Winter of '63

I would date Thistle's decline from their historic norm at Season 1981/82 - we stayed in the smaller Top League of 10 teams (with 2 relegated every season) from 1976 and without too much difficulty. Only under Lambie and Archie have we returned to that level. Head-to-Head statistics can be distorted by sides not being in the same divisions over several seasons but there are some interesting comparisons with the teams in our peer group. We have significant deficits against Dundee (79-101), Dunfermline (29-50) and St Johnstone (42-52). We have however won more games than we have lost against Motherwell ( 85-82), Kilmarnock (95-79), St Mirren (77-67), Falkirk (85-60) & Hamilton (59-58). I think our core fan base has dropped over the last 25 years in comparison with these clubs - Hamilton from a lower base have also declined and they share with us a quite awful cup record. My conclusion is that we have been pretty rubbish for most of the last 30 years...I don't know what the reason is but prior to that period we regularly produced players who went on to play for Scotland (Mo Johnston was the last in a long line) but since then we have seldom brought though players good enough to play for very ordinary Thistle teams. Maybe concentrating on developing our own players is the way forward.

We played pretty well for the first 30 minutes, conceded two goals far too easily, changed formation at half-time and looked a very poor side. Fox made a very good save but I don't know what he was doing at the resultant corner...standing at the post as the ball floated to Shankland who bundled it in from about one yard. It changed the game - United exploited our inability to tackle and the huge spaces down our right hand side. In fairness, Shankland has two outstanding finishes but the change from being the better team to also-rans was dispiriting. Only Bannigan & Cole looked up to the standard of player I would like to see at Firhill...Penrice looked a bit lost when switched to midfield...most of the others are relegation calibre- Williamson, Saunders, Robson, Cardle, Zanatta. I don't know what we are paying Miller but it is far too much. I'm a bit underwhelmed at some of the proposed signings - I will not be rushing to see Graham, MacKinnon or Berra but the current squad is nowhere good enough.

I know you go to a lot of the Reserve Games and I appreciate your reports - surely it can't have done any good for our young kids being hammered by between 6 & 9 goals by older boys just about every game? And none of our older players have made the grade. I was delighted that Colin Weir was investing in a Youth Academy for Thistle rather than buying players for the First Team...but so far the products from the Weir Academy have been a disappointment.

One of the many dispiriting aspects of last season was the embarrassing thrashings suffered by our Development Team...it's a concern that the great opportunity afforded by the Weir Academy has hardly produced any players good enough for the First Team...and that has not been a particularly high standard in the last two seasons. Maybe Kevin Nisbet would have developed better as a player if he had been given more games in preference to that hopeless lump Pogba. I hope there are better young players coming through...and that they are given a proper chance.

Entirely agree - Higgy's streak of form was sensational in that period...a genuine match-winner with goals and assists. Archie's inexplicable substitution of Erskine and Higgy late on at Fir Park turned a 3-2 lead into a 3-4 defeat.

My top five goals in ascending order are :- 5. Chris Erskine against Hibs at Firhill - great combination between Higgy, Lyle Taylor down the right a clever dummy by Dools and a cracking finish by Chris. 4. Steven O'Donnell at Tannadice - length of the park in 5 touches including a back-heel...this is the only choice I didn't see live. 3. Higgy against Motherwell at Fir Park - won the ball, weaved past 5 defenders and slotted into the corner...as said elsewhere Higgy was a man possessed that day 2. Stephen O'Donnell against Dunfermline - a great team goal in a game when we realised that we might just have a special team 1. Gary Fraser at Tynecastle - with a huge Thistle support behind the goal as the shot exploded in the net and we knew we were staying up was a special moment

