 | ||
| Full name | Partick Thistle Football Club | |
|---|---|---|
| Nicknames | Thistle, The Jags, The Maryhill Magyars, The Harry Wraggs | |
| Founded | 1876; 149 years ago (1876) | |
| Ground | Firhill Stadium | |
| Capacity | 10,887[1] | |
| Chairman | Richard Beastall | |
| Head coach | Mark Wilson | |
| League | Scottish Championship | |
| 2024–25 | Scottish Championship, 4th of 10 | |
| Website | ptfc | |
 Current season | ||
Partick Thistle Football Club are a professionalfootball club fromGlasgow, Scotland, and currently plays in theScottish Championship. Despite their name, the club are based atFirhill Stadium in theMaryhill area of the city, and have not played inPartick since 1908. The club have been members of theScottish Professional Football League (SPFL) since its formation in 2013, having previously been members of theScottish Football League.
Since 1936, Thistle have played in their distinctive red-and-yellow jerseys of varying designs, with hoops, stripes and predominantly yellow tops with red trims having been used, although in 2009 a centenary kit was launched in the original navy-blue style to commemorate 100 years at Firhill.[2] Since 1908 the club have won theScottish Second Division (third tier, nowScottish League One) twice and theScottish First Division (second tier, now theScottish Championship) six times, most recently in 2013. Thistle have won theScottish Cup and theScottish League Cup in 1921 and 1971 respectively.
In 2013, they became inaugural members of the newly-formedScottish Premiership under the management ofAlan Archibald, and remained there for five consecutive seasons. During this period, Thistle secured major investment and, in 2017, finished in the top six of Scottish football for the first time in over three decades. In the2020–21 season, Thistle wonScottish League One, the third tier of the SPFL structure, and returned to theScottish Championship, having been relegated from there in2019–20.
Partick Thistle Football Club was formed in 1876 in the burgh ofPartick, which was at that time administratively independent of Glasgow (Partick was not subsumed into Glasgow until 1912). The club's first recorded match (and victory) took place in February against a local junior team, named Valencia.[3] The location of this match, and thereby Thistle's first home ground, was recorded as 'Overnewton Park', which is thought to have been located next to Overnewton Road, just south ofKelvingrove Park.[4] Having established themselves as the most popular team locally ahead of the likes ofPartick F.C., in 1891 Partick Thistle joined theScottish Football Alliance, one of several competitions set up immediately after the formation of theScottish Football League in 1890. The club won the Second Division championship in 1897 and were elected to the First Division. The following season they were re-elected after finishing in eighth place. In 1900 they were elected back to the top level, having finished as Second Division champions again, but were relegated the following season and then promoted in second place in 1902. This would be the last time Thistle changed their division for almost 70 years.[5] Since joining the Scottish professional leagues in 1893, Thistle had been an unpredictable side, spending four years in the First Division and five in the Second, winning promotion three times. It was during the1902–03 Scottish Division One season that Thistle set their highest finish in the Scottish league structure, finishing 8th in the table with 19 points.[6] In the following 33 years, they moved from home to home, using parks atKelvingrove, Jordanvale, Muirpark,Inchview among others. In 1897 they moved toMeadowside, where they played until 1908. After being homeless for over a season, they moved to their present home,Firhill Stadium, in theMaryhill district ofGlasgow. They played their first home match at Firhill, on 18 September 1909, in a 3–1 victory againstDumbarton Harp.[7]
In 1921 Thistle won theScottish Cup, beatingRangers 1–0 in the final.[8]Johnny Blair scored the only goal of the game, which was held atCeltic Park.[7] The Jags reached the final again nine years later, facing the same opposition, but Rangers won 2–1 in a replay following a 0–0 draw in the first match. In 1935 the Jags won both theGlasgow Cup and the Charity Cup, competitions that were taken seriously at the time.[8]
Although it was over 30 years before Thistle achieved further cup success they not only maintained their top tier status during this period but finished third in the league in 1947–48, 1953–54 and 1962–63.On 23 October 1971Davie McParland's team secured the club's most famous result againstJock Stein's Celtic in theLeague Cup final atHampden Park, Glasgow. 62,470 fans watched Thistle take a dramatic 4–0 lead at half time with goals from Alex Rae, Bobby Lawrie and Jimmy Bone amongst the many emerging talents in the Thistle squad includingAlan Rough,Alex Forsyth andDenis McQuade.Kenny Dalglish pulled a goal back for Celtic, however the final result was never in doubt as Thistle eased to a 4–1 victory. Ironically before the match, formerBBC sport broadcasterSam Leitch stated that "In Scotland, it's League Cup final day at Hampden Park, where Celtic meet Partick Thistle, who have no chance."[9]
Thistle's fortunes on the pitch declined during the 1980s. Although the club had experienced difficult times before, having dropped into the second tier of Scottish football twice in the 1970s, they had bounced straight back up on both occasions. The relegation of 1982 led to the club's first sustained period outside the top tier since the late 19th century. Between 1986 and 1989, Thistle were owned byKen Bates,[10][11][12][13] chairman ofChelsea, whose intention was to use Thistle as afeeder club for the English team; however few players moved between the clubs during those years, which were also unsuccessful on the field (they finished 8th in the second tier for five seasons running between1985–86 and1989–90).
