Derby Jag Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Chris Jack has just tweeted we are starting a £750k youth academy with the Euromillion winning Weir family News to follow I guess but sounds rather exciting Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smurph Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Gerry Britton's on board as full-time youth academy guy. This is great news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big Dan Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Fantastic news for the Club and a big thanks to the Weir's for their generous donation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twinny Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Very good gesture from the Weir family and great that youth has been targeted instead of allowing the money to be thrown at journeymen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Cup Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Good news for the club. It would be excellent to see some youth players coming through on a par with DU. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clinically Depressed Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 It'll be accompanied by a dedicated website, so look out for some pictures from two youth games yesterday taken by yours truly, when I came back temporarily as a favour to Mr. Britton in support of a fine initiative. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uberteeb Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Is this them giving us £750k for facilities and we then run them? And what does £750k buy? Anyone know how much we spend on the youth teams each year at the moment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Murray Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 This is brilliant news but have they any spare cash for a striker! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Earl of Hathaway Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 I think this is fantastic news. We now definitely have the chance to get good young players signed up and playing for Thistle before other teams. Imagine we could now start a cycle in which the team doesn't go into decline when we sell players or they move on, we get better players to replace them. Maybe the current Thistle team is just the start of something much, much more long-term.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Arch Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Whoever it was at the club that managed to convince them to get on board deserves a big kiss. I've no idea how much other SPFL clubs spend on youth development, but this can only be good news. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinKelvin Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Wow. This is brilliant news. Other clubs have benefitted from great youth coming through so it's great that all things being well, we will be following suit. We've all enjoyed the current young team on the pitch, and the thought of many more good young players coming through (and also earning PTFC some money when they are sold on to the Premiership!) is an exciting one. Thank you to the Weirs! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juan Kerr Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/partick-thistle/242244-euromillions-winners-donate-750000-to-start-partick-thistle-youth-academy/ ^Gigantic unwieldy link Good stuff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Fantastic news. And it clears up the mystery of whether the Weirs were or weren't Thistle fans! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derby Jag Posted October 7, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 http://thistleweir.co.uk This could be one of the most significant moves in the history of our club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
uberteeb Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 The first name on the coaches list on the website, is that THE Sandy Hodge? As in one of the worst ever players to wear a Thistle strip Sandy Hodge? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Many excellent coaches and even managers did not excel as players. Given the relatively large number of people already in post, it's impressive that no information about the academy was leaked beforehand. In view of the extremely generous donation by the Weirs, how good would it be if propco now donated the bing for a suitable development for the academy, rather than for private flats or whatever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Arch Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 The first name on the coaches list on the website, is that THE Sandy Hodge? As in one of the worst ever players to wear a Thistle strip Sandy Hodge? Can't imagine there's two Sandy Hodge's in football. Looking forward to our conveyor belt of shite centre halfs. Would imagine Peter MacDonald is the Dundee footballer, and Ryan McCann the full back. Surprised to see Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills on the list though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billko Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Glad this is out in the open now and confirmed and fantastic news for Thistle and will set the foundations for the future. Fantastic gesture from the Weirs and i personally think investing in youth is what all clubs should be doing and this will put Thistle up with the big boys so to speak. The best talent will see Thistle as an option now and the boys already in the set up will benefit greatly from this investment. I have spoken to other parents since my lad got in the youth set up and we could all see what a big club Thistle was but fell a little short of fulfilling the potential it had but this will all change now. Can't imagine there's two Sandy Hodge's in football. Looking forward to our conveyor belt of shite centre halfs. Would imagine Peter MacDonald is the Dundee footballer, and Ryan McCann the full back. Surprised to see Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills on the list though. Ryan McCann has been excellent for the 14's since he came in as a coach and these are the type guys you want at the club. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
read'n'yell Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 It really is a huge donation, the Weirs could of quite easily handed over 100k and got many plaudits. But this is a whole new level. Old saying of money makes money, and this really could. One great youth could turn over another 750k by the time he is 17/18. With our own youth system in place for a couple years and now with this boost, hopefully it will only be 2/3 years before results show. Youngsters now have a professional development route, I imagine comparable to the old filth, with much bigger chances of success. I think we will need to really make an effort in the future to play these players when their good enough - even if that is at 16. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thornwoodjag Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 They have missed a trick here. Should be called "weirthistle youth". 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
read'n'yell Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Have to admit that's got a ring to it! Was thinking the name thistle weir youth academy is a bit long winded but I guess it doesn't matter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DublinMagyar Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 That's fantastic news, big thankyou to the Weirs for their generosity! We're coming.....................! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Thistle Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Its a fantastic donation by the Weirs, hopefully the youth academy will start to bring additional revenues to the club in a few years time like the recent windfall Hamiltion got. I know from the Largs area the one thing they want to do is help community projects particulary where youth is involved and they can see tangable long term benefits rather than seeing money squandered and wasted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Arch Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 Britton's giving up his job as a lawyer to do it, and it's 250k for each of the next three years. All came about through Beattie and the Weirs becoming pals rather than going and begging them for cash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambies Lost Doo Posted October 7, 2013 Report Share Posted October 7, 2013 So happy about this. Will benefit the club, national team and broader community. Hats off to all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.