thistle4celtic1

Working fine here Are you getting the audio on the video stream?

On Jagzone w/Michael, Andy says his knee swelled up Saturday night.

I'm sure many have read this before, but I'll post anyway for the benefit of those who haven't. As told by John Hansen......... =========================================================================== ''In Scotland, it's League Cup final day at Hampden Park, where Celtic meet Partick Thistle, who have no chance." Those were Sam Leitch's closing words on Grandstand's Football Focus on Saturday, Oct 23, 1971. Not a single voice across the nation was raised in dissent. Who could argue with such a pronouncement? Managed by the great Jock Stein, Celtic were in the midst of a reign which would bring them nine successive League championships, a team bristling with internationals such as Jimmy Johnstone, Kenny Dalglish, Bobby Murdoch, Tommy Gemmell, Lou Macari and Davie Hay. The previous season they had demolished Don Revie's Leeds United on their swaggering adventure to the European Cup final against Feyenoord. Oh, yes, Sam was right, Thistle had no chance. Newly-promoted from the second division and with an average age of under 22, the club had been the butt of every music hall comedian for the best part of a century ("I grew up thinking they were called Partick Thistle Nil" – Billy Connolly), their only claim to fame a Scottish Cup victory in 1921. And then the teleprinter in the BBC studio began to chicka-chicka-chicka. . . Celtic 0, Partick 1 (Alex Rae 9 minutes). . . Celtic 0, Partick 2 (Bobby Lawrie 15). . . Celtic 0 Partick 3 (Denis McQuade 27). . . Celtic 0, Partick 4 (Jimmy Bone 37). The official attendance at kick-off had been 62,470 but by the second half the crowd had swelled as many thousands of Rangers' fans – alerted to the extraordinary happenings at Hampden – departed Ibrox by car, taxi, bus and train to witness their bitter rivals' humiliation in what was turning out to be the greatest cup final upset of all time. Among the stunned faces in the grandstand was 16-year-old Alan Hansen, on the Thistle books as a provisional schoolboy signing, but there in the front row to cheer on his older brother, John, playing at right-back. "It was unbelievable then and do you know what, 35 years on, it's still as unbelievable today," recalls Hansen the elder with a fond smile. ''This was Celtic, the best team in Britain. Even without Billy McNeill who was injured, they were frightening. We didn't even want to go out on the pitch to take a look round before the game because they were out there. When we did venture out, Lou Macari came over to wish me well and say, 'At least you'll be going home with a runners-up medal'. He wasn't being mischievous, he was being kind. Of course, we'd no chance. Some of us were full-timers, but goalie Alan Rough had just qualified as an electrician, centre-half Jackie Campbell was a draughtsman, striker Frank Coulston was a PE teacher, and teenage winger Denis McQuade was studying Classics at Glasgow Uni. The year before most of us had been playing for Thistle reserves against Glasgow Police and Glasgow Transport. ''The whole thing was surreal. We didn't stay in a hotel overnight as every cup final team now does, so, because I didn't have car, I caught a bus from my home in Tullibody to Stirling on the morning of the game, the train from Stirling to Glasgow Queen Street, then another bus up to Firhill to board the team coach. On the journey to Hampden our manager, Davie McParland, told us we could win because he was paid to say that kind of nothing, but nothing he could say was going to convince us that we stood any hope at all. I mean, how could I even be thinking about winning the cup when I had the job of marking wee Jinky Johnstone? What a player and such a nice guy you could never bring yourself to kick him. Whenever you played against Jimmy he kept up a running conversation. 'OK, big yin, try harder to get the ball this time' he'd say. 'Jimmy,' I'd plead, 'just go past me and cross the ball, will you?' But no, he'd go past, then double back to beat you again. . . and just maybe a third time." But Thistle, who played a cavalier 4-2-4 formation, were a team of emerging talents; goalkeeper Alan Rough would make 53 appearances for Scotland — ''Brilliant shot-stopper," remembers Hansen, "but not so good on crosses. 'My ball' he'd shout, followed a few seconds later by, 'I've changed my mind'." Alex Forsyth (later of Manchester United) and Hansen snr, would become international full-backs, Ronnie Glavin was the thinking man's Rivelino in midfield, strikers Bone and Coulston had a telepathic understanding and while left-winger Bobby Lawrie was the 'Human Bullet', on the left-touchline 'Daft' Denis McQuade could be Pele or Basil Fawlty, depending on his whim. ''We'd beaten Motherwell 7-2 earlier in the season but lost 8-3 at Pittodrie, so you never really know which Thistle would show up. Throughout history the club had been known as the 'great unpredictables', but we made unpredictability into an art form. That's why even at half-time, the general consensus in the dressing room was that though we'd probably lose 5-4, at least we weren't going to get gubbed. When did the realisation dawn that we might actually win the cup? With about 10 minutes to go when we were leading 4-1 (Dalglish having scored in the 67th minute) and the Thistle fans suddenly began singing." Hansen describes the closing minutes and the subsequent trophy presentation 'as a blur, though I do remember spotting young Al in the crowd') before it was back to Firhill to change into their finery for the celebration party in the Buchanan Hotel. "Typical Thistle, when we got back to the ground, no one could find a key to the front door. With all the TV cameras there to film our jubilant home-coming, it was all highly embarrassing."