Although this period of exile ended with promotion in 1992, mounting financial problems, including a debt of over £1.5 million, threatened to put the club out of existence.[14] In 1998 in particular the club was close to going bankrupt and was only kept afloat by the fan-organised "Save the Jags" campaign.[15] Despite avoiding financial oblivion Thistle were relegated to the third tier of Scottish Football in 1997–98 and only narrowly avoided a further relegation the following season, finishing in eighth place.
In 1999John Lambie commenced his third period as manager of the club and under his stewardship Thistle enjoyed a brief revival, winning back-to-back promotions in 2000–01 and 2001–02, the second of which earned the club a place in theScottish Premier League. SPL guidelines at the time stipulated that clubs would only be eligible for promotion to the league if their stadium had a minimum 10,000 seated capacity. To comply with these guidelines the terraced section at the north end of Firhill was replaced with a 2000-seat stand. Speaking in 2004, Thistle chairman Tom Hughes argued the club did not at the time require a stadium with such a large capacity and building the new stand 'seriously affected [their] competitiveness'.[16] Thistle maintained their place in the SPL under Lambie by finishing 10th in 2002–03, despite being favourites for relegation.[17]
Following Lambie's retirement at the end of the 2002–03 season, Thistle struggled.Gerry Collins (Lambie's previous assistant) was sacked mid-season and replaced with joint player-managersDerek Whyte andGerry Britton.[18] This change was not enough to revive the team, and Thistle were relegated at the end of the 2003–04 season afterInverness, having won the First Division title, were permitted to groundshare withAberdeen. In season 2004–05 the team continued to struggle and Whyte and Britton were dismissed mid-season.Dick Campbell, their successor, was unable to avoid relegation to the Second Division. He did return the club to the First Division the following season, through the newly introduced play-off system, having finished 4th in the league. This brought to a close the club's most unpredictable decade, in footballing terms at least: between 1996 and 2006 Thistle had been promoted three times and relegated four times. They were the second team in Scottish football to be relegated from the top flight through successive subsequent relegations, excluding those caused by league reconstruction, after St. Johnstone in the 1980s.[19]
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Despite starting well upon returning to the First Division, Dick Campbell was sacked on 27 March 2007,[20] following a succession of poor results.[21] A caretaker management team ofJimmy Bone andTerry Butcher saw out the season[22] beforeIan McCall, a former player, was unveiled as manager.McCall's first season saw Thistle finish 6th in the First Division and embark on a successfulScottish Cup campaign, reaching the quarter-finals before being defeated by eventual winnersRangers after a 1–1 draw at Ibrox, Thistle lost the replay 2–0 at Firhill.[23] League form further improved in season 2008–09 with Thistle exceeding expectations to finish 2nd in the First Division, behindSt Johnstone. This season saw midfielderGary Harkins win the Irn Bru Phenomenal Player of the Year and Northern Ireland'sJonny Tuffey become the club's first full international for several years.
McCall quit his post as manager in April 2011, citing personal reasons.[24]Jackie McNamara was initially appointed as caretaker manager[25] before being made full-time manager of the club at the end of the 2010–11 season.[26]
McNamara and assistantSimon Donnelly guided Thistle to a sixth-place finish in the 2011–12 season.[27] The following season Thistle started well and emerged as promotion candidates, competing withDunfermline andGreenock Morton for a place in the following season's top flight. On 29 January 2013 the club gave permission toDundee United to speak to McNamara about becoming their new manager.[28] The following day McNamara and his assistantSimon Donnelly resigned,[29] to become the new management team at United.[30] Along with Donnelly, Jackie McNamara brought goalkeeperCraig Hinchliffe,Paul Paton andChris Erskine toTannadice. Thistle were second in the league at the time and, because McNamara was under contract, compensation was owed to the club.[31]
On 30 January 2013,Alan Archibald was appointed as the club's interim manager, with former Thistle playerScott Paterson as his assistant.[32] On 22 March, the duo were given the job on a permanent basis[33] signing a one-year rolling contract.[34] The following month on 20 April 2013, the club clinched promotion to theScottish Premiership[35] having sealed theFirst Division championship with a 2–0 victory away toFalkirk.[36] The title win meant Thistle returned to the top flight of Scottish football for the first time in nine years.[37] The team also lost theScottish Challenge Cup final toQueen of the South on penalties in April 2013.[38]
Thistle's initial return to the Premiership had mixed success. The team managed to maintain a relatively positive away record, however it was months before Thistle finally secured a home win, with them beatingAberdeen 3–1 atFirhill in February 2014.[39] Thistle managed to avoid the relegation and play-off spots, eventually finishing third-bottom, following a 4–2 win away toHearts atTynecastle.[40] Thistle announced the club were completely free of debt in November 2015.[41]
The2015–16 Scottish Premiership season saw Thistle secure long-term contracts for many of their key players, includingKris Doolan,Callum Booth,Tomáš Černý andMustapha Dumbuya.
