9th Aug 1997 Partick Thistle 2 Stirling Albion 3 (League Cup 2nd Round)

matches:1997-98: ← 04game 0506 →

Match Information

40y, 6m, 15d			John McVeigh		Kevin Drinkell
Ally Graham; Alex Martin
Charlie Adams; Robert Dunn
David Farrell (1-2, 40 mins); Andy Lyons (2-3, 65 mins)					Stuart McLaren (0-1, 16 mins); Stuart McLaren (0-2, 34 mins); Craig Taggart (1-3, 58 mins)
Jimmy Boyle; Bobby Connor					Andy Paterson
Ally Graham (Gareth Evans, HT); Jimmy Boyle (Charlie Adams, 60 mins); Billy Macdonald (Stephen Tait, 60 mins)					Neil Bennett (Kevin Bain, 12 mins)
23y, 4m, 2d			Gary O'Connor		Mark McGeown
30y, 5m, 21d			Jimmy Boyle		Paul Deas future Jag
30y, 9m, 21d			Andy Lyons		Andy Paterson
31y, 11m, 13d			Callum Milne		Neil Bennett
27y, 9m, 11d			David Farrell		Garry Paterson
26y, 10m, 19d			Gregg Watson		Ronnie McQuilter
32y, 9m, 3d			Peter Hetherston		Craig Taggart
20y, 10m, 23d			Billy Macdonald		Tommy Tait
30y, 11m, 29d			Ally Graham		Alex Bone
37y, 0m, 5d			Bobby Connor		Stuart McLaren
17y, 11m, 22d			Alex Martin		Gary Carberry
28y, 3m, 4d
30y, 6m, 26d			Gareth Evans		Jim Chalmers
21y, 4m, 19d			Charlie Adams		Gregor McKechnie
20y, 9m, 25d			Stephen Tait		Kevin Bain

Match Report

TTA report

Albion won more comfortably than the score suggests. They went 2-up (a header, 16 and a shot, 34) before Thistle pulled 1 back (Farrell from close in, 40). A fine goal made it 3-1 (58) but Lyons from 6 yards made it 3-2 (65). Thistle took far too long to get into the game. “I'm pig sick…it wasn't good enough” (McVeigh).

Media report

11-Aug-1997, The Mirror

Stirling ace Stuart McLaren may have spent 16 years of his life in the land of Oz but he still treats Firhill like home. The two-goal hero returned to Scotland after impressing Albion boss Kevin Drinkell as a trialist last season. McLaren said: “My family emigrated when I was just five and I have spent most of my life there. I came back because of the opportunity to play professional football.” He seems to particularly enjoy playing at Firhill. “I've played here twice and scored three times so it seems to be my lucky ground. And anyway I only stay five minutes from here.” Stuart has earned the nickname Skippy thanks to his kangaroo-style post- goal celebrations. “I did it after scoring once last season and the nickname and the celebration has stuck. The fans like it so hopefully they will see it a few more times this season.” Drinkell said: “It shows that we have a settled team who are all prepared to work for each other. Right from the back to the front players they all work hard.”

Thistle boss John McVeigh claimed the Jags were out but not down. He said: “My players have to experience how much it hurts to lose before we can change anything. Hopefully we can progress. I'm pig sick at being knocked out this early as it has never happened to me before but we need to bring in new players.”

Stirling took the lead after 16 minutes with a McLaren header. A McLaren volley made it two in the 33rd minute but Thistle scored before half-time through David Farrell. Albion regained their two-goal cushion when McLaren set up Taggart after 57 minutes. But Thistle never gave up and scored through Andy Lyons in 64 minutes.

Scrapbook

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Daily Record, 11th August, 1997

Stirling Observer, 9th August, 1997

PTFC Match Programme, 16th August, 1997

Stats Watch

● David Farrell scores his last goal for Thistle.

● Thistle's 52nd League Cup campaign begins and ends on the same day, for the seventh time.

ongoing sequences:

● 31 consecutive competitive appearances for David Farrell, 12th Oct 1996 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Gregg Watson - 31 games, 14th Sep 1996 to 19th Apr 1997. 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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