Nobby Clark

[Jaggernaut]

Some others will probably remember Nobby Clark, late 60s into the mid 70s. Reliable defender, whose only goal for Thistle was against the h u n s at Ibrox. I didn't realise that he went on to play 340 times for Queen of the South, and even got them promoted as manager.

 

He also got a League Cup Winner's medal for playing in some of our early round matches. I found this good article:

http://www.qosfc.com/new_legendsview.aspx?playerid=1041

[Fellow Traveller]

I'm another one who was completely ignorant of his achievements after leaving here.

 

Excellent article and nifty to see the Tommy Bryce connection.

[Willjag]

That really was good reading! It would be smashing to see articles like that on the official site every now and then (could follow it from a programme article! You reading this Tom??? ).

Edited September 25, 2011 by Willjag

[Jaggernaut]

That really was good reading! It would be smashing to see articles like that on the official site every now and then (could follow it from a programme article! You reading this Tom??? ).

As this is the 40th anniversary year of you-know-what victory, an interview with every (surviving) member of the squad would be excellent, either for several of the programmes, or a one-off commemorative programme.

[macduff]

Some others will probably remember Nobby Clark, late 60s into the mid 70s. Reliable defender, whose only goal for Thistle was against the h u n s at Ibrox. I didn't realise that he went on to play 340 times for Queen of the South, and even got them promoted as manager.

 

He also got a League Cup Winner's medal for playing in some of our early round matches. I found this good article:

http://www.qosfc.com/new_legendsview.aspx?playerid=1041

 

don't post much but this one brought back a distant memory....the goal, I believe, was a very late equalizer at Ibrox (near post header from a corner) at New Year's...my late father knew Nobby somehow and that goal (and the New Year drink) almost got all of us killed. I remember much dancing by about 20 or so Thistle supporters in the old Centenary Stand , quickly followed by threats and thrown objects by the growling natives....the singing and dancing continued until we were chased out of the ground and down side streets ( I would have been about 8 so not entirely sure of recollection but sure this was the goal that produced the scariest time I ever had following the jags

[Blackpool Jags]

I wasn't a huge fan of Nobby Clark, but that said, he was ok; a bit of a steady Eddie. He also had the slight misfortune to be around in the era of the great Jackie Campbell, Donnie McKinnon and, for a while, the vastly underrated Hugh Strachan.

 

He still got a good few starts for us, through injuries and suspensions to others, as I remember. Also a very polite and affable figure according to my Thistle elders of the day. Definitely an individual you couldn't possibly dislike.

[Willjag]

don't post much but this one brought back a distant memory....the goal, I believe, was a very late equalizer at Ibrox (near post header from a corner) at New Year's...my late father knew Nobby somehow and that goal (and the New Year drink) almost got all of us killed. I remember much dancing by about 20 or so Thistle supporters in the old Centenary Stand , quickly followed by threats and thrown objects by the growling natives....the singing and dancing continued until we were chased out of the ground and down side streets ( I would have been about 8 so not entirely sure of recollection but sure this was the goal that produced the scariest time I ever had following the jags

I'm not 100% certain, but I recall a similar situation it was the equaliser at Ibrox in a 1-1 draw at the time when Rangers were getting crowds of 4 figures owing to them being really shit at the time and my Brother and I were jumping up and down celebrating the goal in the traditional Rangers end much to the disgusted looks of the opposition fans around us. Never any hint of animosity from them to be fair though.

[Lindau]

Gawd I remember that goal well as I took my Hungarian brother in law from Canada to it as his first and only ever experience of sawker!! We were in the main stand when the Nobster scored that goal. We were politely told to sit down when Nobby scored....ha! Was a great day!!

[lady-isobel-barnett]

I always liked Nobby but I can understand why he's semi forgotten about. If we were allowed two subs in these days I reckon Nobby would be far better remembered.

I knew he played for Queens but had no idea just how many times.

[Winter of '63]

I'm surprised that Nobby Clark played as many as 154 games for Thistle. If they had "squad players" back in the Seventies, Nobby would have been in that category - never quite good enough to have been a regular first choice but a decent enough player to come in when needed. I suppose that Andy Anderson's tendency to get injured and Jackie Campbell's contractual dispute with the club gave him a few opportunities.

 

I do remember that he played - and came close to scoring - in the game against Honved. Strange to think that a journeyman professional for us actually played in Europe.

 

I knew he had gone to Queen of the South after he left the club, but 340 games for them is a creditable achievement.

[Jaggernaut]

I'm surprised that Nobby Clark played as many as 154 games for Thistle. If they had "squad players" back in the Seventies, Nobby would have been in that category - never quite good enough to have been a regular first choice but a decent enough player to come in when needed. I suppose that Andy Anderson's tendency to get injured and Jackie Campbell's contractual dispute with the club gave him a few opportunities.

 

I do remember that he played - and came close to scoring - in the game against Honved. Strange to think that a journeyman professional for us actually played in Europe.

 

I knew he had gone to Queen of the South after he left the club, but 340 games for them is a creditable achievement.