On 7 May 2016, Thistle secured their Premiership status with a 2–0 away victory toKilmarnock, with goals coming fromSteven Lawless andKris Doolan. This result meant that Archibald overtook former managerDavie McParland as the record holder of top-flight victories. On 8 April 2017, Thistle beatMotherwell 1–0 to secure a place in the top six for the first time since the league split was first introduced to the Scottish top flight in2000–01.[42]
In the2017–18 Scottish Premiership, Thistle finished in 11th position, narrowly avoiding 12th place withRoss County being automatically relegated. Thistle subsequently went into the Scottish Premiership play-offs againstLivingston, who had finished second in theScottish Championship in their first season of returning to the league. On 17 May 2018, Thistle lost the first leg 2–1 away atAlmondvale Stadium, withKris Doolan getting Thistle's goal.[43] Livingston then came to face Thistle at Firhill on 20 May 2018. Livingston won the away leg 0–1 afterKeaghan Jacobs scored in the 46th minute.[44] Thistle were relegated to theScottish Championship after a stay in the top flight of five years. Subsequently, speculation surrounded whether or not Archibald would remain as Thistle's manager. On 24 May, Thistle announced on their website Archibald would remain as Partick Thistle's manager going into the Championship next season.[45] As a result of Thistle's poor season, a number of players were not offered a new contract by the club including captainAbdul Osman,Callum Booth,Steven Lawless,Mustapha Dumbuya,Paul McGinn andRyan Scully. Transfer listed players wereAdam Barton,Niall Keown andMiles Storey. Australian midfielderRyan Edwards triggered a relegation contract clause, allowing him to leave the club immediately.[46] After a poor start to their2018–19 Scottish Championship season, Archibald was sacked as manager on 6 October 2018 following a 2–0 loss toRoss County, leaving Thistle 8th in the Championship.[47]
On 15 October 2018, Thistle announced that formerCeltic andScotland internationalGary Caldwell had been appointed as Archibald's replacement. Chairman Jacqui Low said "Put simply, he plans to build a strong defence that allows us to then push forward and play attacking football."[48]
Thistle's first season in theScottish Championship after relegation was a difficult one; the club were one of the promotion favourites but after a poor first half of the season they were sitting bottom by December and facing the possibility of back to back relegations.[49] Caldwell performed a large squad overhaul in January including the key signing ofScott McDonald who went on to score 7 goals in 13 games.[50] Caldwell managed to turn the season around with the club finishing in 6th position and avoiding further relegation toLeague One with a 3–0 away win toQueen of the South thus removing the threat of the relegation play-offs.[51] Although safe, Caldwell released strikerKris Doolan who ended his decade-long stay at the club after being informed that his contract would not be renewed. Other players to depart includedMiles Storey,Scott McDonald,Niall Keown andSouleymane Coulibaly.[52]
From June 2019 and during the run up to the start of the 2019–20 season, a consortium led by Chinese American billionaire Chien Lee and American businessman Paul Conway looked to buy Partick Thistle, with talks going on throughout the beginning of the season.[53] Partick Thistle Trust, a supporters group and the single biggest shareholder at the time with 19.28% of the club, released a statement urging shareholders not to support the potential takeover bid.[54] By November, the takeover had not taken place.[55]
Thistle made another poor start to the Championship season, picking up two points in the opening five games. Following a 1–1 draw away to Arbroath, Caldwell was sacked as manager.[56]
After the sacking of Caldwell, Partick Thistle appointedAyr United boss Ian McCall as their manager on 23 September 2019.[57]
On 21 November, Euromillions winner Colin Weir completed the takeover of Partick Thistle, instead of the consortium led by Chien Lee and Paul Conway. Weir purchased a majority shareholding and a holding in land at Firhill, Weir then immediately gave the land back to the club. Weir's takeover included the plan to gift the shares of the club back to the fans, to ensure Partick Thistle became a fan owned club, with a Working Group of The PTFC Trust and Thistle Forever plus an interim board overseeing the transfer of shares.[58] After Weir's takeover the club announced that the plans for Partick Thistle's own training ground were to be shelved with the focus instead on completing the takeover and transfer of shares to the fans.[59] In December 2019, majority shareholder and lifelong Jags fan Weir died at the age of 71.[60][61]
