Winter of '63

Firhill's playing surface has never been great...I can remember Gordon Strachan mentioning it as his least favourite away ground because the pitch was so bumpy...this was when he was playing for Aberdeen so that would have been in the early 80's. Playing fewer games during the Winter months or laying an artificial surface would seem the only practical solutions...Saturday's game against Airdrie was a reminder of how a poor playing surface can affect the entertainment value.

I was hoping to see the incident for the free-kick for Morton's first goal particularly as the edit shows a number of other odd refereeing decisions..it was shown on the SFL highlights and the challenge didn't look like a foul. I'm not a fan of Hugh Murray but the highlights confirm what I thought at the time...he was both unfortunate and stupid. Morton's "Stramash" tactics are difficult to deal with - they sling the ball into the box in the hope that it will fall kindly to one of their players...I prefer our own more sophisticated and cultured approach to the Beautiful Game.

Without doubt the least entertaining 90 minutes at Firhill this season...we looked tentative, the pitch was a bit bumpy, Airdrie were dreadful. We lacked a little spark with Lawless and Forbes not quite at their best...but nobody was brilliant or dreadful. Magnificent goal from Erskine...and 3 points will do.

Since I spent the earlier part of the week sniping at you, I'm pleased to agree entirely with you on this

I'll back you up in so far as my automatic choices for worst used to be; Goalkeeper: Doug McNab Right Back: George Mackie Left Back: Danny Kellachan Mind you that was up to the early 80's when we were always in the top League and before the Club entered the Wilderness Years.

Best: Alan Rough, Alan Hansen and Ronnie Glavin Worst: Only saw Lucas Akins once, he looked the least co-ordinated professional footballer I've ever seen. I also took a particular dislike to Leigh Hinds.

Don't think anyone has suggested this. I am delighted we have sold out our initial allocation even though I haven't got a ticket yet. I'm just a bit disappointed at the attitude adopted by someone involved with One Thistle to those outwith a perceived maximum of 3,000 genuine supporters...I'm sure everyone appreciates the work you guys are doing but it doesn't seem a winning marketing strategy to reach the majority of the potential market by labelling them neutrals. Anyway, it's all clearly Hugh Murray's fault

Probably more to do with Iceland's quotas, I would have thought.

What's that got to do with the price of fish? I may or may not get a ticket but I have no particular issues with the way the club has sold their allocation or that Thistle supporters who don't go to many games are making the effort to go to a Cup Final. It simply proves the point that there are far more than 3.000 "genuine " Thistle Supporters - maybe some people like to feel they are part of a select elite group of true believers but I'd rather encourage anyone with the slightest interest or allegiance to come to the games...I thought that's what One Thistle wanted to do.

I thought we played with real intelligence tonight...we were patient and kept passing and probing. However although we totally dominated the game, we didn't make that many clear chances and the penalty came at the right time before we all started to get anxious. We missed Forbes delivery from corners - we had plenty of them - and although Lawless played well, his corners were poor. Craig looked a bit laboured but did well to set up Erskine - some great skills from Chris tonight.

I've been to every home league game this season...got to Firhill a bit earlier tonight to find that tickets were sold out...clearly I'm a neutral and not a genuine fan.

I haven't been a fan of Hugh Murray and was disappointed when I saw he was playing today though I could understand the logic of having his experience particularly with Archie not in the side. A few people seemed to think he was having a good game but I can't say I agree - at best he was ok...apart from the kamikaze pass to Fox in the first half and the numerous free kicks he gave away. But for me the biggest problem is that he is a very limited player in a team that is striving to play a sharp pass and move style...when he gets the ball, his first instinct seems to turn and play a short pass back to our central defenders then doesn't make space to build an attack leaving little option other than to punt the ball forward. I actually thought he was the victim of a ridiculous challenge and didn't do much more than make towards the Morton player in an aggressive manner...but for a player whose main asset is as an old head to behave like a hothead is no use to the club. Three sendings off in a season is unacceptable.

A pretty unsatisfactory day though I suppose getting a draw away from home while hardly playing any decent football is not a disaster. Don't like watching from behind the goal - I found it a bit difficult to figure out what was actually happening at the far end - but thought we should have done better in closing down the free kick and that Fox might have saved the shot. Too far away to make a judgement on the penalty though the absence of a major protest maybe speaks for itself. Rather like at Firhill, Morton did well to get back in the game but I'm not a fan of their endless shelling of high balls into the box...and was disappointed at how often we hoofed the ball upfield too. Muirhead and Balatoni defended quite well and I thought we were comfortable at 2-0 but after Morton scored it was definitely a case of hanging on and we didn't deserve more that a draw.

