Partick Thistle 🔴🟡 Vs The Vile Diamond ♦️♦️

[partickthedog]

O’Reilly came across well in the JagZone interview as a positive bright character, which can only be a good thing in terms of squad dynamics. 
 

Great now to have more options as regards personnel and formations.

[Third Lanark]

I’m pretty sure we can’t get Dowds back it was mentioned. Something about we had to enact a recall clause a few months ago which we didn’t do

[Jaggernaut]

I thought Airdrie played some good football in the first half, whereas we were generally losing at the first touch. The second half was another story! No "failures" in the team, but special mentions for Mitchell, Milne, Muirhead, McBeth, McInroy. And so as to spread it beyond the "Ms," Robinson, Fitpatrick and Graham.

Good entertainment , a decent crowd, and sunshine!

[jagfox]

Dowds cannot play for anyone else this season. That includes the playoffs. I don't know why people keep bringing this up?

Maybe it has become a WAT trope and I keep getting whooshed haha.

Edited April 21 by jagfox

[Lenziejag]

6 hours ago, Jaggernaut said:

I thought Airdrie played some good football in the first half, whereas we were generally losing at the first touch. The second half was another story! No "failures" in the team, but special mentions for Mitchell, Milne, Muirhead, McBeth, McInroy. And so as to spread it beyond the "Ms," Robinson, Fitpatrick and Graham.

Good entertainment , a decent crowd, and sunshine!

Disagree about Fitzpatrick. He had a terrible 1st half, but once he had scored he was like a different player. Noticed Graham giving him a wee pep talk when they came out after half time.

[Lenziejag]

11 minutes ago, jagfox said:

Dowds cannot play for anyone else this season. That includes the playoffs. I don't know why people keep bringing this up?

We are obviously short of a striker and I guess people are worried that Graham gets injured or suspended going into the playoffs. They might not have read the previous posts on the subject ? Anyway, Diack seems perfectly capable, at least, against Airdrie.

[jagfox]

It was great to have bit more depth on the bench yesterday and hopefully the players all stay injury free until the end of the season. 

Obviously a Tomi shaped hole in the squad but Diack did pretty well again. I wonder if Doolan will give the two young forwards any minutes over the next few games?

Felt like a big win yesterday and the team grew in confidence second half after a pretty stale first half. 

Hope we get another win next week and look to seal third place.

A good day to be a Jag.

[Lenziejag]

Had a look at the scoring stats for the season. Tomi is on 1.5 goals per 90 played.

[Lenziejag]

1 hour ago, jagfox said:

It was great to have bit more depth on the bench yesterday and hopefully the players all stay injury free until the end of the season. 

Obviously a Tomi shaped hole in the squad but Diack did pretty well again. I wonder if Doolan will give the two young forwards any minutes over the next few games?

Felt like a big win yesterday and the team grew in confidence second half after a pretty stale first half. 

Hope we get another win next week and look to seal third place.

A good day to be a Jag.

I think the only way they will get any minutes is if we are 3 or 4 up.

[a f kincaid]

13 hours ago, Fawlty Towers said:

An excellent victory today against what was the form team in the division. Good to see a large crowd and I even thought the ref had a good game. One for the archive guys but when did we last have a game with no bookings?

 

Don't know the answer to that off hand but the no bookings outcome is seismic in the context of these two clubs!  More Thistle players have been sent off against Airdrie than any other club Thistle have played (16). [Next nearest Falkirk and Morton with 15.] More Airdrie players have been sent off against Thistle than any other team Thistle have played (17). [Next nearest St Mirren 11.] Many of them will have been second yellows. Reports of these two clubs playing each other over the decades suggest it's hard to believe there were any matches where at least one player wasn't cautioned. They seem to bring out the worst in each other but in contrast, yesterday was played in a hard but fair spirit.

[Ancipital]

Another thing not mentioned is that prior to yesterday Airdrie were flying, but they now finish off with Dundee Utd and QP, there's a reasonable chance the latter still have something to play for on the last day. 

Their form and confidence could go quite quickly. 

[The Thistle Archive]

^ Re the yellows... we have an excellent way to see that at-a-glance, namely via our Crime Count tables which run from 1997-98 to date.

The last time there were no cards in competitive action was back in August this season against... Airdrie!

Crime Count 2023-24 →

[Third Lanark]

How long is Wasiri Williams out for?  Will he be back for the playoffs?  

[Gary Peebles Tackle]

5 hours ago, jagfox said:

Dowds cannot play for anyone else this season. That includes the playoffs. I don't know why people keep bringing this up?

Maybe it has become a WAT trope and I keep getting whooshed haha.

He’s already played for us this season has he not? 
Genuinely don’t know the rules, but don’t think it’s a stupid question. I’m sure clubs have had to extend loans (maybe us, rings a vague bell) to enable players to play in play offs.

Anyway, please don’t get your knickers in a twist, just wondering…

[fenski]

All 4 goals at the city end. I wonder which end we score more goals at? And same question for individual players?

