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Within living memory, the Union Flag flew over Firhill without comment or controversy. However in 21st century Glasgow perceptions have changed dramatically - the flag may mean different things in eg. Belfast or the south of England, however rightly or wrongly in this city it is closely associated with Rangers FC and what their support propagate; as a result the suggestion of flying this flag nowadays at Firhill is preposterous. If the chairman made it an issue then his judgment must be questioned.

Was that the infamous match where Davie Wilson did a Denis Law on us?

If referees send off players for using industrial language, then literally ever match would be abandoned due to lack of players left. Referees are told to use their common sense - a yellow card for dissent is the norm if a line is crossed. A red card should only be issued if something particularly unacceptable is said , eg. very abusively questioning his integrity. Would be interested to know what Graham said, must have been way over the top.

I am an ordinary supporter , season ticket holder, and have been a very very small shareholder for many years now. I only occasionally post here, and frankly have taken a “watching brief” on these matters, as I am agnostic when it comes to fan ownership. I am abroad on holiday ( with a time difference to explain the unusual hour!) and have had time to consider if I should take a side in what is happening: my mind has now been made up by these three recent media articles by Stewart Macgregor ,Ms Low, and PTFC Trustees. It’s essential that anyone involved with running our club has the confidence and respect of supporters - sadly this has evaporated in light of these three utterly ludicrous articles, from their content and tone. We appear to have become hostages to the wishes of one deceased supporter, the details of which only one person on earth knows and understands - and has resulted in the club’s majority shareholders being five hapless gents who don’t know what has happened, don’t know what is happening, and don’t know what is going to happen. “Fit for purpose”? Good God. What a shambles . In comparison TJF, despite my misgivings about fan ownership, have shown themselves to have an integrity and competence sadly lacking in the present characters involved in the club. In my opinion supporters have to chose a side here - I have today ( to my slight surprise) joined TJF, and I hope they continue constructively and actively calling the present custodians of our club to account.

While there are certainly strong arguments for an increased size of Premiership, the politics of our Old Firm dominated football effectively prevent this easily happening. We also have the incompetent and machiavellian SPFL board running the show. However no such politics exist to prevent reform by way of an increase, at the very least, in the number of Championship clubs - why is it that the are twelve Premiership but only ten Championship clubs? With the arrival of nouveau riche (poorly supported) clubs like Cove, QP, and in due course Kelty (and indeed Ross County in the top league), there’s less and less space for old established well supported clubs like Dunfermline and Falkirk in the two top tiers. Thistle and similar clubs should at least be agitating for an increase in the number of Championship sides - twelve , fourteen, or sixteen - there are various “splits” in fixtures possible as discussed often. This would be in the long term interests of both Thistle and the game in general .

How many full time professional clubs are there in Britain? At a very rough guess 150? And am I correct in saying that only 3 out of all these clubs - Thistle Falkirk and Queens Park - are prevented from playing , even training?

Correct.

Regrettably it has become clear that being nice guys that everyone pretends to like doesn’t work in the cesspit that is Scottish club football. We have been shafted by the governing body and by other clubs who have accepted the invitation to seriously damage us as business rivals. Thistle are facing a cataclysmic crisis created needlessly unfairly and artificially, and patently there is an indifference throughout these clubs as to whether we even survive . What a scandalous position to be in. We have to do what we can to protect our interests and give no care as to what these risible clubs think of us - they are not to be trusted, indeed perhaps we will gain a little respect which there has been very little of throughout this mess. We should accept legal advice from our instructed solicitors and counsel. If they think we have a case then get on with it.

This is good news The behaviour of the SPFL and clubs has been appalling. As for Jacqui Low , I have never been a fan , but she’s had a good crisis.

One of the particularly depressing aspects that has emerged in the last few weeks, has been the realisation that the Thistle support appears to have a certain number of quorn-eating surrender monkeys, who not only are accepting of our scandalous expulsion to the third tier of Scottish football, but are unbelievably embracing and looking forward to the prospect. This league may not even play any games till next year for Christ’s sake. If we go, we go - but it would be catastrophic and seriously damage the club , possibly for years. Nothing to celebrate. Our board has been noteably quiet for over a month now, and I trust , unless they have taken leave of their senses, that they are doing everything in their power to protect the club, like Hearts are doing. Right is on our side.

Unfortunately, this is the perception I also have. The club has been silent for 3 weeks now, whilst the rottweilers at Hearts at least appear to be doing what they can to oppose this farcical and catastrophic “relegation” of Hearts Thistle and Stranraer. Doubtless there is much happening behind the scenes as the scandal progresses. We await our board’s next statement with interest.

The Rangers dossier is a surprisingly interesting read. Whilst it doesn’t live up to Rangers’ bombast, and their motives are dubious, it appears to me to be competently constructed, and shines further light into the shabby behaviour of the SPFL and clubs in this whole sorry mess. We should not forget that In the middle of all this is the unnecessary shafting of our club. Our own CE has a couple of mentions, and the corroborated evidence of John Nelms’ behaviour needs explanation - was he acting on the encouragement of SPFL members or employees, or is he an unstable maverick. Maybe both. Also the apparent SPFL board view, hidden from clubs, that reconstruction talks are expected to be doomed to fail, is disturbing. I would expect our board to make a careful response to this dossier before Tuesday, and to clarify our position re the reconstruction talks - what is our position and are there still credible prospects of a resolution in our favour.

This post would be remarkable in most fan forums , however is entirely typical of many Thistle supporters. All we need is Michael Jackson singing “We Are The World” in the background, and we truly would be in a Jaggy Heaven , as we plummet head first to the First Division.

Very disappointing decision but no surprise. The Thistle statement is full of wind, and we can only surmise who is the author of it. The SPFL judged it right that Thistle are perennial nice guys with no backbone to stand up to bullies. Anyway there is a glimmer of hope we will be saved by possible re-organisation - Budge and Hearts by contrast are hard nosed ******** who will do what they can to save themselves, and maybe we can go along with the ride. However an 11-1 vote on the Premiership is a tall order.

One ridiculous aspect of all this is that QOS are being saved from relegation, (and Thistle consigned to relegation) by one vote: their own. And Raith Rovers have been awarded promotion(at the expense of Falkirk in particular) by one vote: their own. All from an entirely unnecessary and manufactured scenario created by the SPFL. We have to trust and expect our board to continue fighting against this patently corrupt nonsense.