Fleetwood jag Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 Have very vague memories of watching the wee man as I must have been around 5-8 years old when he played for the jags but my late dad spoke about him as fondly as he did about the likes of Davy McParland at that time. R.I.P. Wee man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cyprusjag Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 Fantastic player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpool Jags Posted September 30, 2013 Report Share Posted September 30, 2013 A big favourite of mine back in the day. I always saw JF as an old fashioned centre forward, but have since deferred to the fact he was an inside forward. Totally gutted when we sold him to Clyde. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briogadh Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 A big favourite of mine back in the day. I always saw JF as an old fashioned centre forward, but have since deferred to the fact he was an inside forward. Totally gutted when we sold him to Clyde. A class player in a very poor side. Have vivid memories of him almost single-handedly snatching a draw in a Scottish Cup tie against Celtic at Firhill in, I think, 1968. Final score 3 - 3 Sadly the Jags seemed to lie down and roll over in the replay, which finished 8 - 1 ! Seem to recall the then club captain threatening to walk out on the club, so incensed was he at the lack of spirit and fight by his team mates During half time at the first match a rally car was driven around the track, piloted by drivers who had recently won an international event. For the life of me I cannot remember who they were or what was the event. Are there any old-timers out there who can jog my memory ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindau Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) A class player in a very poor side. Have vivid memories of him almost single-handedly snatching a draw in a Scottish Cup tie against Celtic at Firhill in, I think, 1968. Final score 3 - 3 Sadly the Jags seemed to lie down and roll over in the replay, which finished 8 - 1 ! Seem to recall the then club captain threatening to walk out on the club, so incensed was he at the lack of spirit and fight by his team mates During half time at the first match a rally car was driven around the track, piloted by drivers who had recently won an international event. For the life of me I cannot remember who they were or what was the event. Are there any old-timers out there who can jog my memory ? Cant jog your memory about the rally car but I was at this game with my dad and he put me down the front of the terracing at the city end with my mate while he stood a bit further back with a couple of his mates!. There was 33,000 at the game and we were petrified at the front as the crush was terrible especially when the goals went in. Biggest crowd I ever witnessed at Firhill and thats something that will never change! On the original subject, wee Johnny was a great wee player and a real fans favourite until he joined the Bully Wee...lol Edited October 1, 2013 by Lindau Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 Always liked Johnny. In general results weren't going for us when he was with us but you always had hope when he played. RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazy davie Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 Played in the first Thistle team I ever went to watch. Cracking wee player. RIP Johnny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
partickthedog Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 A class player in a very poor side. Have vivid memories of him almost single-handedly snatching a draw in a Scottish Cup tie against Celtic at Firhill in, I think, 1968. Final score 3 - 3 Sadly the Jags seemed to lie down and roll over in the replay, which finished 8 - 1 ! Seem to recall the then club captain threatening to walk out on the club, so incensed was he at the lack of spirit and fight by his team mates During half time at the first match a rally car was driven around the track, piloted by drivers who had recently won an international event. For the life of me I cannot remember who they were or what was the event. Are there any old-timers out there who can jog my memory ? Rally car. Could that be Andrew Cowan, a driver from the Scottish Borders who gained a fair amount of national and international recognition by winning the inaugural London to Sydney rally (if I recall correctly). No idea as to the Firhill link, unless he was a Jags fan. Other possibility is some sort of connection to the Monte Carlo Rally which would start from Blythswood Square, not a million miles from Firhill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 As others have said, a fine wee player with more than a touch of mischief about him. One of my favourite players when I was a youngster. RIP, Johnny. I wanted to post a link to a great picture of him in action, from stuthejag's history site, but I can't get onto the site. Anybody else have problems with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaggy Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 when I first saw The Jags around 68 or 69, he was my favourite player. A few years ago a guy I worked with turned out to be his nephew & I printed the cracking picture of John in the away strip at Firhill v Hearts, The pic is in B&W but it looks like a white top with a red & yellow hoop round the middle, it's been mentioned on the forum a few times over the years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 when I first saw The Jags around 68 or 69, he was my favourite player. A few years ago a guy I worked with turned out to be his nephew & I printed the cracking picture of John in the away strip at Firhill v Hearts, The pic is in B&W but it looks like a white top with a red & yellow hoop round the middle, it's been mentioned on the forum a few times over the years That's the photo I meant. It's a belter (I have the original). A variation on that strip would be a belter of an away outfit too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
briogadh Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 Rally car. Could that be Andrew Cowan, a driver from the Scottish Borders who gained a fair amount of national and international recognition by winning the inaugural London to Sydney rally (if I recall correctly). No idea as to the Firhill link, unless he was a Jags fan. Other possibility is some sort of connection to the Monte Carlo Rally which would start from Blythswood Square, not a million miles from Firhill. That's the man! Thanks .Don't think it was the Monte Carlo. Can't think of a Thistle link, unless a director invited him as a guest. ( Come to think of it we had a director by name of Cowan in the very recent past!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuthejag Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 I wanted to post a link to a great picture of him in action, from stuthejag's history site, but I can't get onto the site. Anybody else have problems with it? The company that hosted the site has been taken over and the server is being switched over, should be back up soon (I'm told..) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanieD Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 Very sad, I particularly remember the 4-3 St Johnstone game in the 69-70 relegation season. We were 3-1 down with 35 mins to go but won a penalty Johnny took it but it was saved but a retake was ordered with the exact same outcome only no retake. However we got 2 goals to equalise and with a few mins remaining Johnny, ironically, got the winner. At the end of the season we still got relegated but at least we were given some hope on that day. I remember seeing him play for Clyde the following sesson against Aberdeen at Shawfield Clyde lost 2-1 but John scored against their notorious off-side trap tactic. A fine club servant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaggy Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) Very sad, I particularly remember the 4-3 St Johnstone game in the 69-70 relegation season. We were 3-1 down with 35 mins to go but won a penalty Johnny took it but it was saved but a retake was ordered with the exact same outcome only no retake. However we got 2 goals to equalise and with a few mins remaining Johnny, ironically, got the winner. At the end of the season we still got relegated but at least we were given some hope That game is one of my earliest memories of Thistle & Firhill. My dad used to stand on the north terrace and i remember all us kids jumping over the wall to celebrate the last 3 goals Edited October 1, 2013 by jaggy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whitburn Posted October 1, 2013 Report Share Posted October 1, 2013 (edited) Johnny was my first real hero as a wee boy...to this day I can recite that team off by heart... Niven Campbell and Muir O'Neill McKinnon and Gibb Rae McParland Coulston Flanagan and Duncan Substitute Bone I remember the 3-3 game at Firhill against Celtic and the crush gettn out afterwards. We were 3-1 down with 10 mins to go...all our goals scored by Johnny and Jimmy Bone. I always thrived to be that kind of player when a journalist described Johnny as 'quicksilver'. Gutted when he went to Clyde...like Dougie Somner going to St Mirren. RIP Johnny and thanks for the memories. Edited October 1, 2013 by whitburn 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Hansen Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 Johnny was my first real hero as a wee boy...to this day I can recite that team off by heart... Niven Campbell and Muir O'Neill McKinnon and Gibb Rae McParland Coulston Flanagan and Duncan Substitute Bone I remember the 3-3 game at Firhill against Celtic and the crush gettn out afterwards. We were 3-1 down with 10 mins to go...all our goals scored by Johnny and Jimmy Bone. I always thrived to be that kind of player when a journalist described Johnny as 'quicksilver'. Gutted when he went to Clyde...like Dougie Somner going to St Mirren. RIP Johnny and thanks for the memories. The wee man was my favourite at that time Thanks for the wonderful memories Johnny RIP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Jukebox Rebel Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 I don't know how to reproduce that photograph here but you can have a look at the ptfc.co.uk website. http://www.ptfcnet.co.uk/gallery/index.php/Historic-Photos/flanagan Johnny was obviously well thought of in the area. He was invited along to for the ceremonial "penny push" at the Ben Mhor Bar (est.1876!) in 1969, where the Maryhill locals had been donating for the Royal National Institute for the blind. http://www.oldglasgowpubs.co.uk/benmhor.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpool Jags Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 . I wanted to post a link to a great picture of him in action, from stuthejag's history site, but I can't get onto the site. Anybody else have problems with it? I don't know how to reproduce that photograph here but you can have a look at the ptfc.co.uk website. http://www.ptfcnet.c...Photos/flanagan I remember that game fairly well, against Hearts, as I'd broken with tradition for some reason and watched it from the South end, presumably fairly close to the photographer just on the other side of the wall. That strip, which we very rarely wore, if ever again or before, was quite striking and I agree with Jaggernaut that it would've made a fine 'change strip' (I dislike the term 'away strip' which implies that you have to change when you're playing away), not only for a year or two but long-term. Meant, of course, to add: RIP Johnny Flanagan, a truly memorable Thistle player who has stuck in my mind through the decades. Very sorry indeed to hear of his passing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H Wragg Posted October 2, 2013 Report Share Posted October 2, 2013 I don't know how to reproduce that photograph here but you can have a look at the ptfc.co.uk website. http://www.ptfcnet.co.uk/gallery/index.php/Historic-Photos/flanagan Johnny was obviously well thought of in the area. He was invited along to for the ceremonial "penny push" at the Ben Mhor Bar (est.1876!) in 1969, where the Maryhill locals had been donating for the Royal National Institute for the blind. http://www.oldglasgowpubs.co.uk/benmhor.html The exterior of the Laurieston Bar in Tradeston today is almost identical to that of the Ben Mhor in the 70s! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sunnylaw Jag Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 I contacted this site in regards to Flanagan. It is quite an interesting site altogether, not only for the obituary posts but for the football cards in general. http://cards.littleoak.com.au/rip_notices/rip_2010.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 Agreed that it's an interesting site. A bit of a shame that Flanagan's card is when he was with Clyde, as he played many more times for Thistle. Same for Colin McAdam: most games for Thistle, but the card is of him in a Motherwell top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sunnylaw Jag Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 I'm not sure there is a Flanagan card other than that one but I could be wrong. As for McAdam I think sometimes it's about who sends the card scan in. It could've been worse he could've been in a Rangers strip! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 I'm not sure there is a Flanagan card other than that one but I could be wrong. As for McAdam I think sometimes it's about who sends the card scan in. It could've been worse he could've been in a Rangers strip! I can't actually remember a Thistle Flanagan card either. There definitely is at least one for the Beast, though. Amazing, some of the sites that guys take it upon themselves to set up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sunnylaw Jag Posted November 7, 2013 Report Share Posted November 7, 2013 I can't actually remember a Thistle Flanagan card either. There definitely is at least one for the Beast, though. Amazing, some of the sites that guys take it upon themselves to set up. Yeah and it's an Australian one at that. Of similar interest and with more card photos is this one. http://www.tonysfootballcards.co.uk/abc.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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