partickthedog

PS for Barney. I read an article on the BBC Sport website about Alan Kennedy who scored the winner for Liverpool in a European Cup Final. His nickname was .........Barney Rubble!

Brilliant answer! Andy Robertson may still be the only Scot who fulfils the criteria (assuming he plays, of course).

On a quite different tack, with the Champions League Final coming up, and the likelihood that it will feature Andy Robertson, who launched his career into the stratosphere with a brilliant performance against Thistle for Dundee United at Tannadice, a question occurs to me. Will Andy Robertson be the first non-Old Firm player to play a competitive fixture against Thistle and in a Champions League (or European Champions Cup) Final? Obviously a whole hatful of Celtic players who played in the 1967 and 1970 finals would have played a competitive fixture against Thistle, most notably on 23rd October 1971. More recently Paul Lambert, Henrik Larsson, the de Boer brothers and no doubt others will have done the same double. But I cannot think of any player who has done this and not played for one of the Ugly Sisters at some point of his career. I say competitive fixture as, if I recall correctly, Dwight Yorke, then of Aston Villa, who lifted the Champions League trophy with Manchester United, played against us in a pre-season friendly-one of Kenny Arthur's earliest games?

Cannot argue with your maths (and would not want to provoke maths hysteria). So we may need to win promotion through the play offs to nail the record. Even then it is not guaranteed. If we finish second in the league, defeat Morton in the first play off round and then consign either Celtic or Rangers to the Championship, we would fall a few miles short. That would be so disappointing. However, TJR may want to argue with your modus operandi. Several years ago I tried to make a point about Mark Roberts' league scoring record by adducing evidence from the play offs. TJR took me to task for abuse of non-cognate data (or something like that). It was made McChrystal clear that if I had ever been a member of the Scottish Society of Soccer Statisticians, I would have been banished sine die.

Triumvirates have had a poor record since Roman times.

No chance in the relay as Archie is not passing on the baton.

Got to start from somewhere!

Ran out of likes. I remember that day. Had to attend a wedding. Absolute torture. Internet not really functioning then and no Jagzone. Had to make do with jumping into the car every 5 minutes and trying to get a radio update.

TJR. Time to cheer you up and get you looking forward to next season, a change of scene and a change of stats. Quite a few long away trips coming up. In alphabetical order and measuring the distance from Firhill and rounding up or down to the nearest mile produces Alloa 33 Ayr 36 Dundee United 82 Dunfermline 39 Falkirk 29 Inverness 169 Morton 24 Queen of the South 78 Ross County 182 Total mileage is 672 and doing it all twice is 1344 which works out an average of 75 miles per away game. Has the average ever been higher? Could we become the furthest travelled fans in Thistle's history? What will this do for our carbon footprint? John Lambie's First Division champions averaged a respectable 68 miles. You really need both northern sides to stand a chance of making a challenge. Even with 2 teams from Angus and 3 from the deep south (Stranraer, Queen of the South and Berwick Rangers), Lambie's Second Division champions managed a measly average of 61 miles, and this year's lazy lot were down at 57 miles.

Fog Machines.

Do not worry. Archie will sort it out next season.

Would have been better wandering along the canal! (Apologies for barging in.)

I think that Dools has one eye on the past and one eye on the future, and both point towards him staying with Thistle (if that makes any optical sense!). As regards the past, he has his eye on the history book and a clear target of becoming Thistle's second top scorer of all time. As regards the future, surely a coaching role beckons. He has the personality, the character, the experience and the respect (both received and given). Not sure if he is the type for the managerial merry-go-round, which is probably a good thing for his prospects of building a long term future at Firhill. One day, some part of the stadium will be named after him (though he is too modest to have that as a personal aim).

So what is Jackie McNamara doing these days? At least he could perhaps find some way of bypassing the ticketing website. Or were you meaning Dick Campbell?

Callum Wilson (I hope that I have got his name right as I have a feeling that I have mixed him up with a Bournemouth striker!) always looks to be a sharp and creative player in what I see of the Development team highlights. He is perhaps even more impressive in interview, relaxed and able to inject more insight and humour than some of his age find it easy to do. Strikes me as a self-confident type who would not be fazed by the challenge of playing in the first team. Would LIB or others have any thoughts on Callum? Might he have to bulk up a little without losing his speed and agility?