Can someone fill me in on the significance of the bunny hop by Edwards?

Jumping off allyo's post in the game thread.... I hate this rule. I maintain it should be as it always was. Offside should be flagged if any player is offside, whether or not he is a part of the play, or touches the ball, or whatever. Every time I see a goalie position himself to cover an open player in an offside position, only to get beat by someone else on the other side of the goal who was onside...I cringe. As for the question asked by allyo, I'm guessing that even though Storey was offside on the original pass to Dools, that maybe he removed the offside by moving to an onside position before Kris made the pass to him.

When asked about his injury Stuart said that he needed (or already had, I can't recall) minor surgery to clean out a "floating chip" in his knee. He said that it had been bothering him for some time now but was kinda vague about when he would be ready to return....although reading between the lines he did make it sound it might be sooner rather than later.

Nice to see the lads win one they didn't deserve to. So often, it's the other way around. Well done Thistle!!! Hopefully we can build on this now.

What Alan Murray said. I missed the Hearts game because the video wouldn't load (circle of dots just kept spinning). Same thing when I logged in to watch Killie match, so I switched browsers (from Firefox to IE) and it worked just fine. So, if you're using Mozilla, that may be the problem.

I cheated. I googled today's date. I'm just not sure which of the two or three references LIB is referring to.

Round Two: 5 8 10 11 14 16 17 19 22 23 26 27 29 31

I can't stand watching Leigh Griffiths when he plays against Thistle. But that guy is one talented football player.

I like his tunacity

25 mins in, pretty much a repeat of Friday's match

Nope. Eleven plus six on bench. Arithmetic not your strong suit?

Lineup posted..... 12 Ryan Scully 4 Jordan Turnbull 5 Niall Keown 7 Blair Spittal 11 Steven Lawless 13 Adam Barton 14 Christie Elliott 15 Daniel Devine 16 Paul McGinn 18 Conor Sammon 19 Ryan Edwards Subs 23 Jamie Sneddon 8 Stuart Bannigan 9 Kris Doolan 17 Milan Nitriansky 20 Kevin Nisbet 24 Andrew McCarthy

No matter the opponent or formation, Christie Elliott should not be on the bench. He, more than any other player, allows Archie the most flexibility with in-game formation changes

Here's my picks.......... 2 Huntly 3 Brora Rangers 5 BSC Glasgow 7 Civil Service Strollers 9 Clachnacuddin 12 Cumbernauld Colts 13 Deveronvale 15 Edinburgh University 17 Edusport Academy 19 Formartine United 21 Fraserburgh 23 Gala Fairydean Rovers 26 Threave Rovers 27 Lothian Thistle Hutchison Vale 29 Nairn County 31 Selkirk 33 Spartans 36 University of Stirling Looking forward to a fun contest...let's get some more entries in!!!!!!

Learn what?

Spent a few weeks in Corby back in early and mid 70's when a young teen. All I remember is taking the bus out that big long looping (Occupation) road to where they played.

Looks to me like you both have the same request. Let everyone have their say. .....so leave the thread up.

Congrats to the Frans'

Great strip, great photo...(notwithstanding it's a goal against). Terracing was often packed like that back in those days. Stevie Chalmers and John Hughes for 'tic?

I'm still confident that scoreline will be (comfortably) reversed by season's end.

I would probably use "serviceable" to describe someone who is reliable but not outstanding".

1) Celtic 2) Aberdeen 3) Hibs 4) Rangers 5) Thistle 6) St.Johnstone 7) Hearts 8) Ross County 9) Kilmarnock 10) Motherwell 11) Dundee 12) Hamilton