beep0608

I've not been on or posted much recently, but out of town is out of the question for me. Redevelopment near where we are is a possibility, though it pains me to say it, Firhill is a mess these days, and sadly lacking atmosphere, but a big part of the experience revolves around stuff like a pint or two around Byres Road before and/or after, and so on. Out of town might be a final nail for me, and many like me. Having said that, the current situation is now dire. I voted to stay, which could mean nearby, but I do think something needs to change.

That's good to hear. I don't know him, but it would be good to see the film, and hear the stories.

I tried my best with the tartan scarves, then the line went cold, emails not answered and so on, even asked in the shop. Still a good idea I think but I've lost interest now. If anybody wants to take it on then please do. That reminds me, is anybody filming the Hall Of Fame dinners? If not, why? These memories should be recorded and shared. Assuming they're not being filmed, this time last year I'd have volunteered, but right now I've never been less interested. I've not been to an away game in ages but quite fancy Somerset this midweek. Some old school might reignite my interest cos Firhill is a lifeless place these days, football is generally keech and I include the Premiership and Chumps League. Happy days...I'd rather

...and pretty much why I don't check this forum so often these days. I'm still interested in Thistle but I'm generally bored with fitba, and many of the opinionated twats who follow it, obsessively. Just listen to Radio Clyde from about 6pm midweek....unintentionally hilarious, but I like to think we're a bit better than that, on average.

Been here before but I don't mind saying it again. I remember seeing him there. He's even said it live on American tv, when talking to Jennifer Love Hewitt who clamied to be a Celtic fan. Is her hubby Glaswegian or something? Alasdair Burnett (former ITN news anchor) was a big Jags fan, 800 Club Member (I'm sure he won a prize once) and often referred to that when reading out football scores. I remember once he read out midweek scores, and after reading out Meadowbank Thistle earlier, read (something like) Ayr United nil, THE Thistle one! Happy days. I believe he was a junior reporter in Glasgow so it started there. Doesn't mean he wasn't worthy of a Spitting Image caricature though. Stewart Hall though, I love that one and have heard him profess it. He's one of a kind, and a (UK) national treasure.

Well that's really one to be proud of.

...and has said, more than once possibly, something along the lines of "I'll be back". He said that to me, at Scotstoun Stadium of all places, wearing Thistle kit, despite having resigned a couple of weeks earlier. Take from that what you will.

I got an email from somebody at Greaves way back then, and it sounded promising (see earlier posts). As requested, I waited a while, a few weeks, then emailed again, asking for an update. No reply. I waited a wee while longer and tried again. Nothing again. I don't get too shocked when people let me down but it is polite to reply, at least. I even asked the last time I was in Greaves but nobody there knew anything about a Thistle tartan scarf. I can't be ersed chasing them any more but if anybody else is then feel free to do so. Good luck. Thistle fans are used to disappointment, but if you keep going there is always hope. Here is the last email I got. Frank Bannigan [email protected] to me (14 Jan) Dear Brian, Thank you for your enquiry regarding Partick Thistle tartan scarves, we are currently in the process of sourcing this product from our suppliers and once we have all the relevant information we will present it to the Board of directors for the authorisation / approval. The process from design / manufacture to retail can take a number of weeks but rest assured as soon as they are available for sale I will be in touch. They will be available through the usual outlets in the City centre , Firhill stadium store and online at www.greavessports.com . Kind regards, Frank.

Forget that. Isn't going to happen anyway. Rangers will keep going in one form or another and even if they didn't I highly doubt that we'd benefit in any way. To be perfectly honest (wish McCoist would stop saying that ALL the time) though, I don't give a....

They might be in bother but they won't disappear, sadly. At worst they could do an Airdrie and reform. One way or another we are stuck with them forever.

Remember it so well. Sweet revenge for a 6-2 drubbing a year or two before, as I lived in Dundee at the time. My first game was also against Dundee, but 0-0, a month or two after we won the League Cup. The next week I saw us beat Aberdeen 2-0, in front of a fairly big crowd. Scorers Glavin (my first) and Forsyth. I had to look that up, and now realise that my first Thistle game was Jimmy Bone's last. First away game, a 3-1 loss at Cappielow around the same time, but the book dates that to 1974....ok then.

Right with you. Much more than a football club to me.

I decided a few days ago to stop posting but it's hard not to when I see so many negative opinions and attitudes, showng much of the arrogance and other traits that Levein gets accused of. Some of you should look in a mirror, and stop bleating, but you won't of course. There are plenty of opinions that I agree with, but some should calm down. Do you want Berti back or what? I thought Levein was the best appointment, admit I've been a bit disappointed so far, but he clearly needs a lot more time. He will never be good enough for some though. I'm not sure what you want.

