Winter of '63

The Club's first priority for next season is to have a playing surface which is fit for purpose - I have never really felt like we are good enough to be promoted but the condition of the pitch has effectively killed our chances...and it would be good to see some proper football rather than hoof and head tennis. It's getting difficult to find something new to say other than I thought Mayo strength and height gave a better balance in midfield. Bannigan's ability to play in tight space spaces is impressive; Turner hits a mean dead ball; Smith again ineffective; Murray too lightweight; Crawford must surely be better than he has shown. Maybe allowances should be made for the dreadful state of the pitch before damning the team and individual players. I have definitely not been in the school of thought that it would be great if Arbroath got promoted...that's mainly because I have always thought that that Campbell was a total Dick rather than a "character" - one of our worst ever managers. Arbroath were ok -I thought O'Brien (No.5) looked a decent player - but today just left me frustrated as we wouldn't have had to be that much better than we are to be comfortably in the top two this season.

We continued where we left off on Saturday...a completely drained and disheartened team with nothing to offer. Usually I retain an often nonsensical belief that Thistle will get back in a game but the last two games I have known I was watching inevitable defeats...the players seemed to have the same attitude. We haven't looked remotely like scoring but likely to concede against every attack. Our back four have defended very well all season but they are now uncertain and devoid of confidence with Foster looking like he has shot his bolt. The midfield has been unbalanced and too often outmuscled and overrun - I don't think Docherty does anything particularly well...I have only seen Sena on streamed games but at least he has strength, height and pace although he is not going to improve playing with Alloa. I had not been impressed with Crawford but he was utterly hopeless tonight...despite real competition he was our worst player but astonishingly stayed on for 90 minutes. Bannigan deserves to be playing with better players. Jacubiak's can hold up the ball and it is unfortunate that he and Graham have been out injured...and also poor recruitment Alegria has shown nothing and Murray as sole striker was ludicrous...Smith=ineffective. We have less than nothing coming off the bench - Hendrie again poor and Bell predictably way off the pace. McCall has done well enough to get us in a play-off position but I have never felt this was a promotion winning team. There have been obvious flaws in the team which have not been addressed. Hastie and McAllister seemed good signings but have made zero contribution. However I don't think there is a vast pool of talented players (or managers) out there. There is a worrying lack of direction about the club which two weeks ago was in a strong challenging League position. Our PR Guru Chairwoman has apparently got nothing to say - has she lost interest?

This was one of the most embarrassing days in all the many years I have been going to games at Firhill. Hamilton didn't have to be particularly capable but they had a game plan and determination and won easily. The powderpuff header late on by Docherty from about 20 yards out that bounced gently into the keeper's arms was our only effort on target - I joined in the ironic cheers. I had real concerns when I saw the line-up but I wasn't expecting the catastrophic error from Sneddon or Mayo having a shocker. Akinola's confidence seems to have been shattered since his sending off...Smith and Crawford were again anonymous...Turner lightweight...Docherty poor. However, even worse than the limitations of the players and the recruitment and tactics of the management is the quite deplorable state of the playing surface. It looked like they were playing with a trick weighted football that bounced at strange angles. The attritional games on the mudheap did not make for quality football but I feared that when the pitch dried out it would be bare and rutted and even worse for games as a spectacle. The players can't enjoy playing on that surface and I don't really want to watch games like we saw today. We can't be far away from an official censure for having a pitch which isn't fit for purpose. The Club owe us an explanation...this may cost us the chance of promotion although that might be a blessing as we are nowhere near the standard required for the top League.

I almost expect us now to grind out a 1-0 victory with a late goal. The first half was uninspiring but we stepped up the pace in the second half and deserved the win. Jakubiak is the ideal player for our pitch and team...he has the strength to hold up ball and link up with team-mates...though like Ade Azeez I don't really expect to see him score. Murray has a few decent touches but always seems a bit peripheral to the action...Crawford and Docherty were again not very influential...Turner was a clear improvement when he came on. It was a dreich night - gusty wind, rain and a deplorable playing surface which is not conducive to good football...but this team has a real spirit and determination which still makes it worth going to Firhill

