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Chris Erskine is on my list of favourite Thistle players...he was indeed a kindred spirit of Denis McQuade...both equally likely to trip over their own feet or to score a goal that I will always remember...Chris's gangling run and perfect chip against Falkirk and his vital volley against Airdrie are fixed in my best Firhill memories...and fitting that he scored another typical goal against Falkirk to clinch promotion.

His message on leaving confirms that he is one of the good guys and represents the true spirit of our Club. I posted very recently that I hoped that Chris Erskine would be at Firhill after Caldwell has left...I don't think that it is for the good of the club that it isn't the case. 

Edited by Winter of '63
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Very upset about this.

I’m delighted for him to have secured an 18 month deal at a premier team and certain he’ll do well.

I met Denis McQuade in a restaurant once and I asked him about Erskine. They were quite similar. He just said that he’s a typical Jags man. Great guy and a special talent. Pity he went to Arabs shortly later who couldn’t figure him out. But at least he made some money.

I’m down tonight, especially as I can’t see a way out with a brain dead manager and a board who have abrogated all responsibilities.

However, when Denis went to Hearts we got wee Donald Park who was fantastic.

The King is Dead. Long live the King!(Whoever He May be)

 

 

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8 minutes ago, Weebaw1 said:

Very upset about this.

I’m delighted for him to have secured an 18 month deal at a premier team and certain he’ll do well.

I met Denis McQuade in a restaurant once and I asked him about Erskine. They were quite similar. He just said that he’s a typical Jags man. Great guy and a special talent. Pity he went to Arabs shortly later who couldn’t figure him out. But at least he made some money.

I’m down tonight, especially as I can’t see a way out with a brain dead manager and a board who have abrogated all responsibilities.

However, when Denis went to Hearts we got wee Donald Park who was fantastic.

The King is Dead. Long live the King!(Whoever He May be)

 

 

Spot on 

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Good luck to chris probably good move for him. Not too bothered about him leaving. Would rather use his wage to get in decent striker or defender as that’s what we need to keep us up.  Chris had a chance to shine last season and didn’t take it. Think he will struggle to get a game at livi. If he does may do ok but that will be due to having a team of better players around him. 

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I was working in the office on my birthday a few years ago, when a colleague said that someone from the bank was in the meeting room, and that I had to go and see them. Was annoyed that my day was being invaded by a bank manager trying to get me to open an account I didn't need, so I went through somewhat reluctantly and sulkily. My colleague said, "this is Chris from the bank" and I thought he looked quite young to be in a senior position in a bank.

Then the penny finally dropped even more slowly than Gary Caldwell turns round a tanker.  Fortunately  I still have the photographs and the signed mouse mat to  prove it. What a humble self-effacing, humorous guy,. Could have talked to him for hours. Always had time and consideration for the fans, as AJ has testified so eloquently on Robert Junior's behalf.  Absolutely brilliant player and some fantastic goals and also assists over the years. The cross for Doolan to clinch top 6 against Motherwell was amazing.

The famous goals have already been highlighted, but led me add a few which are perhaps less celebrated, but still precious memories:

1) Vital volleyed equaliser at Airdrie when our promotion  campaign was flagging in the deep mid-winter.

2) Last season's league  opener at Hibs (who unfortunately then came from behind).

3) Double at Falkirk in a 3-2 success.

4) 3rd goal at Ross County watched by the 150 of us who braved Storm Barbara.

5) Ross County again, less than a year ago, a superb volley to take the lead in a nervy relegation fixture.

6) That first hint of brilliance with the swooping finish against Liverpool in Archie's testimonial.

7) His joy in scoring a peach against Falkirk at Firhill just a few months ago.

And there are so many more. Unashamedly my favourite player of the past decade. Just loved that slightly goofy hangdog expression and the way that he could laugh at himself in post-match interviews. I will still be supporting Thistle home and away, but a little part of what  makes the Jags so special has been lost. Hopefully there are new heroes to come and that gap will be filled in time.

