedram Ardalany (Youth Squad)
— MF Scotland SCO Gary Harkins
— MF Scotland SCO Stephen McKeown
— MF Scotland SCO Ryan McStay
— MF Scotland SCO David Rowson
— MF Scotland SCO Kevin McKinlay
— MF Scotland SCO Scott Chaplain
— FW Scotland SCO Liam Buchanan
— FW Scotland SCO Mark Roberts
— FW Scotland SCO Graeme Eaglesham (Youth Squad)
For recent transfers, see List of Scottish football transfers 2007-08.

Noted players

Managers

Support

The club's fans traditionally come from the north-west part of Glasgow and pride themselves on being anti-sectarian in contrast to factions of the support of their much larger Glasgow neighbours, Celtic and Rangers. Their traditional rivals (other than the Old Firm) are Airdrie United, however more recently Clyde.

The club also draws many temporary fans, as the ground is close to the University of Glasgow. Many students from outside Glasgow choose to follow Thistle while there, some ending up supporters for the rest of their lives.

CBS' The Late Late Show host Craig Ferguson is a known supporter of Partick Thistle, as well as Celtic F.C captain Stephen McManus[citation needed].

Achievements

Thistle's best ever placing in the Scottish League is third place, which they have achieved on three occasions: 1947-48, 1953-54 and 1962-63. They have qualified for mainstream European competitions twice, appearing in the Fairs Cup in 1963-64 and the UEFA Cup in 1972-73. They also participated in the Intertoto Cup in 1995.

Club records

Honours

Other honours

  • Glasgow Cup:
    • Winners (7): 1934-35, 1950-51, 1952-53, 1954-55, 1960-61, 1980-81, 1988-89
    • Runners up (11) 1888-89, 1900-01, 1911-12, 1914-15, 1917-18, 1919-20, 1932-33, 1936-37, 1959-60, 1966-67, 1968-69

References

  1. ^ a b Ross, David (2005). The Roar of the Crowd: Following Scottish football down the years. Argyll publishing. pp. 94, 204. ISBN 9-8781902-831831.
  2. ^ Cap total is that achieved while with Thistle. Rough was capped a further two times while with Hibernian.

[1]

External links

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  1. ^ McCall sets out long-term plan, stv interview, 21 June 2007. Firhill pitch can cope, insists chairman, stv interview, 21 June 2007.
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