exiledjag

I can't recall the 'saying' applicable to young players making their first team debut but it goes something like "if you are good enough then you are old enough"! Perhaps it also works in the other direction "if your good enough then your young enough"! With the impact and increasing knowledge of sports science, fitness and nutrition if players look after themselves there is no reason to retire them at 33! Just look at the impact Graham, Bannigan, Cardle and particularly Bell and Foster had in the second half of a season that had a congested fixture list! Would anyone doubt their fitness? I think McCall is trying to achieve a balance of youth and experience which is the way to go. However I would also like to see a regular stream of young players progressing from the Academy to the bench into the first team! We haven't quite got there yet but perhaps it's still a bit too soon given our Academy is relative young!

Subject to the extract being edited to show off the player Holt looks decent. Reasonable pace and although defenders will always make sliding tackles I liked the way he tried to stay on his feet. He also seems to be a good passer of the ball, is tenacious and wins the ball as well.

I would like to see Penrice remaining at Firhill but playing further forward in a wide midfield position which he has done successfully for Livingston and East Fife! I would have thought wide left midfield would have been Penricd's best position but I recall a fellow poster saying his best performance for the Jags was on thr right! Either way I hope we retain him

OS - we have signed 28 Yr old Kevin Holt. His "natural" position is according to McCall, Left Back and he can cover Central defence as well. Don't know much about Holt though seems he was at Dundee earlier in his career. Hope this doesn't mean we are releasing Foster. His performances in the last 10 games were very good both in defence and attack! Anyone know about Holt?

No.

I agree with this. I also think we need to cut Penrice some slack. His introduction to the first team was at a time when we had a hopeless manager, a poor squad and a completely negative environment. On loan at East Fife and Livingston their fans raved about him as a midfield player. What do we do we play this young man at left back and, in the games I saw, leave him generally unsupported and exposed. I don't think it's any surprise that his best games for us are when he is in midfield with support all around him. I would certainly like to keep him and think he would do well as a midfield player alongside Bannigan, Docherty (and a new signing). Gordon is not a midfield player!

I saw the above on the OS. I don't know anything about these players so was going to ask if anyone who does know them is surprised by their release. I did notice Rodden was on the bench a few times!

Football resumes around the end of July so when does the current Transfer window (if it can be called that) close?

So the SPFL have delivered again for the ugly sisters! A toe hold becomes a bridgehead becomes promotion at the very least to League 1 - then the sky's the limit! A previous post (apologies can't remember who contributed the post) suggested this was the first step to the ugly sisters breaking from Scottish Football. I agree with this opinion however my only difficulty with this is where will they breakaway too?

Airdrie 3-3 Cove Morton 3-3 Montrose Both games going to extra time!

Agree with all of above down to McIver. I would give McKenna (and Lyons) another season. I have long advocated letting Cardle go however and albeit we were in League 1 I think his performances merit another short contract - a year! I know it smacks of jobs for the boys but would prefer Doolan as our striker coach! I think we need to sign a couple of strong midfielders, preferably one with pace. A goalkeeper if we can't get Wright on a season long loan and a pacy right fullback! Finally one more striker! Not sure about Connor Murray - jury is still out IMO! Morrison and Telfer (Falkirk) wouls be good signings also the tall blond haired player from Montrose, was he one of the Bannatyne brothers? I am sure there are others I would like to sign but it's getting late. We do however need cover in most departments and do need to strengthen the squad as I doubt the presents squad as good as it is won't cut it in the Championship in terms of top 4! Pace throughout the squad is a prime requirement!

I was at the 4-3 game. It was played in a gale force wind from South to North. The Jags reached HT with a 2-1 lead which at the time I recall thinking wasnt going to be enough. In the second half Alan Hansen moved into midfield and gave Rangers a football lesson and scored twice. To cap it all we had Dixie Dean's whom we had just signed from Celtic sitting in the stand. He didn't make much of an impression with us! My one unfortunate memory from that game was sometbing that happened after the game had finished. I was standing on my spot on the terracing waiting for the crowd to clear the exits. A passing "blue nose" noticed myJags scarf (and probably the huge smile on my face) and proceeded to dish out the verbal abuse. The more I ignored him the more irate he became and the closer he got. I thought this was going to end badly but lucky for me a couple of his pals dragged him away still shouting and swearing at me! One of his pals came over to me and apologised. I suppose that was something!

Meant to ask - what was the age level, eg U17s?

Watched the highlights and there certainly was a lot to saviour from the young Jags. I was very impressed with the technical ability especially controlling the ball with a single touch, passing and keeping possession. On the basis of these highlights and I appreciate they are edited I would suggest room for improving finishing and decision making (when in 'final third'! However this doesn't detract from a grand performance by the Jags Colts! Could we get them into League 2?