The only doubts I had with my selections were:- Right Centre Back - definitely the hardest choice...Balatoni had a mandatory blunder every game, Muirhead excellent in the First Division but didn't make the step up, .Frans was pretty solid, Keown & Devine ok initially but declined significantly, Lindsay far better on the left side. Barton was outstanding in his first season though he usually played in a back three - he was awful as a midfielder in his second season. Midfield Anchor - Paul Paton was a key player in the promotion winning team , Osman likewise in the top League - awful in his final season though. Striker - we seldom played twin strikers and although I didn't expect Lyle Taylor to be in the £4m transfer bracket, he and Doolan were very good players for us. I would give honourable mentions to Dumbuya & Lawless and Welsh & Fraser might have been candidates but for injury problems. Cerny O'Donnell Barton Lindsay Taylor-Sinclair Erskine Osman Bannigan Higginbotham Taylor Doolan

The lack of responses on this thread rather sums up Benny Rooney's time at Firhill but Laukat's assessment is spot on. The decline in the standard of player which started towards the end of Bertie Auld's time and which Peter Cormack was unable to address went downhill sharply under Rooney - journeymen professionals towards the end of their careers were given contracts and Rooney's time in charge marked the change from Thistle being a top flight Club or at least striving to be one to an underachieving Club which habitually struggled to stay in the Second Tier. I lost enthusiasm for going to Firhill - all this has echoes of what has happened under Caldwell. Rooney had been an unpopular player as the mandatory old-head in Bertie Auld's very good side which ran away with the First Division. In the decisive game against Kilmarnock, he went down injured to great cheers from some Thistle fans...he struggled to his feet just as the ball landed in front of him...he lashed a 25 yard rocket into the net, turned to give a GIRUY gesture in the direction of the Shed, then collapsed in a heap to be carried off to the double delight of the Thistle Support. It was his only memorable contribution at Firhill.

Caldwell mentioned that one player had not been chosen in any of the players' team selections except by that player in his own selection...he then went on to say the player had scored in the game. Our scorers in the Queen of the South game were Mansell, McDonald and Bannigan...so it doesn't require great powers of deduction to work out that Mansell was the player he was referring to. Maybe Caldwell was a footballing visionary who saw something in Mansell that none of his team-mates had done...or maybe he was an awful manager who gave a two year contract to a player who, on what little I have seen, is not even up to the very poor standard of our current squad.

We were maybe unfortunate to be a goal down at half-time after a decent first half...but the second half was a bit dull - very good saves from Fox and one off the post - we didn't really look like equalising. The core of this squad is no better than just good enough to stay clear of relegation and no matter the quality of reinforcements at the January Transfer Window, we are unlikely to make a promotion play off spot. It's another season which will pass us by. Saunders did quite well but it was no surprise that Dundee cut through the right side of our defence easily for their goal - Williamson is not very good and Kakay who did well against Morton at right back last time I saw him, offered little in defence or attack. Cole hit some brilliant passes...Banzo tends to dwell on the ball and play safe passes...but I suspect that the lack of options makes the task of hitting an incisive ball much more difficult. Jones looked ok but Cardle was ineffective again. I was not enthused at Miller signing for us...he is very fit for his age but he is a bit of a pest - playing behind Penrice, then as holding midfielder, less roving in the second half but hardly in the game. It's difficult to see huge scope for improvement in this squad and disappointing that the Weir Academy has not produced young players who are good enough to challenge for a place in this team.