McCall made several changes during the January 2020 transfer window, including bringing in the likes ofBrian Graham,Zak Rudden andDarren Brownlie, with veteran strikerKenny Miller among those leaving,[62] but Thistle continued to struggle. Thistle were knocked out of theScottish Cup in a 2–1 home defeat againstCeltic,[63] and later lost in theScottish Challenge Cup semi final toLeague One sideRaith Rovers.[64]
Scottish football was stopped in March 2020 due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, at which time Thistle were in last place in theChampionship (two points behind 9th placeQueen of the South, although Thistle had a game in hand).[65][66] A vote was subsequently taken to curtail the Championship, League One and League Two seasons, which meant that Thistle were relegated toLeague One.[66][67] After talks of league reconstruction (which would have prevented Thistle being relegated) fell through, and following an anonymous donation, Thistle joined a legal action byHeart of Midlothian (who were relegated from theScottish Premiership) against the SPFL.[68] After a hearing at theCourt of Session,[69] aScottish Football Association arbitration panel ruled that the SPFL had acted within its powers and therefore confirmed the relegations of Hearts and Thistle, meaning Thistle had now been relegated twice in the space of three seasons, dropping from the Premiership to League One.[70]
The2020–21 Scottish League One season was a stop-start affair due to COVID-19 and shutdown mid-season for a number of months before restarting in March, with the clubs agreeing to a further reduced 22-game season rather than the 27-game season originally planned.[71] After a mixed first half of the campaign in League One, Thistle went on a fantastic run of form in April, winning six games and drawing two, as they secured the 2020–21 Scottish League One title on 29 April 2021 after defeating Falkirk 5–0 (their first trophy for eight years) and promotion back to the Scottish Championship at the first time of asking.[72] Thistle manager Ian McCall described the title win as the most satisfying of his career.[73]
On their return to the Championship Thistle finished 4th in the league securing a promotion play-off place. Thistle lost 3–1 on aggregate to eventual finalists Inverness in the Premiership to end the 2021–22 season.[74]
Thistle made a good start to the 2022–23 season, sitting top of the Championship after the first 10 games.[75] However, a poor run of form followed. Despite picking up slightly in later weeks, following back to back home defeats to Hamilton Academical and Cove Rangers and a 3–2 defeat to Rangers at Ibrox in the Scottish cup, manager Ian McCall and assistants Alan Archibald and Neil Scally were sacked with Thistle sitting 5th in the Championship table. It was also confirmed former player and hall of famerKris Doolan had been appointed interim manager.[76][77]
After the departure of McCall it was announced that former player and club hall of famerKris Doolan would take over as interim manager with Paul MacDonald as his assistant.After winning twice away at Ayr United and Dundee and a goalless draw with Arbroath as interim, Doolan was appointed permanent manager of Thistle on 3 March 2023.[78][79] In Doolan's first game as permanent manager, he guided Thistle to a 3–0 home win over Raith Rovers.[80]
Thistle finished the 2022–23 season in 4th place under Doolan, meaning they entered the play offs at the quarter-final stage. Thistle won the quarter-finals 8–3 on aggregate over 3rd place Queen's Park, becoming the first ever 4th place team to progress past this stage in the Premiership play offs.[81] Thistle then followed this up with an 8–0 aggregate win over 2nd place Ayr United in the semi finals, to advance to the Premiership play off finals.[82] Thistle faced Ross County in the playoff finals. Despite winning the first leg 2–0, Thistle lost the second leg 3–1, taking the tie to extra time, no winner could be found and the match went to penalties, which Ross County won 5–4, meaning Thistle remained in the Scottish Championship.[83]
In Doolan's first full season in charge, Thistle finished 3rd in the Scottish Championship, meaning they once again entered the Scottish Premiership play offs.[84] Thistle beat 4th place Airdrie 3–2 on aggregate to progress to the play-off semi-finals, where they faced 2nd placed Raith Rovers.[85] Thistle lost the first leg at home to Raith 2–1, but won the away leg 2–1, meaning the tie went to extra time. No winner could be found by either side, therefore the tie progressed to a penalty shootout, which Raith won 4–3.[86]
Thistle struggled for consistency in the 2024–25 season, spending much of the season in 4th place. Following a poor run of form Doolan left his position as manager on the 18th of February 2025.[87][88]
Following the departure of Kris Doolan, Thistle confirmed that the duo of men's first team player and captain and Partick Thistle Women's team managerBrian Graham and Thistle under 18s coachMark Wilson would take interim charge of the first team.[89]