My daughter who is equally as Thistle daft as me is going into her first year as a teacher. You can be sent anywhere in Scotland. The envelope arrived this week to say that she had been assigned to Highland Region. So at least that is now 4 games in the season she will be able to attend with minimal travel. Totally unrelated to the above: (1) I will enjoy a break from the miserable moaner Tommy Wright and his dour St Johnstone team. (2) It will be good not to have to bother about advance purchases for tickets to away games, and the consequent frustrating interaction with the PTFC tickets website. (3) Away days at Dumfries are always fun. (4) Dundee United is a much better matchday experience than Dundee. Great view from a central stand and no aggressive stewarding.

Had them camped in their own box several times. Looks like we will need a lucky break of the ball as that flash of inspiration is not coming.

Blair Spittal our most likely player today. How referee only added 3 minutes for 2 major injury delays plus incessant time wasting from Minute 1 beats me.

I think it goes back to the first day of the erstwhile North (now John Lambie) Stand when 2 quick goals against Falkirk launched our charge to the First Division title. That is all history now and I too would prefer to see us attacking the JLS end in the second half. By the way, if the game goes to extra time, is the third "half" always played the same way as the first half, or could we switch it then?

This is my team, dependent on all players selected being fully fit and fully committed. Any doubts on either score would mean changes. Cerny Elliott, Barton, Cargill, Dumbuya McCarthy, Osman Spittal, Erskine, Lawless Doolan Substitutes: Scully, McGinn, Penrice, Woods, Edwards, Sammon, Storey In brief explanation: 1) McGinn has done little wrong, but Elliott brings heart and history to the table in such a vital fixture. Extra height and running power may also be helpful. 2) I know that Barton is better at sweeper, but an excess of defenders sends out a wrong message, and I do not want to lose out on a forward midfield player. Would also prefer not to have to play Devine. Barton and Cargill give more hope of some constructive running and passing from defence, rather than hoofball. 3) Booth would normally be my left back of choice, but he did seem tentative on Thursday, and maybe lacked fitness. We need some pace in the team and Muzzy can supply this. He put in a brilliant showing on the left up against Josh Magennis at Rugby Park when we clinched safety two seasons ago. Does he have it in him to give us one last performance? May also be a surprise package to Livingston, due to his comparative invisibility in recent months. 4) Woods was not great on Thursday. Osman brings more height and would be good at dropping back to fill gaps if any of the back 4 come forward (which they should be encouraged to do). 5) McCarthy can find a pass. 6) Spittal has been decent in his recent substitute appearances. Our forward players will hopefully draw free kicks and he can capitalise. 7) Erskine, Lawless and Doolan go without saying, but need fast service to feet. Final Comments: A--Cerny and his defenders must be much more switched on as regards quick recycling of the ball to feet, to avoid yet more punting high in the air to Livingston's strength. If we keep trying to recycle possession, even if Livingston move quickly to cover, they will eventually tire themselves out with such extra high pressing, and we can take advantage in extra time. B--Keep Edwards & Sammon on bench to avoid early frantic running about/high balls to striker. Edwards certainly to come on by early second half to inject fresh energy and pace where needed. Sammon will likely be required to replace one of the forward players (and to take a penalty!). If we avoid injuries and can make a 3rd substitution of choice, Storey's speed should be effective, especially if the game stretches into extra time.

Or 5 times if Dools scores a hat trick in an 8 goal romp.

My normal optimism, badly dented by last night's abject performance, has now returned. No particularly objective reason for this, but it sure beats pessimism. Somehow we have to keep the ball on the ground and overcome what seemed to be an irresistible temptation to kick it as high as possible into the air. I am not a technical wizard, but could we install some suction pads into the undersoil heating system which would drag the ball back down if it threatened to go too high. That would eliminate a good proportion of the Livingston repertoire. Lithgow , Miller and Gallacher would stumble to their knees. Erskine, Lawless and Doolan would run riot

Surprised that with all the criticism being thrown at the players and the mangement team, the one person truly responsible is being let off lightly. Personally I blame Douglas Clark. He should be nowhere near the team sheet or even the match thread for Sunday.

Definitely Cargill. He can be quite good at well directed low passes into the attacking midfield area. One to Chris Erskine which set up the move for Stevie Lawless to score against St Johnstone is a good example. However, last night, apart from the one ball to Doolan and a strong driving run towards the end, he was generally reduced to the same aimless high punts as the rest of the back line.

Got to bring on Douglas Clark.