A considerable number of our squad will be absolutely delighted with the deals which their agents have done. I suspect that relatively lucrative final full time contracts have been handed out...Harkins, Cardle, Saunders, De Vita are way best their best...Mansell, Wilkinson, Robson & Hall simply aren't good enough...even Scott Fox who remains a decent keeper was not the best use of our budget -and we don't get to find out if Sneddon can make the grade. And Miller...I thought he was a good player for Scotland but I wasn't enthused about his signing...he is still incredibly fit for his age and has scored a few goals but he has been ineffective in the few times I have seen him...Barney Rubble & Lady Isobel Bennett have already identified the obvious flaws...exactly as reported by Dundee & Livingstone fans last season...and apparently a disruptive influence even with his beloved Govan Tax-Dodgers. That's a lot of players with limited contributions or scope for improvement...and the rest of the squad is not exactly top quality even for this Division. The worry is that there is not a great pool of untapped talent out there...and McCall has always tended to sign Scottish Players, which in other circumstances, I would regard as a positive but I can't think of any likely candidates who would want to come to a team that could be relegated. Anyone who thinks that we will be able to bring in players in January who are of a better calibre than Bannigan & O'Ware needs a reality check...Banzo looks frustrated by the effect of his long-term injury and the dross he is currently playing with. Caldwell and by association the former Chairman left our Club in an awful mess...and yet there were apologists on here well into this season when it was quite clear almost from the start that he was not the right man. It looks a long way back to the standard Partick Thistle should be at...a lot more than one transfer window.

What an embarrassment. Infamously, Thistle did lose 10-1 to Dunfermline in the last game of the Season in 1959....it was a result which saved the Pars from relegation and I believe that there have been hints of a lack of sporting integrity...I think that's the appropriate phrase. In contrast, the current squad is just very poor and lacking in commitment but let's hope they can avoid double figures today. There is something not right at our Club...how have we ended up with so many poor and under-performing players?

The low point for me was when two of the more regular posters on the New Owner Thread had an exchange about whether or not they would sit together at Firhill - from what I can tell neither of them have actually seen a game at Firhill for years...they never post comments about watching a game there. I used to enjoy reading this Forum even when I didn't agree with the views expressed. Over the last few months, it would give you the visual and mental equivalent of Repetitive Strain Injury. Rather like Political Parties passing themselves as Fact-Checkers, changing a name doesn't change the Mince that is being posted. The general malaise around the Club doesn't help but I skip reading an increasing number of posts now - it's not surprising several of the more interesting posters are no longer regular contributors.

My father was a Queens Park supporter...he took me to my first ever football match...Queens against East Stirling at Hampden...the ground capacity back then was 134,000 and there was not a single person on those huge terracings...Queens won 7-2 I think but I had been jagged with the Thistle virus at a very early age and even a thumping win didn't change my allegiance. Despite always living in the South Side, I can't remember ever meeting another Queens Park supporter...but good luck to them in their new status...they have a far better record of bringing through good young players than Thistle in recent years.

What has happened to The Jukebox Rebel? He doesn't seem to have posted here for some time. I always looked forward to reading his excellent statistics on current form and everything else about Partick Thistle...though the statistics were becoming increasingly grim reading over the last two and a bit seasons.

I haven't had much enthusiasm for the current squad but I did think the selection and formation today was the best we have got. First half we were ok - terrible miss by Miller...Cole looked a decent player. Second half was great entertainment if not great quality football. I was too far away to judge the challenge by Banzo...he is a class above most of the rest of the team but these ill-judged tackles are happening too often. The substitutes were spot on - Zanatta pretty ineffective and Cole barely lasted an hour. I am not convinced Gordon has that much to offer...but scored two well-taken goals. The team showed real spirit in defending with O'Ware immense, Fox making several good saves and Kakay more impressive in attitude and ability than I expected. We did ride our luck but we have failed to hold on to a lead so many times in the past 5 or 6 seasons so it was good to take the points...and Morton were very poor. Hall looked a bit slow and indecisive and McGinty wasn't much better...but the main problem is up front...Miller failed to hold up the ball or support attacks and the ironic cheers when he finally won a header after about 80 minutes summed it up...Zanatta and Mansell don' t look like goalscorers. That was a good win though.

Yes I remember Professor Cowie...if only I had not gone to Firhill and attended his lectures back then I might have a better understanding of Brexit...or maybe not!

I was at University at the time...probably missed a lecture in Constitutional Law to go to Firhill...not a tough choice! Willie Gibson who subsequently played for Thistle scored a hat trick for Hearts but Donald Ford was brilliant for them that day...probably the best individual performance I have seen by an opposition player at Firhill. It was a strange time...the entire country was on a 3-day week with power cuts in the evenings...a really bleak time...no surprise that people took the chance to go to an afternoon game.