On 31 March, following six games in charge including three wins and three draws, Thistle announced that the interim duo of Graham and Wilson would remain in charge of the first team until the end of the 2024–25 season.[90]
On 7 April Thistle confirmed the appointment of former Northern Ireland and Motherwell managerIan Baraclough as the club's first ever sporting director.[91]
Following back to back wins over Falkirk and Livingston, Graham and Wilson guided Thistle to the play offs with a 4th place finish.[92] After losing the first leg of the play off quarter-finals 1–0 at home to Ayr, Thistle won the away leg 2–0 to advance to the semi-finals, in which player-manager Brian Graham scored his 99th and 100th goals for the club.[93] In the semi-finals Thistle lost both legs 2–0 to Livingston, ending the club's season.[94]
On 30 May 2025 it was confirmed that Mark Wilson would become the permanent head coach of Partick Thistle.[95] Brian Graham was initially offered the position as a player coach role but turned the offer down.[96] In June 2025, Thistle announced thatAlex Rae had joined the club as assistant head coach to Mark Wilson.[97]
In Wilson's first game in permanent charge he guided Thistle to a 4–1 away victory over Edinburgh City in the Scottish League Cup group stages.[98]
The first crest to appear on a Partick Thistle kit was a thistle design, and every logo since has featured a thistle. The thistle appeared first in 1902, then again in 1909. It remained until 1978, when a new logo with the thistle housed inside a roundel was used. A modernist logo with the thistle on a rectangle was introduced in 1990, and the current crest was introduced in 2008.[99]
The Jags flirted with a number of colour schemes in their early years. From their inception until 1900 the kits were predominantly blue with red and white trimmings. There was then a brief period in which the players wore an orange and black striped top with white shorts and black socks. This was replaced in 1905 by a colour scheme close to that used byAston Villa, before the club reverted to the predominantly blue kits in 1909. In season 1936–37 they changed to, and settled upon, the red-yellow-and-black attire for which they are best known, this change having been triggered initially by the club borrowing kits from the local rugby union team,West of Scotland Football Club.[100]
In 2008–09 and 2009–10, Thistle became the first football club in Scotland to use pink as the primary colour in their away kit. In 2008–09 this took the form of silver- and pink-hooped tops.
During the 2014–15 season, Partick Thistle supported theBreast Cancer Care Charity by wearing a black and pink away shirt, with the charity ribbon on the shirt. The partnership saw a portion of kit sale revenue being donated to Breast Cancer Care.[101]
For the2019–20 season, Partick Thistle released their new away kit which featured aRainbow flag design under the sleeves to show support for theLGBT movement. By doing so, they became the first Scottish club to incorporate the flag on a football jersey. Club executiveGerry Britton said: "We are really pleased with how the strips look and hope the supporters will like them as much as we do. We were very clear when putting together the design, that we wanted to make a statement about inclusivity and that's what inspired the rainbow feature on the away shirt."[102] It gained global publicity, including fromUnited States goalkeeperHope Solo.
Before moving to theMaryhill area in 1909, Partick Thistle hosted their home games over numerous sites in and aroundGlasgow includingKelvingrove Park, Jordanvale Park and Muir Park. In 1897, the club moved toMeadowside, near theRiver Clyde. However, in 1908 Thistle were forced to vacate the area to make way for a new shipyard.
After playing at numerous other grounds in Glasgow,Greenock,Port Glasgow,Kilmarnock,Edinburgh and evenAberdeen for over a season,[103] Partick Thistle moved to their present home,Firhill Stadium, in 1909, when they purchased some spareCaledonian Railway land in Maryhill for £5,500.[104] The stadium consists of three stands: the Main Stand which was built in 1927 and can seat around 2,900 supporters; the Jackie Husband Stand, which was built in 1994 and has a capacity of approximately 6,263; and the North Stand, renamed theJohn Lambie Stand in 2018 in tribute to the legendary club manager who died that year, which can house just over 2000 supporters.[105] On the south side of the stadium there is a grass embankment, known to home fans as "The Bing", which had been open terracing until this was demolished in 2006 due to the stand failing to meet the criteria ofScottish Football Association safety regulations. There have been various plans to redevelop the south end of the stadium but thus far none have come to fruition.