We were marginally the better side in the first half...definitely not in the second. Inverness had several decent chances but we defended well enough to keep yet another clean sheet...and once again we scored a late winner...that's a real credit to the team spirit. I thought Murray offered a bit more than Smith usually does but McKenna was our main attacking threat in the first half which says quite a bit about some of our other players. Docherty had a poor game and I am not sure that Crawford brings much to the side. I was not that impressed with Alegria but thought that Jakubiak's ability to hold on to the ball is a real asset on that pitch. I always thought that Sean Welsh was under-appreciated when he played for us...he still looks an accomplished player particularly in contrast with the endless exchanges of head tennis tonight...just bring the ball down! We are not great but we are determined...failure to make the playoffs would now be a real disappointment

The two glaring concerns this season have been the total absence of a cutting edge apart from Tiffony and the extent we would be hampered by the state of the pitch. Tonight confirmed these concerns. Morton had improved a little from the truly awful side we beat comfortably earlier in the season but were still a poor outfit. The scrambled goal they scored was very much in character as they didn't look remotely likely of crafting a decent chance. McKenna is a decent defender and a willing runner but doesn't carry any threat...he isn't helped by the slow passing and lack of support on the right wing. Crawford did very little; Smith had his usual occasional good touches but again pretty ineffective; Jakubniak held up the ball quite well but isn't a goalscorer; none of the subs impressed - McAllister was disappointing and Turner looked like he was playing in roller skates. I had no great confidence in Graham's just smash it penalty technique. I thought we might have ground out another 1-0 victory but we fell away after that miss. Banzo at least tried to open up their defence but isn't helped by the poor surface and the lack of options in front of him. Maybe we are being too harsh on the players for failing to play good quality football on a mudheap but we are nowhere near the standard of our last promotion-winning side...and I would still be disappointed if we couldn't make a play-off spot.

I have checked my battered old scrapbook for that season and can confirm the scorers were:- Montrose - 60 minutes McQuade - 61 minutes Coulston - 62 minutes Glavin - 70 minutes Montrose - 83 minutes To be honest, I didn't have to check because I remember the goal from Denis - it came straight from the restart after Montrose had gone ahead - a rasper from about 40 yards into the top corner - it rivals his mazy run and shot against Clyde as his best ever. A young Ronnie Glavin took over the striker role from Jimmy Bone for a few weeks - he is probably my favourite ever Thistle player but he definitely never scored a hat-trick that season. Could the Evening Times Report been a misprint - "Glavin slams home number three"...though I have his goal marked as a header! I can't remember much about last Saturday's game though

Disappointing that our pathetic Cup record of the past 40 years continues...but encouraging that we were comfortably the better team. It was an opportunity to finally knock Dundee United out of a Cup...they looked bang average and no better than some of the teams we have played this season - I was astonished to see that they are 4th in the Premier. We just lacked sharpness in the penalty box or the right break of the ball on one of the numerous mad scrambles in front of goal. We passed the ball about quite well and had some good performances all round though Hendrie wasn't that impressive but I suppose he is our 3rd choice left back; Crawford worked hard but is not the solution wide right - they were both at fault for the goal. I am a big fan of Banzo but he hasn't been that influential the last three times I have seen him - I don't think our mudheap pitch plays to his strengths; On the positives, Mayo looks like the exception to a long line of rank Old Firm loanees; and something always looks like it might happen when Tiff gets the ball.

This is a very reasonable point to raise. There have been problems with the pitch for decades - I remember Gordon Strachan nominating Firhill as his least favourite away ground as a player because the surface was so poor. I'm sure work was carried out to improve the drainage in Jim Oliver's time and significant sums were spent on the pitch when we were last in the top League..it hasn't been a long term fix. This has been a mild winter - I would have thought frost would be more likely to cause damage to the pitch. I don't think it has been a particularly wet winter either but games are being postponed as the pitch is waterlogged rather than because it is rutted as a result of the number of games played on it. In past seasons, the pitch was often bare, bumpy and uneven later in the season when it had dried out. The state of the pitch has already had an adverse effect on the quality of play and although our home results have been good, having to play a lot of games on a deteriorating surface will not help our title/play-off challenge. The home game against Raith should also have been postponed - it was quite ridiculous that it was played when the paying spectators could not actually see what was happening...though it was good to just about see the last minute winner. This should be a priority issue for the Board for the future.