That photo brings back some memories...I went to that game with my father who was a Queens' Supporter but pleased that my team was doing well. It was the game that clinched the Championship...it was played midweek for some reason which may have been the reason the crowd was relatively small. We made sure of promotion a couple of weeks before against Arbroath at Firhill...attendance was 8,851.

Ian McCall did a decent enough job in his first spell at Firhill...but he rather lost his way and I wasn't too disappointed when he left...credit to him for conquering his personal problems and he has done an outstanding job with Ayr. Archie too had reached the end of the road...he should have gone at the end of the season...I was quite pleased that he was given a chance of redemption but I realised after the first League Cup game ironically against Ayr that it wasn't going to happen for him. He did sign Higgy, Lyle Taylor, Cerny, Osman, Dumbuya & Barton and although the latter three let him down in the relegation season, they were miles better than any recent recruits There has been no doubting listening to McCall over the last year or so that he has a genuine connection with Thistle and his interview on Radio Scotland tonight left me with a big stupid smile..he really "gets" the Club. Archie too is a real Thistle man. It has been a grim two seasons...so bad that I had almost stopped caring about our results...last Saturday had a real end of an era feel about it. Who knows how it will turn out but there is now a "feel good" factor...and that is a pretty good start.

A warm sunny afternoon...Caldwell gone.. opposition in poor form...what could possibly go wrong? Well it was one of the most dispiriting displays I have seen for many years. We actually started quite brightly...there were four good crosses across the face of the goal which I thought wistfully that Kris Doolan might have scored from...and as Keven Nisbet did at the other end. Thereafter it was a burst balloon with an embarrassing second goal and once we conceded the third early in the second half, we could have all have gone home...and many did. Dunfermline were at best competent...they won easily. As I posted during the week, Caldwell has left us in an awful mess...the substitutes bench looked bare and so it proved. There are several players who are relegation standard...Kakay, De Vita, Mansell, Gordon & Robson...McGinty culpable for two of the goals. Fox, O'Ware and Cardle very disappointing performances. Zanatts ran out of steam/ideas and Bannigan and Cole(who looked as if he might be a footballer) had a thankless task finding someone other than the hapless Kakay to pass to...Miller lack of enthusiasm for his temporary role as co-manager in his radio interview was matched by his lack of contribution on the park. I left Firhill thinking that we were facing years in the wilderness and that I might never see a decent Thistle Team again...but the rumours of McCall and Archibald taking over are a much needed injection of hope that we might get better.

I welcomed Caldwell's appointment but had doubts by the end of his first week...the apology to Chesterfield and the views of their fans, then his first team selection, poor result and his reaction. I had given up on him long ago and am relieved that he has gone. There is no automatic connection between bringing in a new manager and an improvement in results but whereas I thought there was a nucleus of a decent team when Caldwell took over, he has left us in a bit of a mess. My preference would be Stephen Craigan or Ian McCall...Danny Lennon would be ok...not keen on the Usual Suspects - I think Bookies have a cut and paste List for every vacancy that comes up. There has been a lot of mince posted on here over the last year or so and some tedious and unnecessary personal abuse. I was regularly irritated by the Caldwell Apologists because my enthusiasm for watching the team was being drained but we are all Thistle Fans with a real passion for our special wee club.

Miller was quite clear on Radio Scotland tonight that he wasn't interested in becoming manager...he seemed very vague about his role as joint caretaker.

Word I heard from a Dumbarton Supporter was that Ian Murray's success there was to a large extent down to his coach...who was Jack Ross. Murray doesn't seem to have had much success without Ross as his back-up.

I had reached the conclusion that Caldwell was not up to the job after the 5-1 defeat at Cappielow...I have seen nothing since then to change my mind.