All the best to Squiddy/the Bridge/Big Bird in his new aquarium/aviary. Just thankful he is not in the same league as us.

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2 hours ago, partickthedog said:

I was working in the office on my birthday a few years ago, when a colleague said that someone from the bank was in the meeting room, and that I had to go and see them. Was annoyed that my day was being invaded by a bank manager trying to get me to open an account I didn't need, so I went through somewhat reluctantly and sulkily. My colleague said, "this is Chris from the bank" and I thought he looked quite young to be in a senior position in a bank.

Then the penny finally dropped even more slowly than Gary Caldwell turns round a tanker.  Fortunately  I still have the photographs and the signed mouse mat to  prove it. What a humble self-effacing, humorous guy,. Could have talked to him for hours. Always had time and consideration for the fans, as AJ has testified so eloquently on Robert Junior's behalf.  Absolutely brilliant player and some fantastic goals and also assists over the years. The cross for Doolan to clinch top 6 against Motherwell was amazing.

The famous goals have already been highlighted, but led me add a few which are perhaps less celebrated, but still precious memories:

1) Vital volleyed equaliser at Airdrie when our promotion  campaign was flagging in the deep mid-winter.

2) Last season's league  opener at Hibs (who unfortunately then came from behind).

3) Double at Falkirk in a 3-2 success.

4) 3rd goal at Ross County watched by the 150 of us who braved Storm Barbara.

5) Ross County again, less than a year ago, a superb volley to take the lead in a nervy relegation fixture.

6) That first hint of brilliance with the swooping finish against Liverpool in Archie's testimonial.

7) His joy in scoring a peach against Falkirk at Firhill just a few months ago.

And there are so many more. Unashamedly my favourite player of the past decade. Just loved that slightly goofy hangdog expression and the way that he could laugh at himself in post-match interviews. I will still be supporting Thistle home and away, but a little part of what  makes the Jags so special has been lost. Hopefully there are new heroes to come and that gap will be filled in time.

All the best to Squiddy/the Bridge/Big Bird in his new aquarium/aviary. Just thankful he is not in the same league as us.

Fantastic stuff there, partickthedog.

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6 hours ago, Weebaw1 said:

Very upset about this.

I’m delighted for him to have secured an 18 month deal at a premier team and certain he’ll do well.

I met Denis McQuade in a restaurant once and I asked him about Erskine. They were quite similar. He just said that he’s a typical Jags man. Great guy and a special talent. Pity he went to Arabs shortly later who couldn’t figure him out. But at least he made some money.

I’m down tonight, especially as I can’t see a way out with a brain dead manager and a board who have abrogated all responsibilities.

However, when Denis went to Hearts we got wee Donald Park who was fantastic.

The King is Dead. Long live the King!(Whoever He May be)

 

 

Although we lost Denis to Hearts and I agree Wee Parkie was a great player , we had a decent manager in Wee Bertie at the time.

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For Thistle fans of my generation, Chris Erskine has been the most entertaining football player to have been on the books at Thistle. Bar none.

He and Doolan are what made it worth turning up to Firhill every other Saturday. And as others have said: solid gold human beings too, which you all too sadly can’t say about footballers generally these days.

It’s a sorry debacle that has led to this, and there will be a time for ensuring that justice is done, but I’ll simply say I hope that, if Livingston don’t hold onto him past next summer, that the conditions will be right for Squiddy to take his place back here at Firhill.

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3 hours ago, ARu-Strathbungo said:

I predict Livingston will now achieve a top 6 league position.

It's a sad day when one of your most naturally gifted players is forced out of the club by the apathy of a manager who has neither the skill or the wit to man manage our club

I couldn’t have put it better myself. My favourite Jags player of the last decade bar none.

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21 hours ago, dibble said:

Good luck to chris probably good move for him. Not too bothered about him leaving. Would rather use his wage to get in decent striker or defender as that’s what we need to keep us up.  Chris had a chance to shine last season and didn’t take it. Think he will struggle to get a game at livi. If he does may do ok but that will be due to having a team of better players around him. 