Grinding out a hard-fought win...we might have to do that a few times for the rest of the season on a dreadful pitch which is likely to get worse. Ayr were much improved from the awful outfit from earlier in the season...I suspect Morton, Dunfermline and Hamilton will be stronger too. We defended pretty well...Akinola & Mayo are very steady...I have been neutral about Sneddon but he was alert and confident tonight - that's an impressive number of shut-outs. I hope McAllister can add balance and an attacking threat on the right hand side...Turner, Crawford and Smith are decent players but square pegs when playing wide. I know I am biased but there seemed to be a fair number of 50/50 decisions which went in favour of Ayr...and there were also 4 or 5 calls on throw-ins and corners which I was close enough to see were simply wrong...and Tiffony definitely looked to have been barged over inside the box and then clearly pulled back just outside and possibly fouled inside the box...our wait to find out who our penalty taker is apparently dates back to December 2020. And to reference a woeful pop song from years ago, on first impression I'd rather Jak than Zak.

He took a real pasting...just like his team!

Airdrie started strongly but the game changed when we got the lucky break to set up the goal. We controlled the game up until the sending off - I watched it again on Sportscene which confirmed my initial view from 70 yards away in the JHS...a sloppy pass from Banzo, Tunji was a bit casual but played the ball against the Airdrie guy who fell over his leg...never a red card. It wasn't the ref's worst decision...this was right in front of where I was sitting...the Airdrie keeper charged out, collided with his defender leaving Tiff through with an open goal only to be rugby tackled...apparently a throw-in. It was a hard fought win with a cup tie edge...we have a really strong team spirit though on today's performance, Rudden would not be hugely missed. I sensed there might be trouble when I saw a group of about 30 guys without football colours at Charing Cross on my way to the game -not young dafties but grown men looking forward to a fight . I had arranged to meet up with an Airdrie fan at the Main Stand after the game so got a close up of the ruckus on Firhill Road. The Police presence of two cops was being overwhelmed but there was a flurry of sirens as reinforcements arrived. So lots to get really angry about but an entertaining day out.

I suspect like most Thistle fans, I am not quite convinced by Rudden...he has potential but needs to work on his game. I think the difference in each place in the League at the end of the season is about £75,000 so I don't think there is necessarily a clear financial gain in selling him now...particularly as there is no remotely obvious candidate to replace him. I am also not convinced we are good enough to win the League...but I would be disappointed if we don't make the playoffs. I have rather been hoping that we would have a play-off game with Dundee...it would be sweet Kharma to relegate them...and then to send them an email. Would we want Rudden in our side in a play-off game against Dundee?

I thought I had seen it all over the years at Firhill...but today I didn't see most of the game...it was like a giant version of spot the ball...apparently Raith had a man sent off. I have no doubt the game was "playable" as the referee could probably see both goals but as a public entertainment it was a farce...although a last minute winner against a keeper who feigned injury and wasted time was very sweet. I am pretty sure we were the better team as most of the play in the first half disappeared into the far penalty box and in the second half there were waves of attacks coming out of the fog. We had several good chances we failed to put away but the goal came down the left wing on the part of the pitch I could see and I celebrated the goal more than any this season...wasn't sure of the scorer but didn't care. Can't wait to see it again from Camallain's spot in the John Lambie Stand...I don't think he has ever failed to post a Thistle goal at Firhill.

I have been hoping to persuade myself that despite the clear flaws in the side we might at least be promotion contenders but the stark reality is that in our home games against the genuine contenders, Kilmarnock, Inverness and Arbroath, they have been quite clearly more accomplished teams - we have failed to score against them and hardly made a decent chance. I dislike Dick Campbell and regard him as one of our worst ever managers...but today Arbroath looked quicker, stronger, more determined and more inventive...a 3 or 4 goal margin would not have flattered them. All the obvious problems were shown up today. Tiffoney was neutralised by fouls, sharp tackling, double-marking and a dreadful sticky playing surface - we have nothing else. Our full-backs and midfielders don't stretch defences and for a big guy Graham wins few headers and doesn't hold up the ball. There is nothing coming off the bench - Hendrie & Gordon hardly touched the ball - Gordon did hit one pass but it went straight out of play. Sneddon didn't look great for the first goal. We have shown no fluency or game plan for most of the season. Today was an endless succession of long punts easily won by Arbroath who then retained possession and passed the ball forward. We were woeful - worryingly, McCall has indicated that he is only looking to sign at most two players in the transfer window. It's not good enough.

