ausjag

Just got the score before breakfast here in Oz. MY wife's response was happy for you love, but what about the woman waking up from 28 years in a coma. My goodness I have been in a coma all season. Wish I was going to Firhill this Saturday for the celebrations.

Result brought a big smile to my face here in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Showing my age here, was at the Celtic 0 ; 2 Jags game at Parkhead. Massive thistle support turned up. Standing outside the away end to get in when a huge cheer went up, thought we were down a goal until heads with red and yellow scarves appeared shouting we had scored. Shuffling towards the turnstiles another Huge cheer, despair setting in, they have equalised, but no, heads appear again with red and yellow scarves, we were two up. When we finally got in the rest of the game was rather ordinary the only thing else I can remember is Yogi Bear falling over his own boots on the Jags goal line and not scoring. The North Terrace has had a roof over it from the first day my dad took me to Firhill. I think they were building something or doing renovations as I spent most of the time playing in a sand and crushed rock site with other little kids. I think it was about 1949. And the last game I attended, when still living in Glasgow it still had a roof. That was early 1964.

all this nonsense about being beaten. I watched the game here too, same as my mate Doug whom has been exiled. Losing like this is nothing. You should have been at Ibrox when we were flying high and going to win the league in 62 and Ralph bloody Brand scored the only goal with his hand, now that was heart breaking. Only good thing from that was that neither of the ugly sisters won the league, Kilmarnock did

What about what th "Melbourne Victory" sing; Stand by me. Look it up on You tube, it is awesome when we sing it.

And Ralph Brand scoring the winner with his hand against us at Ibrox

When I was old enough to go without my dad I would pay to get into the enclosure then go up the stairs to the canteen on the right of the stand, left if looking direct, buy a good pie and Bovril then sit in the stand for the game without paying. The canteen was also where the blind went for a live commentary.

Wife thought I was nuts getting up so early just to get a footy result. THIS RESULT makes up for the Monday morning (Aussie time) depression. Followed the mighty Jags from the first game I saw as a four year old and this result is right up there as one of the best. I am now looking forward to watching the Jags live on Foxtel here as the SPL is on the box. For all of my life here in Australia, 50 years, the one thing I have missed the most is nights like this at Firhill. I envy you all for having witnesssed the game.

The best ever change of position for the Jags was Andy Kerr. Right back to centre forward, and was sensational.

Put me down for ten quid too. A very worthy idea.

I only go every 5 years or so. The next time will be 2015, God willing. Was going to be 2014, but too many things happening in Glasgow. Also I wanted to go to Glasgow in Scotland, not as the UK Government is saying that the 1707 Treaty of Union made Scotland part of England.

I remember that goal. I was with my dad too. I was 14yrs old and I went nuts when the best centre half in the world scored. Made the score 3 : 2 for the Jags. Went to the final with dad against Celtic, poor result for us 0 : 0. Being a student at Shawlands Academy I naturally plunked the afternoon session of school to go up to Hampden for the replay. Should have stayed at school and suffered Latin and French.

Sorry to post as I did not really want to get involved,as my very good friend Exiled Ausjag knows where I stand on this subject. Firstly, The Political Union known as The UK will no longer exist after Scotland goes its own way. The United Kingdoms are Scotland and England, therefore with only one kingdom remaining, how can it be a United Kingdom? The remaining parts will be Wales; Northern Ireland and England or if you prefer an unlabeled WINE. As a very young lad sitting at my dad's knee, I remember him telling me one of the reasons to follow the Jags was that one club in Glasgow thought they were English and another club thought they were Irish, but only Partick Thistle was Scottish. You should all understand this. Born a Scot and will die a Scot by standing on my own two feet. I love the English, and those from Ireland whom I have met are cheery and outgoing people. The only Welshman I have ever known was a chappie called Evan Evans, a teacher of maths at a school I was the VP at, a nice fella he was. That said however, I think we will be better neighbours out of this Union than we are in it. My dreams for the time I have left on this Earth as the barque of time moves on is, The Jags to win the league and Scotland an independent country.

I am really happy to do it, but I need someone with the knowledge to tell me how.