Firhill has been used by other football teams and for rugby over the years. Between 1986 and 1991Clyde ground shared with Thistle,[104] following their eviction fromShawfield.[106]Hamilton Academical also ground shared for two spells over seven years,[107] following them being forced out ofDouglas Park in 1994. In December 2005, Firhill also became the home of Glasgow's professional rugby union team,Glasgow Warriors, when they moved from their previous base atHughenden. After returning to Hughenden in 2006, the Warriors took up a two-year residency at Firhill from the start of the2007–08 Celtic League season.[108] This was extended in April 2009 for a further five years.[109][110] Glasgow Warriors left Firhill after the 2011–12 season and moved toScotstoun Stadium.[111][112] During the 2012–13 season the ground was also used byCeltic's under-20 squad as their home ground,[113] but following Thistle's promotion this stopped for the 2013–14 season.[114]
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During the 2013–14 season, the Main Stand was re-opened to seat the high number of away supporters. In one instance, the North Stand was used forCeltic supporters as fears grew over fire dangers. During early June 2016 the Main Stand was renamed TheColin Weir Stand in honour of Colin Weir who was made the first ever patron of Partick Thistle after making numerous donations to the club'syouth system, theThistle Weir Academy.
On theGlasgow Subway network,Kelvinbridge andSt George's Cross are within 15 minutes walk of the stadium.[115] TheA81 road (Maryhill Road), leading to Firhill Road, runs from theM8 motorway and is also the route of several local buses from the city centre.[115]Maryhill andPossilpark & Parkhouse, served by trains fromGlasgow Queen Street, are the nearest railway stations to Firhill, but are not particularly close; the walk between the two sites takes around 30 minutes.[115]
For many years, Thistle struggled to find a permanent training ground at which to base themselves. Subsequently, the club relied on independently owned facilities that usually restricted Thistle's ability to train freely.
As of 2014, the club trained at theUniversity of Glasgow'sGarscube Sports Complex on the northern periphery of the city (nearBearsden,East Dunbartonshire).[116]
Thistle's fortunes improved however in April 2017, the month they secured their top-six Premiership status. Millionaire couple Colin and Christine Weir invested in the club again, allowing plans for a new £4 million purpose-built training centre for the club to use as a permanent base. Thistle expected to lease this from the Weirs' companyThree Black Cats.[117]
In July 2018, it was announced that the new training facility would be named after Thistle's1971 Scottish League Cup final managerDavie McParland, who died just days after the announcement was made. The new facility was to be located near the townKirkintilloch. Plans for the new facility were abandoned in December 2019 as the investment money was instead used by Colin Weir to purchase the club and to operate a fan-owned business model. A short time after this announcement, Weir died at the age of 71.[118]
In preparation for the2020–21 Scottish League One season, Thistle trained at Burnbrae Stadium inMilngavie, which is the home ofrugby union clubWest of Scotland FC.
All former players or managers listed have been inducted into either theScottish Football Hall of Fame or Partick Thistle's own Hall of Fame. These include players who participated in both the1921 Scottish Cup final and the1971 Scottish League Cup final.[119][120]
Partial list of those in the Club Hall of Fame.[121]
Andy AndersonAlan ArchibaldKenny ArthurBertie AuldGerry BrittonJackie CampbellChic CharnleyNobby ClarkKris DoolanNeil DuffyChris ErskineJohn HarveyBobby HoustonJackie HusbandJohn LambieBobby LawDanny LennonPeter McKennanJohnny MacKenzieDavie McParlandDenis McQuadeAlex O'HaraAlex RaeDoug SomnerKenny Watson
The club has a relatively modest fanbase which is mostly centred around Northern Glasgow, although they do have pockets of fans from across the globe.[122] Being in close proximity to a large student population the club attracts many new fans from the local universities.
The club prides itself on beingnon-sectarian[123] and, therefore, not involved in theOld Firm division.[122]
Since the 1980s, the club has a smallhooligan firm called theNorth Glasgow Express.[124][125]
Although the club competes with neighboursRangers andCeltic, due to the vast differences in team size and fortunes those rivalries are not reciprocated. The "Glasgow derby" is therefore contested withClyde, sometimes dubbed the "Old Firm alternative".[126] One of the fiercest rivals wereAirdrieonians with past violent clashes between fans including Airdrie'sSection B group, however this rivalry has faded with time.[125] Strong rivalries also previously existed withClydebank due to the geographic proximity and controversial ownership in the past (with plans which almost saw both clubs bankrupt); and alsoKilmarnock.[127] The club has a more modern rivalry withMorton, which stemmed from the 2012–13 title race; Thistle won the First Division and Morton finished runners-up.