A friend of mine - a Rangers supporter - sent me an email praising "Partick Thistle FC, their Board of Directors, Manager and all connected to the Club for not inviting Senior Officials from the SFA and SPFL to the League 1 Championship celebrations" and for making it very clear they were not welcome"! He hoped Rangers FC would be brave enough to follow our lead and do the same for their celebrations which he said we're taking place on the weekend of the 15th/16th May.

I agree with the widespread opposition to the inclusion of colt teams in the National Leagues expressed on this thread! Their inclusion in the Lowland League is simply a device to propel them into League 2 and subsequently futher up the Leagues. To prevent this the answer is quite simple - clubs (except Brechin of course) should just refuse to play them! I hardly think even the mighty SPFL will be able to challenge this if League 2 (and /or) League 1 clubs act together and refuse to play the colt teams!

Just listened to McCall's post presentation interview. IMO very good. He made his point about our demotion etc explicitly and by inference but also focused on what has been achieved in the past season by the club and although we will not forget it is time to move on. He also justified the rationale for the 'private' presentation and that it was a one off. SPFL & SFA 'high heid yins' being welcome to attend next year if the club does something special. Very well done left the club with significantly more integrity and dignity than the SPFL/SFA! We move on! (I will still not be giving a penny to previously mentioned villains - but otherwise will like the club, move on).

I will look forward to thes revelations and agree that he has to box clever! McCall has to remember that he is an employee of PTFC and therefore recognise any disrepute charge may also be levelled at the Club. I must admit to having an issue with the focus on Doncaster! By all means cite him and frequently but let's not forget McLennen! He is the president of the SPFL and a major player, IMO, the key player, in the issues we and Scottish Football have faced in the course of this pandemic. McLennen has proved to be very adept at 'sailing under the radar' while letting Doncaster take the heat! McLennen likes making statements but has avoided placing himself in front of the media to answer questions about last summer and the conduct of the SPFL - some leader! Also his and Doncaster's relation with Newall should have been open to public scrutiny. IMO there appears to be a number of conflict of interest issues and as President of the SPFL, a position to which he should never have been appointed, has been far too close to one particular club! So it's not all about Doncaster and let's not forget that! One final piece of advice to McCall and that is before he says anything he should speak to a good lawyer! Scottish Football badly needs change and there is no better place to start than at the top!

Our main rivals for top 4 in the Championship next season will be one (but possibly two) relegated PL team(s) plus from the Championship - Dundee, Raith Rovers, Dunfermline and I hope ICT - as I can't stand the 3 mentioned. Although I have said possibly two PL teams I fully expect whichever Championship team makes the play-off final, propably Dundee, will lose out to the PL team (either Hamilton, Kilmarnock and Ross Co) . I am going to put my head on the block here and say Hamilton will win their final two games to retain, yet again, their PL place. This means my candidates for the Championship/play-off are, not in any order - Ross Co & Kilmarnock. Looks like being a very competitive league next year which should worry Ayr, Arbroath & QoS! A top 4 spot for us would be some achievement!

And lost 6 of their last 8 games. Glad we had our "collapse' in the first half of the season!

Seems Wright had a poor game going by comments about first two goals (couldn't get stream to work) so bet that wasn't on McCall's agenda!

Thanks for pointing this out - ha ha what do I know! A good example of being behind the times and yes I am embarrassed!

I think the Championship Play-off team will be Ayr. I expect Ayr to lose a tough game away to ICT and Arbroath and Morton to play out a 'cosy' draw. That should be enough to put Ayr into 9th and the Play-off. On Sportscene Foster was the second pundit and he thought Cove to be the likely team!

Falkirk have 53% possession v Airdrie with 0 goal attempts. Airdrie on the other hand 7 attempts with 3 on Target. Says it all! Either Cove or Airdrie would seem likely to join us in the Championship unless Falkirk can find a goal threat!

Neither Penrice or Williamson are indispensable but if its at all possible I would prefer them to remain Jags. To the game with Montrose! I would like a win and although it's an away game I think we have enough within the squad to win and still not play key players. I hope Mcall includes Wright, McKenna, Niang, Lyons, Murray, McIver in the starting line-up and puts the responsibility to win the game onto their shoulders. I also hope Falkirk can take at least a point from Airdrie! I don't see much between Airdrie and Cove and think one or other have a great chance of joining us in the Championship. The championship play off team I suspect will be Ayr. They face a difficult away game at ICT. I expect Arbroath and Moreton to play out a 'cosy' draw in their final game at gayfield! As it's the final game I am going to break my vow and pay to stream the game!