Well with that attitude I'm glad you have nothing to do with marketing and fan liason. ,

I think you are underestimating our latent support - I know several people with an allegiance to Thistle but who don't go to games. They are not neutrals...they are the supporters who need to be encouraged and enthused...they might even come to Firhill more often.

I heard a group of Celtic fans singing a version at 6pm last night in the City Centre - I didn't catch all the words but they did include "the tim molloys". It made me wonder if our version is the original - I can remember Thistle fans singing this in the late 60's. The song was preceded by "Hail, Hail" and before that I'm pretty sure "Up the IRA". Like most of us I have good friends and family who are Celtic Fans but it does make it difficult to root for their club. Well done Juve!

Quite possibly my all-time favourite Thistle Goal...Denis was out on the wing in front of the Shed, he then ran in a complete circle almost knocking over the ref before dribbling past several Clyde players and thundering a rocket shot into the corner of the net. Honourable mentions in the great goals stakes are the 40 yard first time strike from Denis against Montrose in Season 70/71; James McKinstry's goal against Clyde; and Stephen O'Donnell's cute finish after a great move against Dunfermline earlier this season.

I don't share the hostility towards Billy Dodds...sure he's a Rangers apologist and clearly not an intellectual giant...but he's a football enthusiast and he has mentioned recently on Radio Scotland that he was taking his son to Firhill as the boy was a Thistle fan. He wouldn't be close to my first choice as manager though...and I'm happy to see how it works out for Archie and Scott so there isn't a current vacancy at present anyway.

Who are you calling Old times?? . I'm fairly certain that it was a dispute with the board about adding Hugh Strachan to the Coaching staff. After 25 years with the club as player and manager, McParland resigned on a point of principle.

Maybe it's heart ruling head, but my initial reaction is positive...continuity with Archie and Scott Paterson is a dude. However it turns out, we'll know that our management team have a genuine commitment to Partick Thistle and don't just see our club as a stepping stone. An away win to start would be good.

McNamara's agent is Darren Jackson...who is a former Dundee United player. I don't have any insider knowledge, but my guess is that these connections are how things work in football, not through ambiguous comments in newspaper articles. It's really galling that it seems to have been a really close call for United between McNamara and Pressley when we have outclassed Falkirk twice this year and by all accounts most Falkirk fans would have paid compensation to get rid of their manager As you say, the most important thing is to get the right man in to continue the momentum.

The only game I can remember seeing him play was in an embarassing 4-0 loss to Clyde - I think he committed an appalling and unnecessary foul, got booked and injured, was substituted and they scored from the free kick. I can't face the thought of going back to the days of players like that!

I have rather feared over the last week that this was coming...but it's still a real sickener. McNamara's first season was unremarkable but this year has been brilliant...I have waited 30 years for the return of the Real Thistle with our own young skillful players and a positive entertaining style. Credit to Jackie for that - he might just have the potential to be a manager in the category of Special Ones. It has been obvious that he wasn't here for the long term...I had noted that while he was always talking about the players improving themselves, he never spoke about any plans for Thistle in the SPL. I was pleased that Wolves replaced their manager a few weeks ago as that was clearly too soon for a return to a club he played for...and whose Chief Executive, Jez Moxey, also started at Firhill. I would have loved to have seen Jackie achieve something special with Thistle and then wish him well at a higher level( though not Celtic)...but while you can understand his motivation for the move to United, this leaves a sour taste, like he's let us down. It will be so hard to take if the season falls apart...let's all make sure it doesn't happen.

We made hard work of that...another simple though ball not dealt with by our central defence...and a real let off with the miss by their No.9 - big useless Coult. We actually played some decent stuff and Cowdenbeath were hanging on for a 2-1 defeat. Some of Erskine's skills were magical and Paton and Bannigan were excellent. We don't have an outstanding striker though - Craig scores goals and has a physical presence but sometimes looks sluggish in staying onside and anticipating moves...Doolan looks short of confidence...and I'm not convinced about Elliot. Can't complain about a referee who deflects the ball out for a corner for us. Looks like a straight fight between us and Morton now...really hope McNamara stays with us...I've waited years to see a Thistle side this good.

Entirely in agreement with this - I have been to every Home League game this season...the football has been entertaining...passing is more important than passion. Maybe Erskine's muted celebration for his first goal was because he thought he was responsible for Falkirk's goal...I suspect professional footballers don't need to be told by the crowd when they make a mistake.