Thistle fans sing songs during matches, some of which are relatively generic but others which are unique. Choruses of "He Wears Number 9", "Rellow Army", "Mary fae Maryhill", "Over Land and Sea", "Forever and Ever", "We've Followed the Thistle for Many a Day" (to the tune of "The Wild Rover"), "Oh Maryhill Is Wonderful", "We're a Well Known Glasgow Football Team", "SuperIan McCall", "We Score When We Want" and "Gerry Britton Is the King of Spain" are commonly heard in the singing section of the home support, in the John Lambie stand.[128]
The song "Return to Firhill Road" recorded by the Lambie McParlands (Ian MacKinnon, Neil Donaldson and Ciaran Black) is a more recent addition to the match day songs.[129]
The club's main sponsor is Just Employment Law, taking over from Kingsford Capital Management. MacB resumed sponsorship of Partick Thistle in the summer of 2012, and subsequently signed a two-year extension, keeping them as main sponsors until the end of the 2014–15 season. Scottish security system company Alarmfast also started sponsoring Thistle for the 2014–15 season.
Thistle's kit maker is Irish manufacturersO'Neills, having replaced Spanish companyJoma at the start of the 2020–21 season.
| Kit suppliers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Dates | Supplier | |
| 1977–1983 | Umbro | |
| 1983–1984 | Unbranded | |
| 1984–1989 | Umbro | |
| 1989–1993 | Spall Sports | |
| 1993–1994 | Bukta | |
| 1994–1995 | Matchwinner | |
| 1995–1997 | Le Coq Sportif | |
| 1997–1999 | Arrow | |
| 1999–2000 | Rossco | |
| 2000–2002 | Secca Sports | |
| 2002–2006 | TFG Sports | |
| 2006–2008 | Diadora | |
| 2008–2013 | Puma | |
| 2013–2020 | Joma | |
| 2020– | O'Neills | |
| Shirt sponsors[138] | |
|---|---|
| Dates | Sponsor |
| 1983–1986 | Morton Rolls |
| 1986–1987 | Ashoka West End |
| 1987–1989 | Colonel Gee's Carpets |
| 1989–1990 | Watson Towers |
| 1990–1996 | Texstyle World |
| 1996–1997 | DLS |
| 1997–1999 | Auto Windscreens |
| 1999–2007 | D.H.Morris Group |
| 2007–2008 | Resolution Asset Management |
| 2008–2011 | Ignis Asset Management |
| 2011–2012 | MacB Water |
| 2012 | Just Employment Law |
| 2012–2015 | MacB Water |
| 2015–2018 | Kingsford Capital Management |
| 2018– | Just Employment Law |
Partick Thistle's current mascot is asun-shaped character named Kingsley, and was designed by theTurner Prize–nominated artistDavid Shrigley. Kingsley was unveiled on 22 June 2015 to coincide with Thistle's new sponsorship withCalifornia-based investment firm Kingsford Capital Management.[139] Kingsley succeeded Jaggy MacBee, a bumble bee who had been the club's mascot from 2011 to 2015, as part of the club's sponsorship with Scottish beverage company MacB.[140] Prior to that the mascot was a brightly coloured toucan called Pee Tee.[141]
Kingsley gained widespread notoriety online, having trended worldwide onTwitter, as well as being publicised by major networks such asCNN,The Washington Post, andTime magazine.[142][143][144][145] The launch, and subsequent pictures, appeared across the UK media including inThe Daily Telegraph,[146]The Times,[citation needed]BBC,[147]Sky Sports,[148]The Herald,[149] andTalksport.[150]
Partick Thistle's general managerIan Maxwell hailed the success of Kingsley in drawing attention to the club, stating that the worldwide interest and TV coverage amounted to the "biggest amount of publicity from a sponsorship launch in Scottish football history".[151] The Kingsley mascot has become a major source of merchandising potential for the club, with demand outstripping supply.[151]
Thistle Weir Ladies Football Club was officially founded as part of the Thistle Weir Academy in 2014, having previously existed as part of the Charitable Trust for one year prior to that.[152][153]In October 2018, the team gained promotion to theScottish Women's Premier League 2 (SWPL 2), which is the second highest tier for women's football in Scotland.[154] In January 2019, the club rebranded asPartick Thistle Women's Football Club.[152]
The team train at the Firhill Complex in Maryhill, but play their matches atPetershill Park in Springburn.
