Your First Thistle Match

[Gingerjag]

Noo...don't shoot me. I went to see Morton for 20 years, when I lived in Greenock. My oldest son asked me to take him to a game after we moved to Glasgow and I told him there was no way I wanted him to support either of the Ugly Sisters. So, my first game was Christie's debut at Firhill. I was expecting to take my boy to a few games and then he would lose interest, but we both developed a massive love for the club. I've now been a ST holder for 5 years and get to most away games too and absolutely have The Jags running through my veins. My Morton supporting pals don't speak to me anymore.

 

2012/13 must have been a bit weird for you with the Morton title race? When the jags won it you knew you made the right choice

[Wiltshire Jag]

Summer Cup - 1963? Beat Third Lanark 7-2

[Dragon]

A home win against Raith Rovers - 25th Sept 1982 - 2-1

 

Bizarrely it was me Mum who took me as she didn't want me going to Ibrokes with my Dad when he was next on leave !!!!!!

 

Thanks Mum

 

 

[Norgethistle]

2nd last home game of season 84-85 under Benny Rooney, was either Motherwell or East Fife, sure it was 0-0 and last home game of the season was also 0-0. I thought you only saw goals on TV

We had done a science experiment in primary school on the Thursday when you added red food color to water and placed daffodils in the water, and saw the red veins appear on the yellow flowers, teacher asked who's Dad was a jags fan, I stated me, was handed the flowers told they were Jags flowers and to take them home and ask my Dad to take me to the game. My Dad hadn't been at firhill for nearly 6 years with helping bringing up me and my younger brother.

My Dad immediately agreed to take me and my young brother and I remember getting off the bus panicking in case I lost my Dad in the big crowd, there was around 2000 at the game. And I was hooked, sitting in the main stand, going down to the enclosure to get autographs, it was great, I suddenly felt I belonged somewhere

[Motherwell Jag]

Early 70s at Firhill against Hibs. I was about 6 or 7 and probably supporting Hibs at the time - I was born in Leith moving to Glasgow when I was 2. Dad took me but he wasn't a football fan though his brother was a Hibs fan. Didn't attend many games in the 70s but saw a few games at Easter Road as my Papa (a Motherwell fan) lived in Edinburgh and we would often go to the Hibs v Well game.

 

As I grew older I attended a few Scotland games (when we were quite good at qualifying) and started attending Firhill more regularly.

 

Probably around the mid 80s that I could claim to be a Fully fledged Jags fan but can at least claim that my first match was watching Thistle at Firhill,

[Norgethistle]

I'd been taken to various games here n there through the years as a wean.

 

 

Which is all a bit weird. I wanted to go to a game in season 1987/88. I have the Watson Towers 1988/89 strip, but that game is from 1989/90. What happened during 1988/89 that I can't remember going to any games!

 

87-88 (Lamont) & 88-89 (Lambie) were both Colonel Gees Tops

89-90 was Watson Towers & Thistle are Rising again

[Garscube Road End]

Noo...don't shoot me. I went to see Morton for 20 years, when I lived in Greenock. My oldest son asked me to take him to a game after we moved to Glasgow and I told him there was no way I wanted him to support either of the Ugly Sisters. So, my first game was Christie's debut at Firhill. I was expecting to take my boy to a few games and then he would lose interest, but we both developed a massive love for the club. I've now been a ST holder for 5 years and get to most away games too and absolutely have The Jags running through my veins. My Morton supporting pals don't speak to me anymore.

Glory hunter. All those trophies we have won.

[Willjag]

Hah! I can remember the actual date of my first game with absolutely no problem whatsoever... 16th October 1971. Exactly a week before THAT game :-) we beat St Johnstone 2-1 at Firhill. My next door neighbour at the time was a guy called Kenny Aird who was St J.'s right winger. I was only 10 at the time but I can remember giving Kenny some stick the folowing week because we beat them. When I think back, they had a really good attacking side in those days too. I'd imagine John Lambie probably played for them that day too.

[Jaggernaut]

No clear recollection. My old man took me once to the hu nnery when I was about 3, but all I remember was every time I shouted "Mona R*angers" some stupid guy felt obliged to give me a sweet. Even then I thought "These folk are stupid!"

 

All my uncles on my mother's side were Thistle fanatics, and they started taking me along to Firhill in the early 60s. At first I used to just run around the terracing, but gradually I started getting interested in the actual games, got a scarf, and loved nothing more than going to meet my uncles on a Saturday at lunchtime, listening to Jimmy Clitheroe on the wireless, then going to the game. I loved the celebrations among my uncles every time Thistle scored. (Of course back then a carry-out was an integral part.) Soon I started going to Firhill alone (from Drumchapel) when I was 8 or 9, to see the Reserves, get autographs etc. when the first team were playing away.

 

As he got older even my old man realised the stupidity associated with the two erse cheeks, and attended far more Thistle games (even followed the team to England one time). In fact I don't think he ever went to a match involving either of the two erse cheeks in the last 40 odd years of his life. Sadly he and all but one of those uncles are no longer with us, but the remaining one lives one minute from Firhill, and his sons and grandsons are Thistle through and through, as are most of my cousins, nephews and nieces. All a bit dispersed, which means that we don't get to so many games (I haven't been to a game now for over 2 years), but we support the club in other ways (season ticket, Jagzone, Centenary Fund, etc.).

