partickthedog Posted August 5, 2016 Report Share Posted August 5, 2016 A flirtation from 1974-77 (attending Firhill as one of a group of school friends which included one really keen supporter). Following from a distance 1977-96 (watching for the Thistle result and hoping they had won, but not much more than that). Total bonkers commitment 1996-date (every competitive match home and away last season). I could try to make a case for 42 but as a real diehard Jag I can only properly justify 20. The kids were sports minded and collecting football stickers and talking about going to a game. To ensure that they would not follow one of the Old Firm, I decided to take them myself to Firhill. It was a dismal winter's day (Saturday 10th February 1996) and an even worse game. Kilmarnock were awarded a penalty after just 2 minutes, which Tom Black slotted away. Thistle (including Big Jim Slavin) huffed and puffed, but never looked like equalising. A dire spectacle, but we loved it and bought into this peculiarly frustrating football club and slowly built up the frequency of our attendance and soon embraced travelling to away games as well. We could not be accused of being glory hunters. It was not until deep into the following season that we witnessed our first victory, 3-0 v Falkirk, with Ian McCall playing a cameo role. Our introduction was in the dark days of decline which makes us appreciate all the more the subsequent promotions and other successes. Peter Lindau's hat-trick at Forthbank, Andy Gibson's winner at Dens Park and Shaggy's at Inverness on nights of driving rain and high drama, Billy Gibson's free kick at Peterhead and the later pitch invasion, Gary Harkins looks one way, passes the other at Ibrox, James Craigan scoring in front of a packed North Stand v Morton, Chris Erskine slicing through the Falkirk defence, Kris Doolan beating the Hibs rearguard singlehanded, Gary Fraser's and Kalum Higginbotham's goals against Hearts, the team move finished off by Steven O'Donnell at Tannadice, Banzo keeping the ball just about singlehanded for 10 minutes in Perth to see out the victory. Legendary moments and with our current array of attacking talent, many more to look forward to... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaggy Posted August 5, 2016 Report Share Posted August 5, 2016 The first Jags game I remember being at was possibly in 69/70 the year we were relegated. It was at Ibrox in the Glasgow Cup & finished 2-2. I was in the main stand, I suppose I was meant to support Rangers but I said I preferred the team in Red & Yellow hoops as I liked the strip. My dad was quite pleased as it meant he could take me to Firhill as my gran lived at Queens X and he was no great lover of the baggage that went with them in any case. I was at a number of home games that season but no idea how many and what was the first. I do remember a 4-3 win against St Johnstone when we came back from 3-1 down. I also remember a match where we wore dark blue, maybe against Dundee United? If it was them we lost. I remember thinking Johnny Flanagan was great I've been told I was taken to a couple of games before that but I can't remember anything about them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinnyjag Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 50 years for me. My early memories were in '69 when Davie Wilson scored a goal against us which relegated us that day. As he had played for us previously he didn't celebrate the goal and was actually in tears as he walked away from the goal. I do think this team just now are on the brink of doing something special in terms of cup runs etc, however I think they have a bit to go in matching the early '70's league cup winning team. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaggernaut Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 50 years for me. My early memories were in '69 when Davie Wilson scored a goal against us which relegated us that day. As he had played for us previously he didn't celebrate the goal and was actually in tears as he walked away from the goal. I do think this team just now are on the brink of doing something special in terms of cup runs etc, however I think they have a bit to go in matching the early '70's league cup winning team. I was also in tears at that goal by Wilson. A slight correction: Wilson never played for us, but as he lived in Glasgow he trained with us during the week. Man, how rotten were we that season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeanieD Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 Strangely cannot remember the first game at Firhill but it was almost certainly at the beginning of the 66/67 season - first away game was a 3-1 defeat to Airdrie at Broomfield on a freezing cold December 66 day - relatively mild in Glasgow but baltic up in Airdrie with piles of snow round the pitch - clearly remember George Niven getting a bad eye injury and having to be taken off - blood everywhere. Early 67 I remember going to loads of games - Dumbarton at home in the cup being particularly memorable for some strange reason. Shamefully have kind of "lost the thread" in recent times - don't get along nearly as often as in the past so it is probably stretching it a bit to say I have actually followed the team for 50 odd (very odd) years but probably truer to say I have supported them for that length of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G13 jag Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 I think I'm about 45 years. The game I really remember was a midweek cup reply against hearts with an early kick off due to 3 day week. It was my only time skipping school and all my neighbours were quick to let my parents know. And we were hammered 4-1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garscube Road End Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 I think I'm about 45 years. The game I really remember was a midweek cup reply against hearts with an early kick off due to 3 day week. It was my only time skipping school and all my neighbours were quick to let my parents know. And we were hammered 4-1. Bunch of grasses! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackpool Jags Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 January this year marked my 50th anniversary as a supporter of the finest and most select institution in the history of humankind. It was against sellick at Firhill midweek, and we looked to have it in the bag when Bertie Auld popped to equalise late on. I think I could reasonably say that that was a flavour of what was to come. One game and I was irrevocably hooked for evermore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vaila Street Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 37 years of ( mainly ) frustration for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy McD Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 i must congratulate my son a.j.on his 32 birthday yesterday who i first took to firhill when he was 9 months old ,,still a season ticket holder.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jag71 Posted August 6, 2016 Report Share Posted August 6, 2016 A flirtation from 1974-77 (attending Firhill as one of a group of school friends which included one really keen supporter). .... The really keen supporter is still addicted, and was there today. Began supporting Thistle actively in 68/69 season (48 years then?), having been to a few games before that. Timed the start my Thistle career quite nicely to attend a game at Hampden on 23/10/71. Been through all the ups and downs since then along with everyone else. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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