In October 2013, millionaires and long time Thistle fans Chris and Colin Weir donated £750,000 to Partick Thistle to set up a new advanced youth academy. The academy was named the Thistle Weir Youth Academy. Graduates of the academy includeJames Penrice,Aidan Fitzpatrick,Jack Hendry andKevin Nisbet.[155]
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Note: Flags indicate national team as defined underFIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Richard Beastall | Chairman |
| Elliot Gilmour | Director |
| Alistair Gray | Director |
| Caroline Mackie | Director |
| Donald McClymont | Director |
| Allan McGraw | Director |
| Jacqui McInnes | Director |
| Grant Russell | Director |
| Grant Stupart | Director |
| Ian Baraclough | Sporting director |
| Lee Turnbull | Head of recruitment |
| Dr Alan Robertson | Honorary vice president |
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Mark Wilson | Head coach |
| Alex Rae | Assistant head coach |
| Kenny Arthur | Goalkeeping coach |
| Craig Dargo | Partick Thistle Youth Academy director |
| Gary Irvine | Head of professional phase |
| Greg McKean | Club doctor |
| Robin Dicke | Physiotherapist |
| Allan Findlay | Groundsman |
| Paul McDonald | Kit manager |
Source:[157]
|
| Name[158] | Years | Honours |
|---|---|---|
| George Easton | 1903–1929 | Scottish Cup (1920–21) |
| Donald Turner | 1929–1947 | |
| David Meiklejohn | 1947–1959 | 3rd in theScottish League (1947–48 &1953–54) |
| Willie Thornton | 1959–1968 | 3rd in theScottish League (1962–63) |
| Scot Symon | 1968–1970 | |
| Davie McParland | 1970–1974 | League Cup (1971),Division Two (1970–71) |
| Bertie Auld | 1974–1980 | Division One (1975–76) |
| Peter Cormack | 1980–1984 | |
| Benny Rooney | 1984–1986 | |
| Bertie Auld | 1986 | |
| Derek Johnstone | 1986–1987 | |
| Billy Lamont | 1987–1988 | |
| John Lambie | 1988–1989 | |
| Sandy Clark | 1989–1990 | |
| John Lambie | 1990–1995 | Promotion toPremier Division (1991–92) |
| Murdo MacLeod | 1995–1997 | |
| John McVeigh | 1997–1998 | |
| Tommy Bryce | 1998–1999 | |
| John Lambie | 1999–2003 | First Division (2001–02),Second Division (2000–01) |
| Gerry Collins | 2003 | |
| Gerry Britton | 2003–2005 | |
| Derek Whyte | ||
| Dick Campbell | 2005–2007 | First Division Playoffs (2005–06) |
| Ian McCall | 2007–2011 | |
| Jackie McNamara | 2011–2013 | |
| Alan Archibald | 2013–2018 | First Division (2012–13) |
| Gary Caldwell | 2018–2019 | |
| Ian McCall | 2019–2023 | League One (2020–21) |
| Kris Doolan | 2023–2025 | |
| Mark Wilson (head coach) | 2025– |
|
| Name | Apps | Career |
|---|---|---|
| Alan Rough | 624 | 1969–1982 |
| Davie McParland | 587 | 1953–1974 |
| Jackie Campbell | 579 | 1963–1982 |
| Willie Sharp | 571 | 1939–1957 |
| Jimmy McGowan | 543 | 1941–1956 |
| Eddie McLeod | 495 | 1926–1940 |
| Willie Bulloch | 471 | 1909–1923 |
| Alex Elliott | 454 | 1927–1940 |
| Stuart Bannigan | 441 | 2010–2025 |
| John Harvey | 435 | 1951–1966 |
| Alan Archibald[159] | 423 | 1997–2003, 2007–2013 |
| Kris Doolan | 401 | 2009–2019 |
| Name | Goals | Career |
|---|---|---|
| Willie Sharp | 229[160] | 1939–1957 |
| Willie Paul | 186 | 1884–1899 |
| George Smith | 125 | 1953–1964 |
| Jimmy Walker | 121 | 1946–1957 |
| Kris Doolan | 2009–2019 | |
| Johnny Torbet | 116 | 1924–1933 |
| Willie Newall[161] | 101 | 1938–1945 |
| Dougie Somner | 1974–1979 | |
| Brian Graham | 100 | 2020–2025 |
| Alex Hair | 98 | 1923–1928 |
| David Ness | 97 | 1923–1935 |
Thistle have participated in European competition on three different occasions. On the first occasion, they qualified having finished third in the First Division. They progressed to the second round of the Fairs Cup before being eliminated bySpartak Brno. They qualified for the UEFA Cup in 1972–73 after winning the League Cup the previous season; Hungarian sideHonvéd eliminated them in the first round.[176] Their most recent European campaign was the1995 UEFA Intertoto Cup, when they finished 4th with four points in Group 6.[177]
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home | Away | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963–64 | Inter-Cities Fairs Cup | First round |  Glentoran | 3–0 | 4–1 | 7–1 |
| Second round |  Spartak Brno | 3–2 | 0–4 | 3–6 | ||
| 1972–73 | UEFA Cup | First round |  Budapest Honvéd | 0–3 | 0–1 | 0–4 |
| 1995–96 | UEFA Intertoto Cup | Group 6 |  LASK | – | 2–2 | – |
 Keflavík | 3–1 | – | – | |||
 Metz | – | 0–1 | – | |||
 NK Zagreb | 1–2 | – | – |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