I'm guessing we score more at city end because we nearly always are shooting that way in the 2nd half, and in games where we score a few, there's likely to be more goals after the interval.

[Lenziejag]

1 hour ago, fenski said:

All 4 goals at the city end. I wonder which end we score more goals at? And same question for individual players?

I'm guessing we score more at city end because we nearly always are shooting that way in the 2nd half, and in games where we score a few, there's likely to be more goals after the interval.

Is there some reason that we shoot towards the JLS in the 1st half ? It’s not as if it has always been the “home” end

[jaggy]

9 minutes ago, Lenziejag said:

Is there some reason that we shoot towards the JLS in the 1st half ? It’s not as if it has always been the “home” end

I don’t think there’s any specific reason but in all the years I’ve been going we’ve tended to shoot towards the city end in the 2nd half. Some tried reversing it (Caldwell and McCall I think) but we reverted 

[Camallain]

2 hours ago, fenski said:

All 4 goals at the city end. I wonder which end we score more goals at? And same question for individual players?

I'm guessing we score more at city end because we nearly always are shooting that way in the 2nd half, and in games where we score a few, there's likely to be more goals after the interval.

It's been my experience that for the goals I manage to record, the majority, year in, year out, are at the city end which makes things more difficult for me. Currently this year in all compititions I have captured 19 at the city end and 12 at the JL end

[jaggy]

I still wish we could somehow get the JLS singers into the JH. I feel it would give a much better atmosphere and would encourage more to join in. However I understand that’s their patch and moving out would likely return it to away supporters which sometimes worked against us in the 2nd half. The ideal would be a standing area in place of the bing but that’s not happening. No easy answer unfortunately

[Dick Dastardly]

3 hours ago, Gary Peebles Tackle said:

He’s already played for us this season has he not? 
Genuinely don’t know the rules, but don’t think it’s a stupid question. I’m sure clubs have had to extend loans (maybe us, rings a vague bell) to enable players to play in play offs.

Anyway, please don’t get your knickers in a twist, just wondering…

I can’t imagine that he has much motivation in playing for Thistle again, particularly not to just sit on the bench. Even if we could get him back, I’d leave him where he is.

[JAG1970]

Looking to next season I see McInroy’s contract is up in the summer with Kilmarnock and wonder if Doolan will try and sign him. He might not be our most consistent player this season but his pass for the first goal yesterday was another example of his eye for a killer pass.

[The Thistle Archive]

Most of your post-Airdrie updates in place, with a packed edition of 'Stats Watch'. Donald Wilson's capture nails it! Partick Thistle 4 Airdrieonians 0 →     A MONUMENTAL SEASON FOR GRAHAM

● Amazingly, it's the first half-time stalemate in the league at Firhill in over a year, Queen's Park on 7 April 2023 being the last. Even more amazingly, Thistle won 4 nil that day too.

● Kerr McInroy hits double figures for competitive assists this season, now joint-top with Steven Lawless in that chart.

● Aidan Fitzpatrick hits the 20 mark in terms of goals/assists combined in all competitions this season.

● Brian Graham - the Division's top-scorer - has now scored against every team in the league this season!

● Brian Graham's brace (his 13th for the club) moves him onto 20 league goals for the season and he becomes only the 4th post-War to hit such a figure. The 3 other members of this super-exclusive club are Willie Sharp (22, 1953-54), Frank Coulston (21, 1970-71) & Maurice Johnston (22, 1982-83). See our (fully sortable) Top Scorers per season tables for the preceding 148 years.

● Brian Graham's tally of 24 goals in all competitions this term is the highest of any Thistle player since Maurice Johnston (35) in 1982-83.

● It's an impressive 3 goals in his 288 minutes for Ricco Diack who has scored in both home league matches with Airdrie this season. On both occasions he scored within 7 minutes of personal action!

● Points-per-game king of 2023-24 is undoubtedly Zander MacKenzie with just 2 losses in 22 games in all competitions this term. See our 'Squad Stats 2023-24' table (note: select the 'full' tab) to drill down more.

● For only the second time in the latest two league seasons, there are no bookings. The other instance? Versus Airdrie at the Excelsior back in August. What's going on?!

● In all competitions, Thistle have now registered 10 consecutive home wins versus Airdrieonians (2009 to date), extending the club-record in the H2H.

● Thistle qualify for the Premiership play-offs for the third successive season, where they will play… Airdrieonians! Third time lucky?

● Kris Doolan's Thistle remain unbeaten in 13 games played in the months of April and May. (c/o Matt Greer!)

ongoing sequences:

● 6 competitive games without defeat, 16th Mar 2024 to date. (Longest run since: 6 games, 27th Oct 2023 to 2nd Dec 2023. Joint club-record: 16 games, 15th Nov 1975 to 21st Feb 1976 & 30th Sep 2000 to 13th Jan 2001.)

● 28 games in 3rd place (30th Sep 2023 to date), an extension of the club-record for a position outwith outright top or bottom. Overall, it's the longest run since the club-record of 33 games in bottom pace (12th), set between 20th Sep 2003 and 15th May 2004.

