3rd May 1980 Partick Thistle 4 Rangers 3 (SFL Premier Division - game 34)

matches:1979-80: ← 49game 5051 →

Match Information

42y, 1m, 10d			Bertie Auld		John Greig
Dave MacKinnon; Andy Anderson; Donald Park
John Lapsley; Ian Gibson; Tony Higgins
Alex O'Hara (1-1, 37 mins); Alex O'Hara (2-1, 44 mins); Colin McAdam (3-1, 50 mins); Ian McDonald (4-1, 78 mins)					Bobby Russell (0-1, 27 mins); Derek Johnstone (4-2, 83 mins); Bobby Russell (4-3, 87 mins)
Jim Melrose (Iain Jardine, 2nd half); Colin McAdam (Tony Higgins, 79 mins)					Tommy McLean (Alex Miller, 62 mins); Gregor Stevens (Gordon Smith, 79 mins)
28y, 5m, 8d			Alan Rough		Peter McCloy
23y, 11m, 10d			Dave MacKinnon		Sandy Jardine
23y, 7m, 10d			Brian Whittaker		Ally Dawson
18y, 7m, 2d			Jamie Doyle		Derek Johnstone future Jag
34y, 2m, 6d			Jackie Campbell		Colin Jackson future Jag
26y, 8m, 26d			Andy Anderson		Gregor Stevens future Jag
26y, 9m, 14d			Donald Park		Tommy McLean
21y, 6m, 26d			Jim Melrose		Bobby Russell
28y, 8m, 5d			Colin McAdam		Davie Cooper
23y, 6m, 12d			Alex O'Hara		Ian Redford
21y, 4m, 7d			Ian McDonald		John MacDonald
25y, 2m, 20d
22y, 2m, 16d			Iain Jardine		Gordon Smith
25y, 11m, 0d			Tony Higgins		Alex Miller

notes

Postponed from 1st Jan 1980.

Match Report

TTA report

Rangers scored when Rough almost saved a pen but the rebound was knocked in (27). O'Hara (shot from 15 yards, 37 and point-blank, 44) made it 2-1. A McAdam free-kick (50) and a prod from a scramble by McDonald (78) put Thistle 4-1 up before 2 goals (83 and 87) took the shine off.

Scrapbook

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Cumbernauld News, 1st May, 1980

Match Programme, 3rd May, 1980

Evening Times, 3rd May, 1980

Sunday Post, 4th May, 1980

The Scotsman, 5th May, 1980

Glasgow Herald, 5th May, 1980

Evening Times, 5th May, 1980

Evening Times, 5th May, 1980

Gallery

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• Derek Johnstone and the leaping Jackie Campbell in an aerial dual. (ET)

• Jamie Doyle and Andy Anderson look to deal with a high cross ball. (ET)

Who put the ball in the Rangers net?

Ian featured at #12 in our Top 25 countdown here on The Thistle Archive →

IAN MCDONALD

03.05.1980 Rangers [h] W4-3 (SFL Premier Division - game 34)
Alex O'Hara (1-1, 37 mins); Alex O'Hara (2-1, 44 mins); Colin McAdam (3-1, 50 mins); Ian McDonald (4-1, 78 mins)

Season 1979-80 was an exciting one in Scottish football, with one of the tightest top-flights ever seen. Thistle themselves finished a mere 12 points behind the champion club, Aberdeen, who, incidentally, celebrated effectively winning the League on this day with a 5-0 win at Easter Road.

With 2 games to play, Rangers were desperate to win the points at Firhill, and manager John Greig boldly opted for a 4-2-4 in a sure-fire statement of intent. They had to win this match, or their chances of qualifying for the UEFA Cup were dead. To help them on their way, Ian Foote, a trusty old ally of theirs, awarded a 27th minute penalty. Sandy Jardine took it, but despite Roughie saving his third consecutive spot-kick, Bobby Russell was quick-off-the-mark to dink home the rebound over Scotland's #1. Safe from relegation, but tantalisingly just out of reach of a European place, Thistle had nothing to play for, except pride alone. At this point, it might have been expected that the end-of-season vibe might have kicked in, and perhaps a 2 or 3 nil away win would have been the predicted outcome by most. What followed, however, was 50 minutes of non-stop football fun for all Jagskind, or 65 minutes if you count the happy pie and bovril time up at the wee yellow shop.

‘Rangers reject’ Alex O’Hara took great delight in scoring twice before half-time, and big Colin McAdam bent in a beauty of a free-kick in 50 minutes, receiving the loudest roar on the day. By rights, it should really be the big man’s goal as the feature, but I’ve opted for Ian McDonald’s goal simply for the laughs. Rangers, gunning for Europe, with 4 men up front, leading after a penalty, suddenly found themselves 4-1 down at Firhill with just over 10 minutes to play. Sensation! That’s my kind of script.

The goal itself wasn’t exactly spectacular – it was stabbed home from a good old stramash – but those of a red n yellow persuasion cared not a jot. The carefree Jags were 4-1 up against the desperate Gers. What joy, what fun, we had Rangers on the run!

With 32 credited to his Jaggy account, Ian, undoubtedly, has scored better goals during his Thistle career, but I doubt any have been received quite so gleefully as this one!

p.s. On the Wednesday, to complete a marvellous week of Old Firm bubble-bursting, Thistle (uniquely unbeaten against the champion club this season), decided not to beat Aberdeen by 10 clear goals in their last League game of the season, thereby denying Celtic the title.

Stats Watch

ongoing sequences:

● 49 consecutive competitive appearances for Alan Rough, 19th Jul 1979 to date. (Longest run since: Dave MacKinnon - 65 games, 9th Sep 1978 to 27th Oct 1979. Club-record: Johnny Jackson - 313 games, 28th Aug 1926 to 25th Mar 1933.)

Stats Watch adheres to our stated definitions of League, League Max, Major Competitive, Competitive or All Games. Where there is no written qualification, you should presume that the Stat in question is compiled from the All Games criteria.

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