CCjag

It's a "small number" when you are trying to conceal your embarrassment. Incredible really, on two levels: Garthland have worked with the club for literally decades so it is "surprising" that they appear to have made the initial error; It is astonishing that whoever proof read the final draft at Firhill didn't notice the error. For a relatively small print run, it is inconceivable that the entire stock was not produced in one go. It is, however, simple to find out whether or not the "small number" is less than 100%. All that has to happen is that someone who has already bought an untainted copy produces it! The fact that refunds, rather than replacements, are being offered adds to the belief that the full run was flawed and the "sold out" story doesn't seem at all convincing on the basis of earlier years when calendars have been on sale well into the year and the fact that sellers on Saturday were still holding plenty stock as we all left Firhill after the abandonment. Indeed one of the last messages on the PA system was encouraging fans to buy calendars as they left the stadium! It is understandable that every attempt should be made to minimise the public embarrassment, but please don't treat us as though our heads button up the back!

North-West bus for Kilmarnock: 1:00 pm Milngavie Railway Station 1:15 pm Esquire House Anniesland 1:30 pm Maryhill CC Halls @ Taggart's Garage For seats call 0141 632 3604 before 9 pm or e-mail [email protected]

Well, at least it's an away game so maybe we can be a little optimistic about repeating our performance against Butcher's other team earlier in the season! North-West Bus for Easter Road 1200 Milngavie Station 1215 Esquire House, Anniesland 1230 Maryhill CC Halls (@ Taggarts' Garage) For seats call 0141 632 3604 before 9 pm or e-mail [email protected]

The searing pain of indignation was acute the day this Argentinian living in Peh Toon proved that watching his countrymen handle the ball into the net wasn’t always an enjoyable experience. The blatant foul that saved Downdee Utd that day at Firhill led to Peter Houston keeping his job on the back of a string of defeats, to their ultimate victory in the Cup that year and to us suffering another sentence of frustration at the hands of the mob from the banks of the Tay. For all of these reasons, I savoured the news – barely audible above the cries of angst from Tannadice - that they have been forced to pay over £200,000 (inclusive of accrued interest) for the cheat who played only twenty five games over two seasons with them. I’m sure they made more in the long-term by winning the cup, but the compensation payment, legal costs and wages they paid to Casalinouvo will certainly make a sizable dent in their finances. What goes around, comes around! Bitter, me? You better believe it!

Times for the North-West bus for Tannadice: 1200 Milngavie Station 1215 Esquire House Anniesland 1230 Maryhill CC Halls (@ Taggart’s Garage) For seats call 0141 632 3504 before 9pm or e-mail [email protected]

While I'm usually delighted and surprised in equal measures when a Jags' player breaks through the glass ceiling to achieve International recognition, this is bizarre! The Stuart Bannigan of last season has not been seen for some time and Monday night was just the latest in a series of lack-lustre (to be generous) displays which should really see him spending some time out of the Thistle side until he regains form. Instead, he's been recalled to the Scotland squad. I hope he gets a game and I hope he turns it on in the Dark Blue, but even more, I hope he brings that form back to Thistle PDQ!

PTFC North-West: (Shared with Jordanhill Branch) Bus for Aberdeen Monday 04/11 Milngavie Station 3:15 pm Esquire Anniesland 3:30 Jordanhill 3:40 Maryhill 3:50 Times, after the Esquire are approximate. Should anyone have taken leave of their senses and wish to join us, please call 0141 632 3604 before 9pm or e-mail [email protected] NB Discounted Tickets available from Firhill. ________________________________

Restarted with a free-kick to Thistle. Having been at the game (and seated only about 20 yards from the corner flag) and now watched it on TV, the key factor is that the Assistant Ref told Craigen to withdraw AFTER Draper had touched the ball and immediately before Doran started his run on goal. Essentially, the goal was legal in as much as Draper moved the ball, which does not have to leave the quadrant to be in play, but illegal since the Assistant had incorrectly told Craigen to withdraw by indicating that it was not in play. All in all a total screw up by the officials which would have left us fuming had the positions been reversed and we had been denied a goal.........and would have left us fuming had the goal stood! So the right decision to deny the goal, following the wrong decision to tell Craigen to withdraw compounded by the wrong decision to not realise the error and flag long before the ball had got into the penalty area.

Not received papers yet, but I' m sure they will make interesting reading. Contingent liabilities due to Europa, for example?

You couldn't make this up. A match in Aberdeen on a Monday night in November is being made all-ticket! I know its a fair trek, but I didn't realise they were on a different planet from the rest of us! Anything else they'd like to do to dissuade people from travelling - resurrecting the Aberdeen Typhoid epidemic perhaps?

As if the long journey North isn't enough, it has to be for a Sunday lunch-time kick-off! Well, that's what you get for selling your soul to TV - thanks SKY for proving, yet again, that the last people to be considered are those who actually go to games! Rant over.......for the time being. The North-West bus for Inverness on Sunday 20 October leaves Milngavie Station at 8:00 am, the Esquire Anniesland at 8:15 and Maryhill CC Halls (at Taggart's Garage) at 8:30. To reserve seats, call 0141 632 3604 before 9:00 pm or e-mail [email protected]

St Johnstone 28/09: ​Milngavie Railway Station 12:30 pm Esquire House 12:45 pm Maryhill CC Halls (at Taggart's Garage) 1:00 pm To book seats, please call 0141 632 3604 before 9:00pm or e-mail [email protected]

Dundee Utd: Full fare adult: £17.00 Concession: £10.50 (School age, students, unwaged, senior citizens) St Johnstone: Full fare adult: £16.00 Concession: £10.00 (School age, students, unwaged, senior citizens)