Another hard fought victory...and that it a very impressive defensive record over the last few weeks...well done to Jamie Sneddon but to be honest he has had not too much to do in most of the games I've seen...Akinola again looked like a proper defender and Holt was solid. Dunfermline were quite slick in the first 15 minutes but thereafter never really looked like scoring. A strong blustery wind and a bumpy pitch does not assist quick passing football - I dread to think what the playing surface will be like later in the season. It's a bit churlish to be a little underwhelmed by the way the team is performing notwithstanding the decent results but only when Tiffoney gets the ball is there any real excitement. Smith was once more fairly anonymous and although Hendrie improved a bit later on, he didn't provide the much needed drive from full-back. We did press Dunfermline well and there was always the chance that we would nick possession if they dallied on the ball...Docherty then hit a perfect chip for a superb goal. Our Cup Record is absolutely deplorable so it was something of a relief to get through to the next round.

A hard fought victory - Hamilton were clearly determined that there would be no repeat of their drubbing in the previous game but they literally did not have a serious attempt at goal...we only had two with the good header from Mayo and a great strike from Smith off the bar. The first half was dull but even - the second half was a bit livelier if only for two wild challenges on Tiffoney and Turner. McKenna did well defensively but we have little threat from full back or midfield...Hamilton doubled up on Tiffoney and we had little else to offer. Graham & Rudden did not hold up the ball...we linked up play better after they were subbed. So not a great performance...but a good result and the League Table looks interesting.

I had to do a grand tour of the city to get to Firhill from the South Side and missed the first few minutes...I wouldn't have been disappointed to have missed the entire game...apart from Graham just failing to reach a Tiffoney cross we didn't looked remotely like scoring. Inverness were purposeful rather than incisive but we have a fine penalty save, some good defending and the woodwork to thank for a point. It was a dull game - like last week, we failed to get the ball down and make passes - it's a bad sign when the crowd starts counting the number of successive aimless headers. There have been obvious flaws in the team - full backs who are solid enough defensively but offer little attacking threat, a lack of physical presence in midfield (height, strength & pace) and an over-reliance on Tiffoney to open up defences. However, we were a team that looked like we could score goals - not any more. Rudden needs to work on his balance and strength if he is to develop into a top-class player...Graham is quite effective at this level but he is not particularly good at winning headers or shielding the ball. Other than Turner, I have no expectation that any of the squad players might improve the side - Smith has done little, Gordon anonymous, Murray peripheral, Hastie a big disappointment, McIver not thought worthy of being given a chance...and what was the point of signing Hendrie? We should still be good enough to get a play-off place...it's the minimum standard I expect from a Thistle side and the quality of the teams in this League this season is poor...but we don't look like a team that is going anywhere.

There was a strong gusty wind...but that was a poor quality game with the ball in the air most of the time. Dunfermline were dreadful and clearly lacking confidence...they must have sclaffed or hoofed about 30 aimless passes straight out of play....they were well worth their point. Tiffoney is by a distance our main attacking threat...Smith and Hastie have shown very little and Murray is not that influential either...I think Turner is a better player than all three of them. I have been critical of Docherty but he had a decent game though Bannigan was not at his best. I had hoped that all of the 1971 Legends would have been introduced individually to the fans at half-time to receive well-deserved acclaim...instead there were a lot of photos taken of them with their backs to the Stand A disappointing day.

It's probably a bit churlish not to be overly excited by such a comfortable victory...but Ayr were very poor. Thanks to Camallain for posting the videos of our goals...McGinty wasn't up to much when he played for us but this showed how leaden-footed and hapless he was today...I also got to see (just about) how our third goal ended up in the net. Ayr never seriously looked liked scoring so credit to our defence...Holt did well and Akinola looked a proper defender. Banzo was excellent in directing play although two wasteful free kicks...Tiffoney always threatens to open up a defence...Rudden was a mixture of very good and clumsy. On the downside, Foster's crossing was woeful, Docherty again pretty anonymous and Smith not very effective wide right. We have failed badly against the better sides in this League so far and we will have to improve in these areas to avoid a nothing season.

