Winter of '63

Spot on...over to you

Jagfox beat me to it in the goalmouth stramash to get the fourth name...but I'll claim the glory. Alan Rough played over 50 times in International football but what is the unusual feature of his career in European Club football?

Going for the rebound...Graeme Eaglesham?

Renfrewshire Towns? Chris Erskine Derek Johnstone Bobby "Badger" Houston Can't think of the College Boy...but I've set up an easy chance for someone

The article is "credited" to Aamer Anwar who has made a career out of being offended.

Yes - alert the coastguard...Jeanie D has not reported in. Mark McWalter does seem the obvious answer to his/her/its question

I'm sure that the big full back who played in Lambie's side who won promotion from the Second Division was the son of Colin Smith - can't remember his first name...was it Robert? Jagfox - Spartak Brno were the side that put us out of the Eufa Cup in 1964. Think they were from Czechoslavakia and I believe we were 3-0 up in the first leg only to concede two late goals...then 4-0 in the second leg.

Some swift answers and more refereeing controversy - the Hansens and Doyles were the two brothers I had in mind...the Callaghans were cousins . I hadn't thought of Neil and Jim Duffy, Jagfox but Robert and Bobby Gray were uncle and nephew who both played around 70/71.so I'll give it to Jeanie D who got his/her answer in first.

If this was a Celtic Forum, there would be outrage about your decision, Camallain I believe new signing Hugh Murray is the brother of the much maligned Grant. Name two other pairs of brothers who have played for Thistle...and also the uncle and nephew.

Rot Weiss Essen? I'm fairly sure we lost 7-1 in Germany and think it might have been a 1-1 draw at Firhill...possibly the last friendly match I was at.

Rough was Scotland's No. 1...and Billy Thompson was the Scotland Under 23 keeper when he was with us at the same time. I think he only played once for Thistle's first team. i would rate Nelson, Arthur & Tuffey about equal but Tuffey has superb games against Livingston in the Cup Replay and against ICT. The only thing I remember about Langfield was a horrible flap at a cross which cost us a last minute goal against Dundee and more or less sealed our relegation from the Premier League.

Alan Hansen is the most talented footballer I've seen play for Thistle and I followed his stellar progress when he moved to Liverpool...but they have never been a club I've ever particularly warmed to - there's always a constant hysteria about them...greatest fans in the world...victims of the media (despite Hansen, Lawrensen, Colin Murray & Alan Green being pundits & supporters)...in denial about the repugnant side of their fans' behaviour...they are the Celtic of England. Dalglish? Well, far better judges than me rate him as a wonderful player...but he was utterly hopeless for Scotland in three World Cup Final campaigns. He is supposed to be a far more likeable in real life than his media persona would suggest but the gruff, dead-pan, no compromise aggression which everyone in Glasgow is very familiar with does come over in interviews as ill-mannered and ignorant in an era when Public Relations is King.. David Moyes would be an obvious candidate for Liverpool manager...apart from the Everton connection...and the fact that he's never won anything

From memory, only Dundee voted for us in the Second Vote - Rangers,Celtic,Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen, Kilmarnock, Livingstone & Motherwell voted against us in the first vote and Dundee, Dundee Utd & Dunfermline voted with us. Motherwell's stance was particularly disgraceful - they had been saved from relegation on a vote on ground criteria the previous season. Interesting to contrast the fortunes in the two clubs since - Champions League and obscurity

Great line by someone on Pie & Bovril - "Turkeys vote for a different recipe of stuffing mix"

Under current SPL Rules, a 10 point penalty is imposed on any club which goes into administration. When Motherwell ( and Dundee and Livingston) went into administration, there was no such rule.The transfer embargo has been imposed because of various other breaches of SPL rules by Rangers and Craig Whyte such as failing to pass on payments to other clubs and not because they are in administration. They will be liable to further penalties if they are found to have been in breach of regulations regarding double contracts. Rangers will have to get used to the fact that penalties can be given against them.

The Kick-Off for the New Year Derby game in 2001 between Thistle and Queens at Hampden had to be delayed for 15 minutes to let the big Thistle support in...they had only opened one turnstyle...a 4,000 crowd in a stadium with a capacity of 52,000. My father was a Queens Park fan and the first football match he took me to was a game between Queens and East Stirling(I think) which finished about 7-2 for Queens. That was back in the day when Hampden's capacity was 136,000. Even as a nipper I thought it was a bizarre experience seeing acres of empty terracing...Firhill was much more to my liking,though it's no longer the atmospheric ground it used to be. Despite Hampden's history, I've never thought it was a very good ground to watch football even with a big crowd.