That's my recollection too. I often watched the Reserves back then, and Nobby was one of my favourite reserves!

In his interview he said that he got a League Cup Winners medal for playing in the earlier rounds. Anybody know how many others who played in the earlier rounds got a medal (e.g., Tommy Rae, Charlie Smith)?

[Blackpool Jags]

That's my recollection too. I often watched the Reserves back then, and Nobby was one of my favourite reserves!

In his interview he said that he got a League Cup Winners medal for playing in the earlier rounds. Anybody know how many others who played in the earlier rounds got a medal (e.g., Tommy Rae, Charlie Smith)?

 

Charlie Smith definitely played in at least one of the earlier rounds, as did - IIRC - Johnny Gibson, probably in the group stages. As some of you will remember, the group stages were the season opener in those days: six group games were played before the official start to the league campaign which, as I remember that year, we qualified from easily before kicking off the league campaign, at home, against Attila's finest, on a beautiful September's sunny day.

 

The majestic Johnny Gibson totally ripped both Greig and Mathieson new ones before being brutally 'taken out' by both those fiends simultaneously: ie 'sandwiched' as they called it then. We still did them 3-2 though.

 

Back on topic, I'm pretty sure the wee maestro played in the group games that year if not subsequently.

[joejag]

Charlie Smith definitely played in at least one of the earlier rounds, as did - IIRC - Johnny Gibson, probably in the group stages. As some of you will remember, the group stages were the season opener in those days: six group games were played before the official start to the league campaign which, as I remember that year, we qualified from easily before kicking off the league campaign, at home, against Attila's finest, on a beautiful September's sunny day.

 

The majestic Johnny Gibson totally ripped both Greig and Mathieson new ones before being brutally 'taken out' by both those fiends simultaneously: ie 'sandwiched' as they called it then. We still did them 3-2 though.

 

Back on topic, I'm pretty sure the wee maestro played in the group games that year if not subsequently.

Wee Gibby came on as sub in final in that majestic side.

[Blackpool Jags]

Wee Gibby came on as sub in final in that majestic side.

 

Cheers. I should've been clearer about the bit "if not subsequently", which implies he didn't play again in the competition, as I meant in the earlier rounds.

[Jaggernaut]

Charlie Smith definitely played in at least one of the earlier rounds, as did - IIRC - Johnny Gibson, probably in the group stages. As some of you will remember, the group stages were the season opener in those days: six group games were played before the official start to the league campaign which, as I remember that year, we qualified from easily before kicking off the league campaign, at home, against Attila's finest, on a beautiful September's sunny day.

 

The majestic Johnny Gibson totally ripped both Greig and Mathieson new ones before being brutally 'taken out' by both those fiends simultaneously: ie 'sandwiched' as they called it then. We still did them 3-2 though.

 

Back on topic, I'm pretty sure the wee maestro played in the group games that year if not subsequently.

All nicely recollected, except the year of the 3-2 slaying of the h u n. That was at the start of the '72 league campaign, almost a year after the LC win.

[Willjag]

All nicely recollected, except the year of the 3-2 slaying of the h u n. That was at the start of the '72 league campaign, almost a year after the LC win.

No it wasn't!

[Winter of '63]

All nicely recollected, except the year of the 3-2 slaying of the h u n. That was at the start of the '72 league campaign, almost a year after the LC win.

No, Blackpool Jags is correct - this was the first League game of Season 71/72 - we turned over both Rangers and Celtic within the space of two months. John Gibson was magnificent in that match...though he only lasted 45 minutes after being the victim of an assault by John Greig, the man voted the greatest living Ranger by their fans.

 

I checked this a year or so ago when Tom Hosie asked for information about players who played in earlier rounds of the League Cup. John Hansen,Alex Forsyth, Jackie Campbell and Ronnie Glavin were only brought in to the team during the campaign - they had played less than ten games in their positions by the time we reached the Final. The same 12 played in the Semi Final against Falkirk and the Quarter Final Second Leg against St Johnstone but I was surprised at some of players who played in the Sectional Games - we had already qualified before the final group game and rested several of the first team.

 

The full list with some barely remembered names is

 

Ian Reid

Nobby Clark

Bobby Gray and Bobby Gray Senior - nephew and uncle

Charlie Smith

Ian Dick

Jim Logan - only played one game for Thistle

Donnie MacKinnon

Jim Mullin

Tommy Rae

Andy Anderson - debut as sub

 

No idea who was given a medal.

 

I need to get out more

[Willjag]

That's fantastic detail '63. I had no idea that many of the team had played so few games before the Final. Makes the achievement of that team all the more remarkable!

Edited September 26, 2011 by Willjag

[Jaggernaut]

No, Blackpool Jags is correct - this was the first League game of Season 71/72 - we turned over both Rangers and Celtic within the space of two months. John Gibson was magnificent in that match...though he only lasted 45 minutes after being the victim of an assault by John Greig, the man voted the greatest living Ranger by their fans.