I don't know when I saw my first game at Firhill. We lived in Raglan St just down by the Round Toll. A 5 to 10 minute walk to the ground. My dad was a Jags man as were all my uncles including one that actually played for Rangers. In fact our family was so steeped in the Jags that my sister had to marry a Jags fan too. I digress however, where was I, oh yes my first game at Firhill. Not sure if it was 1949 or 1950, but they were remodelling Firhill for the dog's track. Remember standing at what was to become the Tote end and leaving my dad with his mates to go and play in the sand and stones at the back of the ground. Not sure what team we were playing but they were in blue. That was the first of a thousand memories of bliss and depression. One game that sticks in my mind was a new years game against Clyde. My dad said it would be magic as it was a relegation battle. true to form with about 5 minutes to go and us down 0 : 2 dad said let's go. As we reached the bottom of the slope to exit there was a roar from inside; the Jags had scored with two minutes to go. We stopped and my dad was not sure whether to go in again or head home. As he dithered another mighty roar, the Jags had equalised, the cue for a mad rush back into the ground only to see them walking off. Another game was at Parkhead 1962 or 63, excuse my lapse in memory, called getting older, I was well into my teens then and decided to go to the game with four or five of my Thistle minded mates. Got to the Celtic ground only to be met by cues miles long outside the stadium. It was one of those games that only happens with the Jags, just about every Thistle supporter in Glasgow decided to go. Meanwhile as we are waiting and waiting to get into the away end of the ground there is this almighty roar. Must confess I said a wee sweary thinking Celtic had scored. No! to the delight of all us waiting to get in the Jags fans started waving scarves from above; we had scored. Still shuffling forward trying to get in when there was roar even louder than before, and as before another we sweary, must be Celtic equalised, but once again no, the Jags 2 Celtic 0. Was over the moon with excitement we were all singing and dancing our way to the turnstiles anxious to get in. Standing on that terracing at Parkhead with the biggest Thistle support I have ever seen at Parkhead was unbelievable. Needless to say that for the rest of the game Thistle never got out of their own 18 yard box and Celtic did everything except put the ball in the net. They're just two memories of games, and sad to say never saw any of the goals Thistle scored. Bit like that old Amercan cop show from New York, a city with 8,000,00 stories, that's me and the jags.

I have just mentioned on the Nomads thread that I have 8mm film of Firhill from 1976. I was standing in the centre circle and filmed the complete ground in a circular movement. I have transferred the film to Video and am now putting it on DVD. If some bright spark out there could tell me how to put it on computer I would gladly post it to this Forum for others to see, that is of course if anyone wishes to view it. The ground is brilliant with the shed, terracing at both ends of ground and of course the Stand and old enclosure. There is also film of the outside of the ground. Hope this is useful to the Forum.

If you have to support a team up north try Luebeck or if you wish a Bundesliga team try Hamburg or Bremen, any team but the Pirates. When in Germany, which is nearly every year, I go and see my local team Luebeck. The only down side is they play in the 2nd division North. I have actually been to see St Pauli and I must admit the support is out of this world. But I still miss the jags. If anyone is interested I have an 8mm film, turned into a video and now on dvd, standing on the centre circle of the ground at Firhill that I took back in 1976. Has the shed, terraces behind both goals and the old stand and enclosure. If someone, more savvy than I could tell me how to get it on the net I would gladly put it on here for everyone to see. Perhaps if someone from the Forum whom knew how to do this I would have it up in a minute. Perhaps I should put this request in the Main Forum?

My dearest friend, how was I to know you would have an avator similar to mine? By the way when are you and mrs you coming over for dinner again. I've got some excellent new recipes I want to try out. My mrs me sends her regards. Mon the Jags and of course Victory. Can you believe they have sacked the most succedsful coach in the A League History. Because he was from Glasgow and sort of supported the Jags.

I'm a Melbourne Victory foundation member and I love going to see them. Victory is the chosen team for all the Scots here in Melbourne. Too many ugly sister shirts go however, although there are Hearts, Hibs, Dundee Utd, Kilmarnock, Aberdeen shirts as well. Not to mention the Jags tops in the South End. The club song is certainly sung to the tune of Scotland The Brave. It is true that Victory is the biggest club in the A League, but I think that is good as the rivalry is mostly built around cities. Heart is new and of no consequences at all. Next to the Jags I would prefer to watch Victory than any other team. By the way Collingwood's President is a TV personality here named Eddie McGuire. His folks are from Glasgow, but unfortunately he dotes on the Celtic. My avator shows the Victory support at the North end of our ground. Note also they play in Scotland's colours.