Certainly got your marquee signing in Lewis Mansell, young guy who hasn’t played first team football and has scored zero goals , the decision to let Erskine go is beyond belief especially in a team devoid of creativity and scoring goals . The 3 goals Erskine scored this season resulted on us winning the 3 games and we’ve only won 1 more game since.

Are you seriously telling me that untried players at this level Lewis Mansell and Ally Roy are going to be the answer to get us out of relegation .

The only saving grace is by getting rid of Chris Erskine at this time of the season he’s probably put the final nail in his own coffin and we’ll finally get rid of Gary Caldwell .

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8 hours ago, jlsarmy said:

Certainly got your marquee signing in Lewis Mansell, young guy who hasn’t played first team football and has scored zero goals , the decision to let Erskine go is beyond belief especially in a team devoid of creativity and scoring goals . The 3 goals Erskine scored this season resulted on us winning the 3 games and we’ve only won 1 more game since.

Are you seriously telling me that untried players at this level Lewis Mansell and Ally Roy are going to be the answer to get us out of relegation .

The only saving grace is by getting rid of Chris Erskine at this time of the season he’s probably put the final nail in his own coffin and we’ll finally get rid of Gary Caldwell .

I wouldn't trust our board and CEO to put the right bins out on bin day, never mind sack Caldwell any time soon.

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29 minutes ago, BowenBoys said:

My younger son got a birthday card from Kingsley today. Nice picture inside of Kingsley, Dools and Erskine... 

As his birthday was last week, I suppose Chris was still a Thistle player at the time.

Kingsley, the next one Caldwell will want to ditch.

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Chris is in the 'Once a Jag, always a Jag' category. Always worked hard, on and off the pitch for the Thistle cause.

Heard recently that his Livingston away kit is sponsored by a WAT member. Chris is overwhelmed by this and the hundreds of messages of support he has received. Bleeds red and yellow.

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Erskine featured in just over 90% of Archie's squads this season. He featured in just over 90% of Caldwell's.

He started half of the games Archie managed. His starts were limited to 16% of the games that Caldwell managed, but he featured as a sub in 60% of those games. So he made an appearance in three quarters of the games Caldwell managed.

He was excluded from one of Archie's squads. He was excluded from two of Caldwell's. He didn't make it off the bench twice under Caldwell.

He might have enjoyed fewer starts under Caldwell, but it doesn't look like he was snubbed, as The Scotsman article states. It also contradicts Chris's claim that Caldwell "never played me".

It does tally with what I heard, however: that Chris was told that he was a squad player and would feature more often than not as a sub. He didn't agree with that and left. 

So, unless anyone wants to chuck in one of the "grenades" they're holding, I would suggest that Chris still had a part to play at Thistle, but decided to go elsewhere.

Edited by Dark Passenger
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40 minutes ago, Dark Passenger said:

Erskine featured in just over 90% of Archie's squads this season. He featured in just over 90% of Caldwell's.

He started half of the games Archie managed. His starts were limited to 16% of the games that Caldwell managed, but he featured as a sub in 60% of those games. So he made an appearance in three quarters of the games Caldwell managed.

He was excluded from one of Archie's squads. He was excluded from two of Caldwell's. He didn't make it off the bench twice under Caldwell.

He might have enjoyed fewer starts under Caldwell, but it doesn't look like he was snubbed, as The Scotsman article states. It also contradicts Chris's claim that Caldwell "never played me".

It does tally with what I heard, however: that Chris was told that he was a squad player and would feature more often than not as a sub. He didn't agree with that and left. 

So, unless anyone wants to chuck in one of the "grenades" they're holding, I would suggest that Chris still had a part to play at Thistle, but decided to go elsewhere.

He probably saw who was getting played in front of him and decided that Gary Caldwell was clueless as I do , if we do miraculously stay up we’ll have a lot to thank Chris Erskine for , his 3 goals in the 3 games under Archie which we won could prove priceless .

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