We started brightly but were then second best to a dour Kilmarnock side who had the Tommy Wright trademark of games with record numbers of throw-ins. Their hoofs from the keeper were much more effective than our efforts - Graham just looked clumsy today. We could still finish in the top four particularly with the dreadful starts from Dunfermline & Hamilton who I expected to be challengers but the disappointing thing is that I don't see much room for improvement in this squad. I like McCall but he has built an unbalanced squad with obvious flaws which just about every poster has identified. We don't have an attacking threat from full back - Foster and McKenna are unlikely to go past defenders or put in incisive crosses. The options are more of a kind - centre backs who can play full back. Maybe Hendrie will be an upgrade. Even more glaring is that we are lightweight in midfield - Bannigan, Turner & Tiffoney are good footballers but small and not tacklers - Smith, Hastie and Murray are in a similar mould. I didn't realise that Rudden is such a skinny, gangling type of guy - frequently outmuscled today. Docherty's contribution was again poor - unable to win or retain possession. We need a midfield ball-winner like a young version of Abdul Osman - tall, quick and powerful who can shield the defence and pass the ball on to our creative players. We have loaned a player to Alloa who might have been able to play that role. The Mural of David McParland is magnificent.

The legislation regarding vaccine passports is to apply to outdoor events with unseated crowds of 4,000+. They will therefore not be relevant for any games at Firhill or any other sports venues in Scotland. Perhaps people should take their own advice and not only read the legislation but read it properly and understand it before posting nonsense.

A textbook example of a comfortable home win - Thistle looked like promotion contenders, Morton like relegation fodder. After a bright start, we looked a bit pedestrian for the remainder of the first half though our defence was not tested as Morton posed no real threat. We needed more options out wide and I was expecting more from Foster & Tiffoney down the left...they came good right of the start of the second half and we closed out the game with the third. Turner looks a good footballer - a bit light-weight but hits a mean corner...Holt had a fine game...and Banzo has the ability to play shrewd little passes to make space for team-mates. We seem to have good attacking options from the bench and are a team with a genuine threat of scoring goals. Gordon did ok at right back but like all our full-back options he's not likely to make penetrating runs or put in great crosses. With McKenna out for a few weeks we are really short of cover at the back and with some tough League fixtures next month this could be a challenge. It's good to have positive momentum at the club after some dismal seasons...the end of September will be the time to assess the progress we have made.

It was good to be back at Firhill...and I welcomed the chance to boo Doncaster. Queen of the South didn't look as if they will be one of the top teams in this Division but they had us pinned back and merited both their goals. We do look capable of scoring and we managed to do so at just the right times. I don't think the structure of the side is right with the players available...5 at the back requires the full backs to be an attacking threat and I don't think McKenna or Foster fit the bill...though McKenna did have two assists. Sneddon really should have saved the first goal, Bell got away with 2 dreadful errors and I was disappointed with Docherty's contribution. I would have liked to see us play higher up the pitch - we look to have a bit of invention but with no width, there were few options for Turner and Banzo. Rudden seems to be a bit of a daftie but is a good partner for Graham...Tiffoney's pace and ability to take on defenders will be crucial. So scope for improvement but potential too...and we're top of the League!

Absolutely spot on Allyo. It is utterly cringeworthy to see WJ hold himself out triumphantly as having some unique legal expertise and insight in calling an entirely predictable outcome. I stopped reading his posts after Lord Clark's judgement that the matter should go to arbitration by which time WJ had bored everyone with dozens of tedious posts on why our action would be thrown out immediately by the Court of Session...yet he completely failed even to mention in any of his posts the arbitration issue on which the matter was decided, I don't think anyone actually expected a judgement to overturn our relegation. WJ's obnoxious and repetitive contributions have turned this Forum into a fairly miserable experience - he is a vexatious poster...high on self-regard and low on self-awareness.