exiledjag

Thank you JimmyMcD and.Jlsarmy.

What are the rumours about Docherty and Holt?

Just a couple of points. I would like to give a big shout for McMillan. When Milne was injured we all thought we would miss him not just as a player and the best wing back in the league but for the impact on our defence - moving Holt to left back. There is no doubt he has been missed missed In these play off games McMillan has for me been a revelation and together with Lawless, has formed a very effective partnership and really stepped up his performance. I am really looking forward to seeing both wing backs on the park and with them playing the way we know they can play we will be a real force in whater division we are playing. So we'll done McMillan. As "winter of 63" says "as a Jags fan there is always a nagging doubt"! However on this occasion my nagging doubt is a lot less than it would normally have been but yes it's still there. I feel confident we will score at Dingwall. So barring some catastrophic event (poor ref, our legs failing) I think we will go through to the SPL.

I I agree with DD. RC will have to attack and this will leave gaps at the back. With our pace we can score on the counter attack and one further goal will I think be enough! We will have to be on top of our game again and especially in terms of our defensive work.. I would have preferred 3-0 but would have taken 2-0 before the game if offered.

Like most on this thread unless Doolan has some super tactical plan I hope we keep the same team with Bannigan on the bench until needed. If we can use our pace and get lots of crosses into the 6 yard box we will win. The RC defence conceded 60 goals while scoring only 37 so their defence can't be that great and their attack not so clinical. They are however a big, strong side who will pose a threat at set plays. Our players will have to 'keep the heid' in both games as I expect RC will be up to all the tricks some of which I think will be brutal. I for one hope we can hammer them and take a 4 or 5 goal lead to make the second leg a boring dead tie but I don't think RC will fold like our precious opponents. I worried about Ayr's Akinyemi. The only worry I have about RC other than their size is if they play Wright & Murray as a two up front! Is Wright fit to play? I don't feel able to predict a score because I believe this tie could go either way. I do though I hope for a 3 goal lead to take to Dingwall,

I thought the ref who sent off Akinyemi did OK. I also thought he made the correct decision in doing so regardless of what the match commentators and field side pundits thought. A few of points about the Ross County games. Firstly watching the game with Killie it seemed to me that RC were a big strong team who will not be slow to resort to the dark arts. However they also looked slow and ponderous, something we can exploit with the pace of Tiffoney and Fitzpatrick. Secondly, should we be worried that Murray is in the frame to play against us? Will he be considered as RC's Akinyemi? Finally, I think we could be at a disadvantage with VAR as RC will be smart in using it to their advantage. Our players I hope are training this week with a focus on VAR especially related to not extending arms away from the body, pulling opponent's jerseys, being late with the tackle and lunging in with studs showing. All the best to the Jags on Thursday - run RC off their legs.

I agree with the above. Ross County are a big, strong team whom I suspect won't be taking any prisoners. I am sure Tiffoney , Lawless and Fitzpatrick will come in for 'special' treatment. If we can deal with the physical challenge then I dont see why cant win. Again a strong ref required. .

I see the attendance for the game is given as 3426. I watch the game on TV and It looked a lot more. Any comments from Jags fans who were st the game?

If we are in the SPL I would think most of the out of contract players would be keen to stay with us excepting of course if they receive offers from current SPL clubs or clubs in England.

A big well done to Kris Doolan, his staff and the players. Also the travelling support - what a performance by all involved. A fantastic result. One point though. I have watched the Akinyel/Muirhead incident 3 or 4 times now at both real time and slow speeds and I do not understand why the TV pundits are saying the red card was harsh. To my eyes it looks like Akinyemi made a fully fledge punch at Muorhead the force of which forced Muirhead back on his heels for 3 or 4 paces. Akinyemi's action left the ref with no choice but to send him off. I saw no evidence of Muirhead play acting. The initial clash was certainly a foul by Muirhead and possibly a yellow card but Akinyemi's reaction was definitely violent conduct and fully merited the red card. The BBC pundits clearly felt they were robbed of a football spectale and choose to blame Muirhead - this is unforgivable as Akinyemi is the culprit.

Sorry to hear about Hugh Strachan. My condolences to his family and friends. This will be a very sad time for everyone who knew and was associated with Hugh. I also saw him play many times and like our two strikers, Bone and Coulson, Strachan and Capbell forms an equally impressive defensive partnership. I read somewhere recently that when Hugh Strachan's contract ended and wasn't extended this resulted in Davie McParland's resignation. Apparently Davie with the Board's agreement promised when he signed Hugh a job as a coach when he retired from playing. Unfortunately the Board refused to honour this because when the time to do so they said they just couldn't afford it! So we list Hugh as a player and coach and Davie as our manger!