 

I checked this a year or so ago when Tom Hosie asked for information about players who played in earlier rounds of the League Cup. John Hansen,Alex Forsyth, Jackie Campbell and Ronnie Glavin were only brought in to the team during the campaign - they had played less than ten games in their positions by the time we reached the Final. The same 12 played in the Semi Final against Falkirk and the Quarter Final Second Leg against St Johnstone but I was surprised at some of players who played in the Sectional Games - we had already qualified before the final group game and rested several of the first team.

 

The full list with some barely remembered names is

 

Ian Reid

Nobby Clark

Bobby Gray and Bobby Gray Senior - nephew and uncle

Charlie Smith

Ian Dick

Jim Logan - only played one game for Thistle

Donnie MacKinnon

Jim Mullin

Tommy Rae

Andy Anderson - debut as sub

 

No idea who was given a medal.

 

I need to get out more

I stand corrected! Sorry, BJ. I do remember wee Gibson running complete riot, but didn't remember that he scored 2 of our 3 goals. And, clearly, I didn't remember the year. Now, what's this thread about again......?

[Winter of '63]

That's fantastic detail '63. I had no idea that many of the team had played so few games before the Final. Makes the achievement of that team all the more remarkable!

The four guys I mentioned had played a few games in previous seasons but Davie McParland found their best positions - Alex Forsyth and John Hansen were midfield players who became the full backs, Ronnie Glavin was a striker who became a midfield player, and Jackie Campbell - who was regarded as one of the old heads in the team...I think he was 24 at the time - was converted from a right back to centre half. I reckon that the final was John Hansen's seventh game as a right back.

[mojo]

Ah the memories. New years day in Ibrox main stand separated from the h*ns by small wooden partition. Respectable H*n next to us

" nice to see you Jags fans, always a soft spot for your team" whisky bottle passed backwards and forwards. They score, H*n celebrates. Late on Nobby gets murdered by I think Tam Forsyth.... Dusts himself down takes free kick moves upheld and is on the end of a cross to head the ball into the net. We go daft ....H*n goes daft ...dirty Fe.....ian Bstds etc attempts to climb over partition falls trying to get at us...falls and then gets lifted!!!!

 

On the way home gets involved in a car chase by a bunch of h*ns which involved booting their car driving through red lights on wrong side of road and eventually them giving up when we reached Finnieston St. Those were the days !

[Jaggernaut]

The four guys I mentioned had played a few games in previous seasons but Davie McParland found their best positions - Alex Forsyth and John Hansen were midfield players who became the full backs, Ronnie Glavin was a striker who became a midfield player, and Jackie Campbell - who was regarded as one of the old heads in the team...I think he was 24 at the time - was converted from a right back to centre half. I reckon that the final was John Hansen's seventh game as a right back.

All of that goes to show what a genius McParland was. Of course we'll never know what he might have gone on to achieve for the club if the then-Board hadn't messed him around.

[Jaggernaut]

Ah the memories. New years day in Ibrox main stand separated from the h*ns by small wooden partition. Respectable H*n next to us

" nice to see you Jags fans, always a soft spot for your team" whisky bottle passed backwards and forwards. They score, H*n celebrates. Late on Nobby gets murdered by I think Tam Forsyth.... Dusts himself down takes free kick moves upheld and is on the end of a cross to head the ball into the net. We go daft ....H*n goes daft ...dirty Fe.....ian Bstds etc attempts to climb over partition falls trying to get at us...falls and then gets lifted!!!!

 

On the way home gets involved in a car chase by a bunch of h*ns which involved booting their car driving through red lights on wrong side of road and eventually them giving up when we reached Finnieston St. Those were the days !

I actually used to enjoy being in the Thistle "choir" at Ibrox, at the top left side of their old shed as you looked from the pitch. In spite of being outnumbered 15 to 1, we used to make a lot of noise back then.

[lady-isobel-barnett]

That's fantastic detail '63. I had no idea that many of the team had played so few games before the Final. Makes the achievement of that team all the more remarkable!

It certainly does and perhaps in hindsight explains some of our stranger results that season. Back then as I mind only Stein rotated his players. Just about every team we played would be a settled eleven. That was the norm then and I think even the double winning Arsenal used fewer players in total than we'd have in a matchday squad today.

Finishing that first season back in such a high position, considering we didn't start with a settled side was an achievement we overlook in the wake of the Cup win.

[Blackpool Jags]

Just adding to some of the stuff above, that when you think we got Alex Forsyth from Arsenal as a midfielder, some might've thought who the hell was a Thistle manager to start jiggling about, putting AF at left back? He went from us to Man Utd for a few bob - as a left back. Then to build your midfield around a converted striker (Ronnie Glavin, as mentioned above) and an apparent flop from Bury and formerly East Fife (Alec Rae). Also fair to mention that Hugh Strachan was seen by many as a has been, having spent his best years at Killie and Morton. But...he had, in my opinion, the best game a Thistle defender's had - at any time during my Thistle days - in the big one.

 

How Sergeant Davie managed to complete a jigsaw out of all those rogue pieces is a minor miracle in itself.