Jaggernaut

Like Nancy and Ronald Regan!

Hats off to the team who put together the match-day programme, which I dutifully buy and enjoy. I was just wondering whether there are any plans to change anything for next season. Most people would probably agree that it's good to be able to read the Manager's view and Chairman's replies to questions online, but in my view it does slightly detract from the value of the programme to then find the same material reprinted there. Of course there is an inevitable degree of repetition involved due to the very nature of the programme's aims, which I guess are to give news about the squad, introduce the opposing squad, provide up to date statistics, goings on around the club etc. The "On This Day" feature is by definition repetitive, yet I find myself drawn to it every time, wondering if I was at that game, what the Jags were doing 100 years ago, etc. So, this is I guess a thanks to those who put it all together again this season, and a request for any advance info on next season's propaganda sheet programme. PS: A fund-raising idea might be to number each programme and ask the buyer if they want to enter into a draw. For an extra 50p, that programme number would be marked on a list and entered either for a separate half-time 50/50 draw, or a Thistle shirt/ball, or hospitality, or something like that.

Liverpool's two full-backs on Saturday were 17 and 18 years of age. I'd much rather watch a team with 4 or 5 under-23s than one with 4 or 5 over-33s. Let's hope that McNamara continues to give some of the young lads some 1st team experience in the last couple of matches, to whet their appetite for next season's challenge.

Hmm, I wonder if it's to show that he's some kind of Thistle "fan", or if he's just too stingy or skint to buy a new one......

That's not very complimentary, is it?

Good to have that on in the background while trying to (avoid) work.

"Shanks."

Cameron might well turn out to be a good manager if he was interested in going down that road. But McCall is now merely an ex-employee of PTFC, who should have (and does have) no influence whatsoever about what goes on at the club.

The poor 1st half of the season largely contributed to the dullness. I've started looking forward to matches again just for the entertainment factor, since a few of our youngsters have been starting to play and do well.

Agreed. Let's stamp people out at Firhill!

I'm one of those types who feels much better about everything when Thistle win and who fears the worst for the club, the environment, and indeed the future of life itself when Thistle lose. So with that in mind, here's what I'm thinking about next season. It might be a cracking competition, with I reckon 4 or 5 teams in with a realistic shout of winning the division, and teams even more likely to pick up and drop points against others. And I reckon that we'll be one of those 4 or 5 teams. With one or two likely exceptions (Archie, Rowson if he stays) we're now a young team (no more Sid, Jackie, Maxi, Robbo, I guess), and what we've seen of the youngsters that have still to feature to any real extent looks promising. Campbell already looks like a permanent member of the 1st team squad, and he sets us goals. If McBeth regains the form he had before his injury then it's clear that we have another good, creative player. Bannigan is bound to come back in better shape and eager for 1st team action. Fraser has already scored for the 1st team.... Doolan and Grehan are continuing to forge a formidable partnership up front, though that needs more time to take shape, and Erskine is getter better and better ("Erskine for Scotland!" ) Bring on season 2011-2012!

Very accurate summary, I think. Though I don't think that Willie K's performances this season have merited the "Bombscare" tag. He's been excellent of late.

Excellent photies.

Excellent photies.

Excellent clip! That's a couple of goals now that have come about through Jamie Campbell cutting in and dribbling along the 18-yard line then passing. He's a real handful for defenders when he goes on one of those runs.

It would be a major surprise if he and Sid weren't told to continue the job.

Anybody else remember the "promise" that away fans would never be allowed into the JH stand now that the north stand was available?

Yipee. Over 11,000 at Dunfermline. A shame to think that we now couldn't even get that number of folk into Firhill even if they wanted to come.

Pretty much how I saw it too. Fox had a couple of smart saves, but the defence was generally excellent. Some glimpses of the Cairney that we all praised last season, but he's still too chunky and can't jump, so he just pulls guys down and gives too many fouls away. He is a terrier though, and I reckon opponents don't like playing against him. Campbell was clearly over his poor game at Falkirk, and is looking like a regular team member now. Erskine is the most entertaining player around. Grehan had a great dribble into their box in the 1st half, but why he tried to chest a ball down on the 6-yard line instead of just heading it is a mystery to me. Great pass from him for the 2nd goal, which Paddy did well to volley with his right foot, I think. Doolan and Grehan are both putting in a good shift up front, but too often end up going for the same punt, or are simply static when the other tried to head it on, with no real through run. Frusrating! Actually, I'd have give the MotM the Stewart; his 2nd half display was excellent, good tackles, runs into space, knocking the ball around. Would like to see him signed up for next season.

Indeed, but Morton are awful, and following on from recent trends, I wouldn't expect us to get over 2,000. Edited to add: I bet if the Warriors played at Firhill every fortnight then their crowds wouldn't stay at that level. I still maintain that even in our small leagues every team should play each other only twice. That would make each game more of an occasion, well worth double the admission price!

Suddenly the scene was Firhill, Thistle vs h*ns, and it's 4-4 with just around a minute to go. My brother and I are at the very back of what looks and feels like the main stand, although it's across where the JH stand is. Needless to say h*ns have infiltrated and are everywhere. It must be a cup match, as my brother and I are saying that the quarter of a million or so from the replay will do just nicely. But there's a horrible feeling of dread, and then it happened. With the very last action of the match, a throw-in by the h*ns and a direct back-header from what looked like Colin McAdam, past what was definitely Craig Nelson for 4-5. At that moment I woke up in despair. Still traumatised by 45-min goal by the Bairns, I think.

Hmm, Warriors got gubbed again, I see.

From his Wiki page: "For the beginning of the 2004–05 season Wilkinson was loaned to Scottish Division One side Partick Thistle,[8] for whom he scored his first professional goal against Clyde.[9]" I'm not sure how long he was with us, maybe a couple of months. But I remember him as being a cut above the rest of what was a pretty dire team, in terms of ability and attitude.

It's a frequently recurring thread, but always good to read how Jags fans got inducted/trapped/persuaded into Jagginess.