● 33 consecutive competitive appearances for Lewis Neilson, 15th Sep 2023 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Steven Lawless - 60 games, 18th Feb 2023 to 6th Apr 2024. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games, 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

Edited April 21 by The Thistle Archive

[partickthedog]

1 hour ago, The Thistle Archive said:

Most of your post-Airdrie updates in place, with a packed edition of 'Stats Watch'. Donald Wilson's capture nails it! Partick Thistle 4 Airdrieonians 0 →     A MONUMENTAL SEASON FOR GRAHAM

● Amazingly, it's the first half-time stalemate in the league at Firhill in over a year, Queen's Park on 7 April 2023 being the last. Even more amazingly, Thistle won 4 nil that day too.

● Kerr McInroy hits double figures for competitive assists this season, now joint-top with Steven Lawless in that chart.

● Aidan Fitzpatrick hits the 20 mark in terms of goals/assists combined in all competitions this season.

● Brian Graham - the Division's top-scorer - has now scored against every team in the league this season!

● Brian Graham's brace (his 13th for the club) moves him onto 20 league goals for the season and he becomes only the 4th post-War to hit such a figure. The 3 other members of this super-exclusive club are Willie Sharp (22, 1953-54), Frank Coulston (21, 1970-71) & Maurice Johnston (22, 1982-83). See our (fully sortable) Top Scorers per season tables for the preceding 148 years.

● Brian Graham's tally of 24 goals in all competitions this term is the highest of any Thistle player since Maurice Johnston (35) in 1982-83.

● It's an impressive 3 goals in his 288 minutes for Ricco Diack who has scored in both home league matches with Airdrie this season. On both occasions he scored within 7 minutes of personal action!

● Points-per-game king of 2023-24 is undoubtedly Zander MacKenzie with just 2 losses in 22 games in all competitions this term. See our 'Squad Stats 2023-24' table (note: select the 'full' tab) to drill down more.

● For only the second time in the latest two league seasons, there are no bookings. The other instance? Versus Airdrie at the Excelsior back in August. What's going on?!

● In all competitions, Thistle have now registered 10 consecutive home wins versus Airdrieonians (2009 to date), extending the club-record in the H2H.

● Thistle qualify for the Premiership play-offs for the third successive season, where they will play… Airdrieonians! Third time lucky?

● Kris Doolan's Thistle remain unbeaten in 13 games played in the months of April and May. (c/o Matt Greer!)

ongoing sequences:

● 6 competitive games without defeat, 27th Oct 2023 to date. (Longest run since: 6 games, 27th Oct 2023 to 2nd Dec 2023. Joint club-record: 16 games, 15th Nov 1975 to 21st Feb 1976 & 30th Sep 2000 to 13th Jan 2001.)

● 28 games in 3rd place (30th Sep 2023 to date), an extension of the club-record for a position outwith outright top or bottom. Overall, it's the longest run since the club-record of 33 games in bottom pace (12th), set between 20th Sep 2003 and 15th May 2004.

● 33 consecutive competitive appearances for Lewis Neilson, 15th Sep 2023 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Steven Lawless - 60 games, 18th Feb 2023 to 6th Apr 2024. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games, 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

Brilliant research as always.

If I am reading this right, 2 goals in the last 2 league games would make Brian our equal leading post-war league goals in a season scorer (and 3 would put him out on his own).

I presume that I would be correct in saying that any goals in the play-offs would not count towards this particular total, as this would be regarded as a separate competition (although it does have a direct bearing on league promotion/relegation). I am sure that we had this debate over Mark Roberts, when I presented my case for a Doublet for his play off feat against Stranraer, but you ruled me out of order!

 

[Lenziejag]

8 hours ago, partickthedog said:

Brilliant research as always.

If I am reading this right, 2 goals in the last 2 league games would make Brian our equal leading post-war league goals in a season scorer (and 3 would put him out on his own).

I presume that I would be correct in saying that any goals in the play-offs would not count towards this particular total, as this would be regarded as a separate competition (although it does have a direct bearing on league promotion/relegation). I am sure that we had this debate over Mark Roberts, when I presented my case for a Doublet for his play off feat against Stranraer, but you ruled me out of order!

 

Don’t see why play off goals shouldn’t count. The number of games for each of those other 3 seasons were different in each case - 30,36 and 39 respectively 

[partickthedog]

37 minutes ago, Lenziejag said:

Don’t see why play off goals shouldn’t count. The number of games for each of those other 3 seasons were different in each case - 30,36 and 39 respectively 

That is a reasonable point. I will have to defer to the Thistle Archive as the ultimate arbiter of justice.

On a related but different subject, I am wondering if Brian is getting anywhere near being our most prolific “lower league” (ie not the top league flight available at the time) goal scorer. Kris Doolan is over 40 ahead in total goals, but must have scored at least that number in the Premier League which would not count for this particular award (no idea how Cup and other goals compare). Most of our other top scorers will have operated at a time when we were in the old First Division or equivalent top league.