jagfaelivi Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 What a star he was in the period from 1963 for five years until he moved to Newcastle United to become a Toon Army legend. He was a stalwart in their last trophy win, the Fairs Cup/ UEFA Cup in 1969 and still holds records there for consecutive matches played. Legend status at St James' Park! He came to us from West Lothian where he still resides and I see him regularly. What a modest guy, likeable and he would have run through a brick wall for us. What are you older guys memories of him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanieD Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 As an "older guy" I can just about remember him playing in the side - not a judge of a player at that age, but I can remember my late father and some of his friends who I went to the games with and who had a decent knowledge of the game, were hugely disappointed, although not surprised, when he moved on to bigger and better things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 Much like above. I can mind there was a groundswell of opinion that when Tommy left it marked the beginning of our decline that lead to relegation. Can't say I exactly shared that opinion but there's little doubt that Tommy was a huge loss. From what I heard he was held in high regard at Newcastle and given the strength of their side at the time that's no small feat. I do know for a fact that he was highly rated by Jackie Sinclair and again that's impressive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lindau Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 I was still pretty young when Tommy was playing at Firhill but was gutted when he went to Newcastle, as was my dad and his mates. Excellent player Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter of '63 Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 I'm not sure if I ever actually saw Tommy Gibb play for Thistle...and if I did, I was too young to judge how good a player he was. Stuthejag recently posted on the other thread the newspaper report for our pre-season friendly against Newcastle in around 1972 and I realised I had seen Tommy play and score against Thistle. I took an interest in Newcastle after Tommy joined them and they won the European Fair Cities Cup in 1969 after beating the original Rangers in the semi-final whose fans disgraced themselves by invading the pitch and causing a riot - just as well the new Rangers are so different. There is very good quiz question about players who have played for Thistle and appeared in European Club Finals - I can think of 6 but there may be more. On one of the previous Thistle Forums, there was a very good poster Tommy Gibb's Mince Recipe. I always wondered about the name and if he still posted under a different name...maybe he is The Cup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaggy Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 Alan Hansen, Colin Jackson, Stevie Chalmers, David Harvey(?) can't think of others just now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Rubble Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 (edited) There is very good quiz question about players who have played for Thistle and appeared in European Club Finals - I can think of 6 but there may be more. Tommy Gibb (obviously) Alan Hansen Stevie Chalmers Dougie Bell Derek Johnstone Jaggy Mac Colin Jackson (?) Jorge Cadete (?) Edited to add that following a google trawl DB, JC and CJ did not participate in European finals. The other five are kosher. Edited again to add - how the f*ck could I have ever forgotten Billy Thomson!!!!!!!! Edited July 11, 2016 by Barney Rubble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter of '63 Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 (edited) There's 8...at least. I'd forgotten that David Harvey played for us - he played in the European Cup Winners Cup Final for Leeds in 1972 apparently. I'd also blanked out York City's Managerial Guru, Mr McNamara - he was at Seville watched by 1.5 million Celtic Fans Doug Bell wasn't in Aberdeen's Final Squad and Colin Jackson was not in Barcelona where the old Rangers fans disgraced themselves, etc There are two others that I know of...both goalkeepers. I'm up to 9 now...Alan Hansen, Tommy Gibb, Derek Johnstone, Steve Chalmers, Jackie McNamara, David Harvey & 3 others. Edited July 11, 2016 by Winter of '63 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Rubble Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 OK, I'll tidy up. Here's the eight so far identified: Billy Ritchie Stevie Chalmers Tommy Gibb Derek Johnstone David Harvey Alan Hansen Billy Thomson Jaggy Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Rubble Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 OK, I'll tidy up. Here's the eight so far identified: Billy Ritchie Stevie Chalmers Tommy Gibb Derek Johnstone David Harvey Alan Hansen Billy Thomson Jaggy Mac And, of course, Murdo Mcleod. And that was without googling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter of '63 Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 And, of course, Murdo Mcleod. And that was without googling. Don't think that Murdo McLeod played in a European Final. You are right about Billy Ritchie and the ninth name I've got played in the same Final...the first leg was at Ibrox where despite a 2-0 defeat to Fiorentina the Old Rangers fans did not as far as I know invade the pitch but showed the sporting behaviour they are famous for by burning an Italian Flag, throwing bottles and over-turning an Ice Cream Van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Rubble Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 Don't think that Murdo McLeod played in a European Final. You are right about Billy Ritchie and the ninth name I've got played in the same Final...the first leg was at Ibrox where despite a 2-0 defeat to Fiorentina the Old Rangers fans did not as far as I know invade the pitch but showed the sporting behaviour they are famous for by burning an Italian Flag, throwing bottles and over-turning an Ice Cream Van. You are correct. I mixed him up with Paul Lambert who did play in a European final for Borussia but did not play for the Jags. Was the ninth man Harold Davis? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter of '63 Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 You are correct. I mixed him up with Paul Lambert who did play in a European final for Borussia but did not play for the Jags. Was the ninth man Harold Davis? That's the ninth - don't think there are any others. Someone posted this question in the Close Season Quiz Thread a couple of years ago. Three did very well after leaving Thistle but the other six were pretty undistinguished players for us, joining way past their best days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lady-isobel-barnett Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 Peter Cormack for Liverpool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Rubble Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 That's the ninth - don't think there are any others. Someone posted this question in the Close Season Quiz Thread a couple of years ago. Three did very well after leaving Thistle but the other six were pretty undistinguished players for us, joining way past their best days. Cheers for that. You are right about the six, although I would cut Jaggy Mac some slack. Although past his best, he was decent as a player for us before being catapulted into the managerial role by whatever happened to Ian McCall. At least his tenure laid the foundations for Archie to take us where we thankfully are today. But I accept that is not likely to be a popular view hereabouts............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney Rubble Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 Peter Cormack for Liverpool Great shout - well done!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Winter of '63 Posted July 11, 2016 Report Share Posted July 11, 2016 Peter Cormack for Liverpool Spot on! Didn't think about him - he made one appearance for us during his spell as manager. He played in the Eufa Cup Final for Liverpool in Season 72/73 - if only we had got past Honved in the First Round that year, we could have reached the final... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 Tommy Gibb was a class act at Firhill, always destined for something bigger. He strode around midfield like he owned it, was hard-tackling, and could get forward with considerable speed. His departure was one of the first of my thousand cuts as a Thistle supporter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a f kincaid Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 A work colleague and Newcastle fan once told me that Tommy fell from grace rather quickly. Having played 100+ games for Newcastle and become a favourite, he was, shall we say, playing poorly one day and gestured to the crowd who were on his back. I was told that no-one ever did that playing for Newcastle and he was transferred to Sunderland at lightning speed (over that weekend if I remember correctly). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jagfaelivi Posted July 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 100+ ? Well if you look it up he started 250 games for them and played 264 times. And held the record of 171 consecutively. No' a bad career even if he left in haste! Isn't it amazing how modest was the life thereafter for footballers of that era compared with the pampered millionaires at that level today? Don't think the Rooneys of this world know they are living. Sky has a lot to answer for. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a f kincaid Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 100+ ? Well if you look it up he started 250 games for them and played 264 times. And held the record of 171 consecutively. No' a bad career even if he left in haste! Isn't it amazing how modest was the life thereafter for footballers of that era compared with the pampered millionaires at that level today? Don't think the Rooneys of this world know they are living. Sky has a lot to answer for. 200+ it is. My typo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgow Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 Slightly embarrassed but as a kid there was an old guy called Tom who lived in our street. My dad knew him to talk to and he mentioned to Tom that we were Thistle fans (for long and complex reasons, mostly girls & specifically my mum, my dad didn't attend games in the 60s). Tom said he used to play for Thistle but in those pre-Internet and official history days, I had never heard of him. Shame on me! It was a Thistle hot bed round our way as Joe Craig briefly lived over the road too. I mention it to his son Steven once at Firhill and he looked at me blankly. Then unreleased to my horror it was before Steven was even born. Felt old. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Balintore jag Posted July 12, 2016 Report Share Posted July 12, 2016 Thistle were at home to Killie in the cup around 1968. Unfortunately we drew. But many jags fans headed down to Rugby park for the replay. I passed my driving test about two weeks before but my mum and dad allowed me to take the car and drive with friends to the game. It was a foul night and near the ground I bashed into the car in front. We still went to the game of course. Thistle used the wind in the first half and with our powerful half back Tommy Gibb dominating we went two up by half time. I think he scored our second. The gale helped Killie in the second half but they only pulled one goal back. Tommy Gibb was man of the match and Jags progressed to the next round. When I got home I told my dad that we won 2-1 - to put him in a good mood - and "by the way I have bashed the car". We would have won the cup that year but for bad luck and an amazing display by Bent Martin in the Dunfermlne goal in the quarter final. Dunfermllne won the cup that year. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted July 13, 2016 Report Share Posted July 13, 2016 Thistle were at home to Killie in the cup around 1968. Unfortunately we drew. But many jags fans headed down to Rugby park for the replay. I passed my driving test about two weeks before but my mum and dad allowed me to take the car and drive with friends to the game. It was a foul night and near the ground I bashed into the car in front. We still went to the game of course. Thistle used the wind in the first half and with our powerful half back Tommy Gibb dominating we went two up by half time. I think he scored our second. The gale helped Killie in the second half but they only pulled one goal back. Tommy Gibb was man of the match and Jags progressed to the next round. When I got home I told my dad that we won 2-1 - to put him in a good mood - and "by the way I have bashed the car". We would have won the cup that year but for bad luck and an amazing display by Bent Martin in the Dunfermlne goal in the quarter final. Dunfermllne won the cup that year. Good story! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpool Jags Posted July 14, 2016 Report Share Posted July 14, 2016 I remember watching Tommy Gibb as a left half (?) at Firhill, and hitting regular top form pretty soon after claiming a first team place. I was around 10/11years old in those days and, naively, would wonder why we tended to let our best players go (Arthur Duncan, Johnny Flanagan and Tommy Gibb) while retaining our less valuable players. Watching the reserves on a Friday night (only the main stand open) gave you a perspective on the value of our better players as we put out some pretty grim reserve sides. Aaaaaahhhh. I loved those Thistle days. 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.