​Travel with the North-West Bus to these important matches as The Jags seek to deal a cup knock-out blow to McNamara's Arabs and then to make further progress in the SPFL. Bus times are: Dundee Utd 25/09: ​Milngavie Railway Station ​4:45 pm Esquire House (Anniesland) ​ 5:00 pm Maryhill CC Halls (at Taggart's Garage) 5:15 pm St Johnstone 28/09: ​Milngavie Railway Station 12:30 pm Esquire House (Anniesland) 12:45 pm Maryhill CC Halls (at Taggart's Garage) 1:00 pm To book seats to travel to, one, or both, matches please call 0141 632 3604 before 9:00pm or e-mail [email protected]

​Travel with the North-West Bus to these important matches as The Jags seek to deal a cup knock-out blow to McNamara's Arabs and then to make further progress in the SPFL. Bus times are: Dundee Utd 25/09: ​Milngavie Railway Station ​4:45 pm Esquire House (Anniesland) ​ 5:00 pm Maryhill CC Halls (at Taggart's Garage) 5:15 pm St Johnstone 28/09: ​Milngavie Railway Station 12:30 pm Esquire House (Anniesland) 12:45 pm Maryhill CC Halls (at Taggart's Garage) 1:00 pm To book seats to travel to, one, or both, matches please call 0141 632 3604 before 9:00pm or e-mail [email protected]

The North-West bus for St Mirren Park leaves Milngavie Station at 1:15 pm, Maryhill CC Halls at Taggart's Garage at 1:30 (please note change in order of pick-ups for this venue only) and Esquire House Anniesland at 1:45. For seats to get to/from this new venue for The Jags, and to cheer on the team in an important clash, please call 0141 632 3604 before 9 pm or e-mail [email protected]

It seems ridiculous that the announcement that the St Mirren march is all-ticket for Jags fans (a bizarre decision in itself) was made 1 hour and three minutes before an open sale commenced. It was surely not decided overnight and hardly requires the degree of urgency afforded to the procedure. Most people need to make special arrangements to get up to Firhill between 10 am and 4 pm (the sales hours for today), and while I do not see us going near selling out the 1600+ allocation, they could, in theory, be all gone before many regulars get the opportunity to go and buy their tickets. Surely some alternative, like putting them on sale from the kiosk at the rear of the JH Stand pre and post the Cowdenbeath game would have been preferable. Not only would this have given more notice, it might also have encouraged a few more to turn up for the League Cup tie?

The North-West bus will leave from Milngavie Railway Station at 1:15 pm. The Esquire, Anniesland at 1:30 and Maryhill CC Halls (next to Taggarts Garage) at 1:45. We’ll be parking within 50 yards of the Away Stand, so no long hikes to the ground and a quick getaway for the return journey! Concession fares available for senior citizens, under eighteens and registered unwaged persons. Non-members welcome, but why not join The North-West and travel conveniently and in comfort to and from matches this season? The North-West will run a bus to every competitive game out with Glasgow............................................although we might need to review that policy if current form persists and Europe beckons next season! You can spread your annual payments across the season and remember, if you subsequently join, any fees paid as a non-member this term will be credited to your annual membership cost. To secure your seats, call 0141 632 3604 before 9 pm or e-mail [email protected]

Following Hearts' win today, and the sound of silence from Firhill, the concerns expressed above have been multiplied by a significant factor.Not only is there an issue about where they might all be accommodated, we don't even know how our own season ticket holders (a goodly number of whom will be in London this week) are going to access the ground! With things going so well on the park, we need to avoid potentially damaging own goals off it!

Minor collision....................................................................bump!

In the wake of Dundee United’s complaints re admission issues and the conditions encountered by visiting fans on Friday, and – to be honest – if the toilets etc haven’t improved beyond all recognition from my last visit, I’m not too surprised, we face an even bigger potential problem when Hearts come calling. The match is not all ticket and they took almost 4,000 to Perth. It is far easier to get to Firhill and Friday nights do seem to be proving popular. So while one can surely expect contingency plans to be in place for what is recognised as a crucial encounter, it is hard to see what these plans can be. The Old Stand holds around 2,400 (perhaps less now due to security restrictions) so where would any surplus be located? Given that it is unlikely that the police would allow Hearts fans to be put into the JH Stand (sandwiched between two groups of Thistle supporters) the only logical solution is that all, or at least part of the North Stand is given over to them, with all the furore that that will rightly create amongst our own fans. Even the allocation of just part of The North Stand would require a significant buffer zone to be in place pre-match, further reducing the capacity. This is going to be a major issue and, if we add to that the proposed debut of the new ticketing/admission procedures – there’s an awful lot of thinking going to be done up Firhill way if a public relations disaster is to be avoided. This is not intended to be a critical post. I sincerely hope all of the scenarios have been covered and the contingency plans are in place to cover every eventuality, but there is a potentially a lot to be concerned about come Friday 16/08.

But only if the Emperor of Japan is in making a state visit to London as the then Sons of Heaven (not the Tokyo branch of the Dumbarton Supporters Club) did in 1921 and 1971.

At least Baird is unlikely to tag us as racists!

According to The Scotsman this morning. 'Irritating' when in opposition @ Raith Rovers. Almost ever-present last season but made little scoring impact (34 League and Cup appearances - 5 goals?) in Dundee's blighted SPL campaign. PFA Player of the Year in 2011. Could be a good foil for Doolan. http://www.scotsman....-spl2-1-2944920 "One liner" at the end of the article!

Thistle official site now says Annan (a) on 09 July instead of 16! http://ptfc.co.uk/news/2012-2013/may_2013/two_pre-season_fixtures_confirmed