I suspect you may well be right. I heard a former Rangers Director on the radio tonight commenting that in the negotiations with David Murray, Craig White's interest was almost entirely focussed on the Tax Case not on anything else to do with running the club. It's therefore reasonable to asume that White was not only expecting that Rangers would have to go into Administration but also that it's what he wanted to happen. White has already apparently amassed a fortune by buying and selling companies in distress. Look out for him walking away with a huge wad of cash, selling the assets including Ibrox Stadium to Rangers(2012) Ltd and Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs(that's us the taxpayer) getting 3p in the £. Think Dundee FC but on a bigger scale...or Greece but on a smaller scale.

This is a terrible tragedy for Gary Speed's family and friends...he seems to have been both very well-liked and respected.

My selection:- Alan Rough Dave McKinnon Jackie Campbell David Irons Alex Forsyth Donald Park Ronnie Glavin Alan Hansen Chic Charnley Mo Johnston Doug Somner Some random thoughts:- Although I saw Sandy Brown, David McParland and some of the others stars from that era play, I was too young to make a proper assessment. Right back has not been our strongest position over the years I thought David Irons was magnificent when he was converted to a central defender...I'm surprised he hasn't been selected by some of the younger guys on here. Alan Hansen was the most talented outfield player I've seen for Thistle but Jackie Campbell and Andy Anderson were so good as a partnership that Alan moved forward to midfield for a spell. Chic would have to teach Donald Park how to keep calm and not get involved in a rammy every week. The Coulston & Bone partnership gave the '71 side their cutting edge...but MoJo and Somner were better players. Everyone in my team looked the part in the top division...I always liked watching Scott Paterson, John Flood and Gary Harkins but they excelled in the First Division.

My first game since January...I should have known better from Ross County's previous visits to Firhill - they are well-organised, disciplined and "professional" outfit but it makes for a pretty tedious day out...watching footballers walking slowly to take goal kicks and throw-ins is not great entertainment. Scully made three good saves, Cairney and to a lesser extent Sinclair carried a bit of a threat in the second half and Rowson gave his usual hard-working performance but Christie was poor and I wasn't sure what role Erskine was supposed to be playing...and neither was he. Hutton started impressively but disappeared. An obvious flaw in the way the team is set up is Paul Paton's inability to go past a defender...it makes us predictable and easy to defend against. I guess I just find it difficult to accept that Thistle are a mid-table First Division side now and that the likes of County, Hamilton and Inverness have better sides than us...they used to be several divisions below us.

Chalmers was indeed rubbish for us...as were several other ex-Old Firm players who washed up at Firhill...but it is a great quiz question - name the Thistle player who scored against Brazil.

I'm sure the good Lady will not wish to reveal her age, but I was 10 at the time. I do remember Billy Bremner marked Pele who probably still has the scars...Jim Baxter had a Brazilian level of skills...and Steve Chalmers(who later played for Thistle) scored in the first minute - the next day's headline was "Nobody noticed Scotland until they scored." I recently looked this up and two of the stars of the 1970 World Cup winning Brazil side also played at Hampden that day - Jairzinho, who was the top scorer at that tournament and Gerson, the brilliant midfield general. Sadly I was too young at the time to really appreciate footballers of that ability...and the previous week I turned down the chance to see Scotland play Portugal...my Dad came back raving about a guy called Eusebio who soon after became the sensation of the '66 World Cup.

Alan Rough Pele - Brazil played Scotland at Hampden Park in a warm up game just before the 1966 World Cup Finals

The proclamation to Rejoice Rejoice was when British troops recaptured South Georgia, which I think was a small island close to the Falklands and populated by penguins. The Falklands conflict was a convenient war at a time when the Thatcher Government was extremely unpopular. I agree with your first sentence and the story of her milking the taxpayer is just another example of the hypocrisy and moral bankruptcy of the rich and powerful; but although I thought her policies were appalling and found her personally immensely dislikable, I don't think it reflects well on anyone to wish an old woman dead. Mind you, I'm bracing myself to be nauseated by the obituaries telling us how she transformed Britain, brought freedom and prosperity, ended World Communism...

That brought back some memories...I was in the enclosure for that game as well...we had some good players then...and Firhill seemed to have a special atmosphere. Three absolutely fabulous saves from Roughie...a Thistle fan shouted "You should have held it Alan" after the penalty save