Edited April 11, 2017 by Jaggernaut

[Dick Dastardly]

Just doing a quick tally of the results of "first games" of the 24 games listed where the score or result is mentioned, we have

 

won 14 drawn 5 lost 5

 

I think that we must be a pretty lucky bunch with our first games !

[cjptfc]

I don't know who we were playing, but i'm told it was in 1985 aged 2.

 

One of my first memories at Firhill is as a 3 year old. Wee Molly who pretty much ran the club at the time came running out after my dad to see if I wanted to be the mascot for the day.

 

For some reason, I shat it. Nervousness kicked in and I didn't want to do it. Don't know why, never been a mascot since.

[OCjag]

1-1 home to Clydebank. 1987 I think late in Billy Lamont's reign. Gerry McCoy for us, I think Ken Eadie for them. Was walking out on the south terracing when Thistle won a late penalty, which of course we missed (John Mitchell) and I was in love forever.

[JeanieD]

Strangely I cannot remember my first game at Firhill - 1965/66 or thereabouts but I do have a very vivid memory of my first away game - Airdrie - December 1966 - mild enough in Glasgow but utterly Baltic up there - heaps of snow lining the pitch.

 

Lost 3-1 George Niven sustaining a gash above the eye and substituted - blood all over the penalty area.

[gerrybritton9]

1-1 home to Clydebank. 1987 I think late in Billy Lamont's reign. Gerry McCoy for us, I think Ken Eadie for them. Was walking out on the south terracing when Thistle won a late penalty, which of course we missed (John Mitchell) and I was in love forever.

 

I was there too. Definitely one of my first matches. I remember Clydebank wearing the zigzag pattern on their shirt

 

 

[jaggy]

Strangely I cannot remember my first game at Firhill - 1965/66 or thereabouts but I do have a very vivid memory of my first away game - Airdrie - December 1966 - mild enough in Glasgow but utterly Baltic up there - heaps of snow lining the pitch.

 

Lost 3-1 George Niven sustaining a gash above the eye and substituted - blood all over the penalty area.

Having spent most of the last 3 months in Copenhagen, I now know why we use the term Baltic!

[Jaggernaut]

I don't know who we were playing, but i'm told it was in 1985 aged 2.

 

One of my first memories at Firhill is as a 3 year old. Wee Molly who pretty much ran the club at the time came running out after my dad to see if I wanted to be the mascot for the day.

 

For some reason, I shat it. Nervousness kicked in and I didn't want to do it. Don't know why, never been a mascot since.

 

There's still time!

[sandy]

2nd last home game of season 84-85 under Benny Rooney, was either Motherwell or East Fife, sure it was 0-0 and last home game of the season was also 0-0. I thought you only saw goals on TV

We had done a science experiment in primary school on the Thursday when you added red food color to water and placed daffodils in the water, and saw the red veins appear on the yellow flowers, teacher asked who's Dad was a jags fan, I stated me, was handed the flowers told they were Jags flowers and to take them home and ask my Dad to take me to the game. My Dad hadn't been at firhill for nearly 6 years with helping bringing up me and my younger brother.

My Dad immediately agreed to take me and my young brother and I remember getting off the bus panicking in case I lost my Dad in the big crowd, there was around 2000 at the game. And I was hooked, sitting in the main stand, going down to the enclosure to get autographs, it was great, I suddenly felt I belonged somewhere

 

Good story Norge!

[Spreading the word]

That was my first game too! My Uncle used to take me home and away to most games, he is still going and I now take my son (9) whenever we visit from down south. His first game was the diddy cup final so he already knows what it means/takes to be a Jags fan.

[SussexJag]

2-0 home win v Motherwell in 78 or 79. Aged 7 or 8.

[JeanieD]

I know this is straying off topic but today (April 15 2017) marks the 50th anniversary of a very memorable match for me.

 

It was on this day that I saw my first and last Third Lanark game - their last ever victory - 1-0 v. Clydebank at Cathkin - with, sadly, their lowest ever attendance (297). Strangely I also attended (as far as i am aware) the last ever game held at Cathkin - a West of Scotland Junior Cup final between Cambuslang and Rutherglen a few weeks later.

 

I vividly remember the Clydebank game and also remember, when leaving, someone relaying the score from Wembley - I suppose that was the more important game that day but for me the Thirds/Clydebank game is the one which sticks in my memory.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

I know this is straying off topic but today (April 15 2017) marks the 50th anniversary of a very memorable match for me.

 

It was on this day that I saw my first and last Third Lanark game - their last ever victory - 1-0 v. Clydebank at Cathkin - with, sadly, their lowest ever attendance (297). Strangely I also attended (as far as i am aware) the last ever game held at Cathkin - a West of Scotland Junior Cup final between Cambuslang and Rutherglen a few weeks later.

 

I vividly remember the Clydebank game and also remember, when leaving, someone relaying the score from Wembley - I suppose that was the more important game that day but for me the Thirds/Clydebank game is the one which sticks in my memory.

 

Used to occasionally go to Cathkin if the Jags were playing away but certainly wasn't one of the 297. You're last paragraph reminds me of where I was on that particular day.

[Jaggernaut]

The demise of Third Lanark is one of Scottish football's saddest stories.