east end jag Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 Having achieved very little of note during nearly two years as manager, Benny Rooney is replaced in March 1986 . Bertie Auld takes over until the end of the season but is not kept on as new controlling shareholder Ken Bates starts doing things his way. So a city holds its breath on the next managers appointment which will hopefully herald a new dawn for Thistle. And when the decision is announced, the new guy in charge is ex-Rangers striker Derek Johnstone. Letting go of its breath, the city's reaction is a very half hearted 'meh'. So what do you remember of DJ's nine-ish months in charge? I know this will be painful for some, but during his time with us did you get a chance to see him training the team in Ruchill Park and thought, wow, those training methods are revolutionary. Or did you leave Jaconelli's in disgust just before kick off one Saturday when Derek managed to order the last two fish for a sneaky supper he planned to wolf before taking his place in the dugout? Maybe your memory is as simple as seeing him pull up in his car outside Firhill and having a quiet chuckle as you realised that as he got out of the drivers seat, his trousers were the flares only a square would wear. This might be the most difficult one yet. Let's hear what our memories and opinions are of a man who's spell in charge was the very definition of the word flop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flycatcher Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 Who ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Murray Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 I am trying my best to forget his time in charge! lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenziejag Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 I don’t remember anything about the 80’s from a Thistle perspective having got married in 81 and moved to Edinburgh in 86 for a few years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAG1970 Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 Being photo’d on the pitch sitting at a table festooned with curries as part of a local restaurant sponsorship. I think he was wearing an XXXL top. That and subbing himself during a shameful 5.2 ? gubbing at home to Morton. Thankfully his reign was brief. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jag Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 The only good thing to come from DJ's short reign at Firhill was the birth of the "Derek Johnstone's Red and Yellow Army" chant, stolen from West Ham and their Johnny Lyall's Claret and Blue Army. Continued of course with Billy Lamont and took off when Lambie arrived. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfox Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 Jackie Husband told him at a game at Stenhousemuir that if he wanted to be manager he couldn't be one of the boys. Obviously DJ didn't take his advice. Never really wanted it to be fair to him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auld Jag Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 Very poor manager who wanted to keep the clubs car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb1876 Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 9 minutes ago, Auld Jag said: Very poor manager who wanted to keep the clubs car. Pretty much what my memories of him are too, an Austin Maestro or something like that?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norgethistle Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 He ate the club car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One t in Scotland Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 Club car towed away while he was in the house. I still chuckle when imagining his enraged baw face. 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinhead Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 Fat & Useless..The End 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
e4b Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 I have met Derek socially in recent years and a nicer man you couldn’t meet. Also I believe he has not bad mouthed the club as he was entitled to. However his appointment as manager was the defining issue of Ken Bates’ ownership of the club - a patently unqualified incompetent put in charge of team affairs, and allowed to carry on for 9 months despite his obvious inability to even run a training session. An often unrecognised figure was his assistant John Hagart, who by all accounts held things together with his professional work during Derek’s utterly shambolic reign. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy McD Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 At that time my wife's cousin was staying in Houston and on a visit they told me D.J. was a near neighbour and that when the ice cream van comes hes always is there..Sure enough 30 minutes later ding dong the vans here I am out there , sure enough he's beat me to it.. Hi Derek I say visiting my wife's cousin how's it going big man I am a Jags fan, no he did not even by me a pokey hat.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 That's a good point, e4b, re John Hagart. I've always been of the opinion that the real culprit was the clown who employed Johnstone in the first place. The fella himself never managed again, never even attempted to and more to the point very possibly never would have even applied for a manager's job in the first place. Very much a case of monkey and organ grinder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
javeajag Posted January 4, 2020 Report Share Posted January 4, 2020 Possibly the worst manager we have ever had and that’s a tough competition to win......worse than useless Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted January 5, 2020 Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 The pie stalls were always out of pies even before the match started. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a f kincaid Posted January 5, 2020 Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 19 hours ago, jagfox said: Jackie Husband told him at a game at Stenhousemuir that if he wanted to be manager he couldn't be one of the boys. Obviously DJ didn't take his advice. Never really wanted it to be fair to him. Correct Jagfox. Jackie told me the same story at a pre-season friendly at Stenhousemuir. He'd come into the club in the morning and find he was larking about as one of the lads. I'm sure Jackie told me that when "it" was all over he admitted to Jackie he had been right all along and that he should have taken his advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARu-Strathbungo Posted January 5, 2020 Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 (edited) I remember very little of this period in PTFC history, but for one photograph ….. I had to search through the internet to find it. I don't remember anything related to football …. not one thing!!! Edited January 5, 2020 by ARu-Strathbungo clarification 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garscube Road End Posted January 5, 2020 Report Share Posted January 5, 2020 A bloated, bluenosed, bigoted bar steward. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QXBoy Posted January 6, 2020 Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 14 hours ago, Garscube Road End said: A bloated, bluenosed, bigoted bar steward. Don't beat about the bush, say what you mean! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Bunny Posted January 6, 2020 Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 (edited) I seem to remember we had a few decent players at the time including loans of the likes of Dodds and Kelly (I think) on loan from Chelsea. But Bates imposing Johnstone on us undermined everything. Bates really was taking the p!ss with that appointment which showed his attitude to us. I've often wondered why on earth he bought us. (Or was it just a controlling share? I think the Reids were still around somehow.) Edited January 6, 2020 by Mr Bunny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weebaw1 Posted January 6, 2020 Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 It was the only 9 month period of abstinence in my Jaggy life. He was a disgrace. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a f kincaid Posted January 6, 2020 Report Share Posted January 6, 2020 Johnstone's competitive record:- Played 35 Won 8 Drawn 11 Lost 16. For 39 Against 47. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
One t in Scotland Posted January 7, 2020 Report Share Posted January 7, 2020 On 1/6/2020 at 8:52 AM, Mr Bunny said: I seem to remember we had a few decent players at the time including loans of the likes of Dodds and Kelly Colin West - was tremendous, so much so he got the call back to the Bridge. Scored in his first game back as well if I remember correctly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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