Gaun' ra Jags.

Who's wrong? It's all about opinions, I think I'm right but I'm not calling you wrong. Anyway, so feckin' what. I don't see the point in this any longer, or football really. MOTD is on just now but I'm flicking round other channels now. The game is a joke from top to bottom. I'll be back at Firhill alright, and still care about the national team, but that apart? Football is no longer cool, in fact there is steam rising.

Of course, none of us are ever likely to be in that position, but if we were, and we came across people who we could not get on with in any way, and maybe felt we were being shafted by, I can't claim that I would be so strong and principled as to put up with it. I once had a nightmare of a job that I walked out of after 3 days, and I never regretted that decision. Maybe these are invalid comparisons, and maybe I'm giving far too much benefit of doubt to the likes of Fletcher, but I'm just trying to see things as they might really be. Incidentally, despite what I said earlier, I do actually dislike Barry Ferguson, as he went way beyond what we're talking about here, and so did McGregor, and that's another black mark against Levein in my book, in begging Ferguson to come back, a player I've never rated anyway.

On the radio last night I heard references to some interview involving Gary Caldwell and/or Steven Fletcher and the suggestion was that Caldwell and Fletcher don't get on at all well, and Caldwell is seen as one of the lynchpins in the team, and what he says goes. For me, the more I watch Caldwell the more I see what Celtic fans talked about often when he played for them. Calamity Caldwell, or something like that. Just think back to Norway for a prime example. Perhaps he's Levein's blue eyed boy, in which case Steven Fletcher becomes unwelcome. In that case, if I was in Fletcher's boots, I'd be tempted to walk. I could be way off the mark here, but that would make me understand walking away from the national team, and I'm a fan, and supporter, Espana 82 footsoldier. In that position and I'm sure many of you would too. It happens all the time at club level but there is the transfer option. That's not an international option, unless you're uncapped and have an Irish granny, or whatever. I'm not saying that I like or dislike Kris Boyd, Duncan Ferguson, Barry Ferguson, Lee McCulloch, Steven Fletcher, and others who have done the same, as I don't know any of them, but if you're with people of influence who you can't be around or work with then staying away is understandable. I'm not saying correct, as I'm sure others put up with similar crap too, but it is understandable, to me.

Like you, I can only read so much of this stuff before my eyes start to glaze over. I'm glad (and very thankful) that some folk here have their eyes on the ball, but who am I to trust? I don't have a clue about individual motivations, the politics and finances involved, and so on and so on to infinity and beyond. I joined the Jags Trust because I liked the idea of there being a fans association, but that seems to have fallen to bits and is discredited so....what's worse is it's probably only succeeded in causing rifts not between fans and club but between the fans themselves. Hardly what anybody wanted, but that's politics for you. The message would seem to be that a supporters organisation will never work as it would just go the same way again, one way or another. How do we then influence anything at the club, in any meaningful way? Pass. Unless one of us comes into big money, and doesn't drop Thistle for Barca. Ultimately, we're all just pissin' in the wind, "and there ain't nothin' like a friend, who can tell you you're just pissin' in the wind." (50 bonus points for the song reference).

His tactics in the first game against the Czechs were disgraceful and he seems to be developing a siege mantality already but calling for his head already is really pushing it for me. I admit he's been a disappointment so far but he needs a lot more time. Are we going to change boss every 5 or 6 games? Sorry, it's far far too early for that for me. I think he needs until part way through the next qualifiers at least.

Parking at Scotstoun would not be much better, even with the old pitches in Victoria Park thrown in. You can hardly get a parking space inside Scotstoun on a regular night, and there not much available in the streets nearby.

Damn right it is. My daughter uses it twice a week, with Victoria Park Athletics Club, and I'd be really p*ssed off if the track got ripped up for some going nowhere football team. It has more future and purpose than we appear to have just now. Go along Tuesday and Thursday nights (at least) and you'll see it packed with kids and other youngsters running, jumping, and throwing. I was at Meadowbank more than once and it was a nightmare of a football venue. Scotstoun is much more modern but it would not be any better. Not an option for us, unless it's a desperate stop gap temporary last option. Gawd forbid.

I've always thought so, so couldn't agree more. I can't help but resent them a bit, but if Greg Watson had kept his concentration down in the corner and we'd stayed up at Tannadice it would have bene the same thing next season, and we'd probably have gone down the next season. No point in worrying about what didn't happen.

I'm sad to say that I might be more like the other way round these days. I wasn't as upset by the last gasp penalty as I would have been years ago though. Maybe part of me realises there's no point, and that fitba is a crock of shit now. It's never been less involving, epitomised by the Premiership, where money is all that matters.

Thanks. That was very useful, not that it's cheered me up any, or inclines me to read every post. Seems futile really.