As I have been watching the Jags since 1959/60 I have become a little bit of a worrier. But this team are something different and with improvement in the right places could become something special. The Duffy/McParland, the League Cup Winning and the Doolan/Erskine/O'Donnell teams were special. As far as last night's game was concerned I was confident we were going to score with the move up and around the right side of the park. In fact when Lawless got the recycled ball I was just waiting on McMillan making his run. I like, a few on this thread was disappointed we didn't get a 4th goal which I think even with Akinyemi on the park next Friday, would have sealed the tie. So IMO we are not there yet and still have a difficult time ahead next Friday. We have to recognise though that Ayr caused us a few problems but also the only reasons they dominated the last 10/15 minutes was because we substituted probably our 5 best players and Ayr were a bit desperate! A big well done to the Manager, Staff and all the Players and a special mention for Lawless, Graham, McMillan and Mitchell. All to play for guys. C'mon the Jags

⁷I know Ayr are a good side and finished in second but there was only a point between us so small margins. I feel confident (almost) that we can win this tonight now that Akinyema is injured. He has scored just about a third of Ayr's goals! However, without Akinjema the Ayr players might be forced to play more as a team which might cause us problems. Another performance like the twp 4-0 defeats of Queens Park and we will be fine! Start on front foot stay on front foot! Mon the Jags

Callum Davidson certainly doesn't have a chirpy voice and from what I have read Dundee fans don't want him. In saying that some fans wanted Mcleish..............who is just a taller version of Callum Davidson.

I have to say that I was durprised by the news that he had stepped down His post match comments were all about taking QP forward, improving where it was necessary to do so, I assume their defence and being bigger and better next season. Although he couldn't hide his disappointment this fidnt sound like a man who intended to resign. His vomments after both play-off games Bout the Jags were complimentary and generous so I will wish him the best of luck for the future, even if he goes to Dundee.

A really enjoyable match to watch, if your a Jag! I agree that under Doolan we seem more attack minded and every player seems very sure of his role. The big difference for me is the quality of goals we are scoring. The intricate passing moves between 3 or 4 players playing through the opposition defence, the superb running off the ball and the precision and weight of the passing. Does it remind anyone of the Messi, Inesta, Pique Barcelona team???? A big thank you to Kris Doolan for turning out last night. Leading by example in every respect in very difficult personal circumstances. Now if we can just get to grips with Akinyema- we will be in the final.

Very sorry to hear this news. Condolences to Kris, family and friends. I am sure there will be many in the football and beyond who like all Jags fans are feeling for Kris at this time. A real gentleman.

Ha ha. My wife's eyes just glaze over and I know it's time to shut up or change the subject.

Given the absurdity of the SPL play-off system which is designed to benefit the SPL team who finish in 11th place (excepting PTFC) I don't think either team would want extra time and penalties. The system in England and in our lower leagues is much fairer.

I expect tonight will be a very tight game and that any result is possible, even a QP win! To win I think we have to get in about them from the first whistle to the final whistle. The QP players will be up for this and will remember the 4-0 ,hammering they got on their last visit. I hope I am wrong but I wouldn't be surprised if our guys are on the end of a few hefty tackles. If so our players need to stay calm and disciplined in the face of any such provocation. A fair and strong referee is required 3-1 the jags

Hopefully a good win tonight will help keep the spirits up! Best wishes to Kris Doolan's father and hope he recovers from this illness.

A few points. 1. I think most members of the WAT know that I am an IMC supporter but Doolan is now the manager and that's it as far as I am concerned. It would not be a good or comfortable situation brining IMC back. There must be other people out there who have a good eye for a player so let's get one of them if this is the way the club chooses to go. 2. Will there be a Partick Thistle FC next season or will we have gone the way of Third Lanark? 3. I acknowledge I have not been to many games this season due to my inability to sit in a bus or car for 3 hours. However I keep reading the same thing from those who have been attending games I.e. "we should have been out of sight" but we rarely are. I think if we still exist next season we need a prolific goalscorer or at least a player that we can coach into being one. We should scout the lower leagues and try to find a player with an eye for goaL (not Goodwillie) 4. Doolan has to address the quite distinct differences in form not just between games but also between first and second half in the same game. In other words make us more consistent. And finally, 5. We need to break up the Docherty and Bannigan midfield partnership. Get Turner playing more centrally (Doolan seems to be doing this), also find a couple of more physically strong midfield ball winners, one of them with a little creativity would be good as well. I am happy to find a place for Docherty but next season we need a midfield that can dominate and control games. Two wins from our last two perfectly winnable games and the 61 points we would have achieved would have won us second place ! What a missed opportunity , frustrating!

Tonight's result means a change to the master plan to Plan B. I hate to say it but I would now prefer Morton to either draw with or beat Queens Park. Also Dundee to beat them in their final league game. That would leave Queens on 58 or 59 points. While this is going on we defeat both Arbroath and Raith to also finish on 59 points to finish 2nd on goal difference. We then subsequently promotion via the play offs. And yes, the two goals, particularly the second goal which was clearly onside, disallowed by last weekends referee and assistant referee have proved to be significant in terms of taking us out of contention for the title.

Half-time 0 - 0! Master plan going well. Just need Cove to get into the game and score a couple of goals.

Didn't Cove win away to Arbroath last week and wasn't this a game where Arbroath were strong favourites? I appreciate Cove beating Dundee at Dens Park is a completely different proposition form beating Arbroath at Gayfield but that's would be my preference. I would then prefer Queens Park to win their last two games against Morton and Dundee to gain automatic promotion. Of course I want the Jags to win against Arbroath and Raith (4-0 & 3-0) which would be enough to achieve 2nd place on goal difference. We of course win promotion through the play-offs. Queens would have 64 pts Partick Thistle 59 pts Dundee 59pts. 12 mins played at Dens and still 0-0! Cove have a chance only 78 mins to go! Plenty time to sneak a goal!