Barney Rubble

Thanks for the reasoned response, SussexJag. I'd like to take you up on a few things though, in the constructive spirit of debate. 1) Ayr have been to more cup-finals and semis than we have in the last 30 years 2) Archie has us playing the best football we have seen at Firhill since the mid-70s, I'm sure you will agree that's not up for discussion. Frankly, IMO this year's league win trumps anything Lambie did for Thistle, although I will acknowledge that his tenure from 1999 - 2003 was probably the most significant of his four periods in charge, given the club's plight at that time. 3) Lambie's record in the SPL with Thistle (and Falkirk) was hardly indicative of someone who could take a team to another level in the top division, bearing in mind that he certainly had funds and considerable talent available to him at Falkirk. Also the players he chose to release at the end of 1994-95 season, given that he subsequently went to Falkirk soon afterwards, have always been a source of suspicion to me about his motives at that point.

Both. O'Donnell is the better footballer of the two, IMO. However, McMillan is versatile and can credibly cover at least three positions (RB, CB and CM), and that flexibility may be vital as we will likely have the smallest squad in the SPL next season.

That may be true, factually. I've been watching Thistle since 1966 (sorry), and Lambie is nowhere near as good as some people on here would have him. But that is just my opinion.

Alex McLeish won it that year.

I respect your opinion. Name my inaccuracies, please.

And never above 8th in the top division. Compare and contrast with Bertie Auld and Davie McParland.

No - but we were hardly making great progress under him were we? And he shafted us big style by 1) going to Falkirk and 2) the players he conveniently got rid of before went to Falkirk. Murdo McCleod was a crap manager for sure, but dig a bit deeper folks. He got handed a pile of dross by Lambie.

What bit did I get wrong?

Our record with him as manager in the top division. In his last season (2002- 2003??) he chucked it at New Year as I recall, and left it to Gerry Collins to run the season out.

Semantics. John Lambie used Thistle when it suited him.

I wish people would stop this canonisation of John Lambie. He was a manager who used the Jags when it suited him (left us for Hamilton and Falkirk), and the facts prove that he was completely out of his depth in the top Scottish division. To mention him in the same sentence as Jock Stein and Alex Ferguson does not stand up to scrutiny.

He's 34. He's well past his best. That's not a debate. He would still be far superior (if fit, which I'll admit is a big if) in the SPL to what we currently have. That's also not a debate.

Harsh. Worth it for his goal against the false Jags alone. I'll admit that I'd expected it to be better over the piece.

A fit Gary Naysmith would be a wonderful addition to our squad.

He did. And I think Morton scored one against us in the 2-2 game.

A definite case of having had a little too much juice tonight, Phil?

Eh? Derek Whyte was excellent for us in his first season.

Isn't Hugh Murray the club captain?

We got Derek Whyte from Aberdeen.

We've not played at our best since Livingston. That's undeniable.

I take it you mean at home - we failed to score at Dumbarton.

No issues Jaggernaut, it's just a difference of opinion. Much more important is the opportunity that Archie and the guys have opened up for us.\ If we take it, the party will be something else!!!

We promote ourselves as being above that kind of nonsense, so let's live it like we talk it, please. The answer to your first question is NO. And to your second one is YES. Let's see the job through now.

5-2 in the Scottish Cup in about 1999. Tosh x 3 and Dunn x 2 IIRC. Andy Frame was the man of the match.

Started my day in Novi Sad with a bugger of a hangover, mostly brought on by watching a pile of cowdung last night. One train to Belgrade, one flight to Podgorica and a three hour drive to Tirana later, and the Jags give me a birthday to remember. Well done lads. We are top of the league to stay.