31st Mar 2001 Stirling Albion 0 Partick Thistle 3 (SFL Second Division - game 31)

matches:2000-01: ← 38game 3940 →

	Ray Stewart	John Lambie	60y, 0m, 29d

		Brian Hamilton
		Derek Collins

		Peter Lindau (1-0, 4 mins); Peter Lindau (2-0, 61 mins); Peter Lindau (3-0, 79 mins)
Kevin Gaughan; John Millar		David McCallum
John Millar (@ 2-0, 70 mins)
Craig Martin (Gary Kelly, HT); Neil Bennett (Alex Williams, 69 mins); Jim Gardner (Kevin McCallion, 69 mins)		Scott McLean (Barry Elliot, 76 mins); David McCallum (Willie Howie, 78 mins); Peter Lindau (Allan Moore, 85 mins)

	Chris Reid	Kenny Arthur	22y, 3m, 24d
	former Jag Kevin Gaughan	David McCallum	23y, 6m, 24d
	Graeme Love	Alan Archibald	23y, 3m, 18d
	Neil Bennett	Stephen Craigan	24y, 5m, 2d
	Graeme Donald	Jamie Smith	22y, 8m, 20d
	John Millar	Mark McNally	30y, 0m, 21d
	Jim Gardner	Brian Hamilton	33y, 7m, 26d
	Craig Martin	Danny Lennon	31y, 11m, 25d
	Paul Hay	Scott McLean	24y, 9m, 14d
	former Jag Ally Graham	Martin Hardie	24y, 11m, 9d
	Lee Bailey	Peter Lindau	28y, 3m, 22d

			26y, 4m, 13d

	Andy Buchanan	Michael Brown	21y, 4m, 24d
	Kevin McCallion	Barry Elliot	22y, 5m, 7d
	Gary Kelly	Allan Moore	36y, 3m, 6d
	Chris Templeman	Willie Howie	18y, 8m, 22d
	Alex Williams	Sandy Stewart	35y, 5m, 17d

TTA report

Promotion guaranteed. Lindau scored with a poacher's strike at a corner (4) for a half-time lead. A 20-yard run and shot (61) and a shot on the turn (79) completed his hat-trick. Thistle dominated the match and the final whistle triggered the celebrations. Albion (who had a man sent off at 2-0) were relegated.

Media report

02-Apr-2001, Daily Record

PARTY THISTLE. MARK McNALLY knew who sparked Britain's first promotion party of 2001. More than 2000 travelling Partick fans agreed. Even the Bridge of Allan Stirling Albion supporters club voted John Lambie their man of the match. But the Thistle boss seemed reluctant to take centre stage on the day his side took their first step back towards the big time. Stirling were perfect hosts, offering Peter Lindau a hat-trick to secure the step up to Division One and slamming Congratulations on the PA at full time. And while the Jags players went loopy on their lap of honour at a stadium where their people outnumbered the home support five to one, Lambie hung around the tunnel as the fans chanted his name. He seemed to want his players to take the credit and while Lindau's treble set champagne corks popping in Glasgow's West End, Partick stopper McNally reckoned it was Lambie who had done the shaking, rousing a sleeping giant. The ex-Celt said: “A couple of years ago, Partick were at rock bottom and John has turned them around. He knows how to get the best out of people. There are a lot of guys in our dressing room who have played at a higher level but had problems. John has brought us all together and got us playing as a team. It wasn't hard to get motivated today but over the past few weeks, when we've been so far ahead, that has been difficult and John has just kept us going and going.”

Whatever words of wisdom Lambie used on his men had an almost instant effect. Lindau had them in front inside four minutes. David McCallum swung over a corner from the left and keeper Chris Reid could only flap at it before the Swede appeared at the back post and lashed the ball into the roof of the net from two yards. Partick were cruising from then on. It wasn't pretty and a swirling wind hampered good football but when the hitman's second arrived it was worth the wait. He used his strength to battle past one defender, got outside another on the edge of the box and rammed the ball past Reid. Thirty minutes to go and the party was in full swing. Stirling were down to 10 men by the time an equally-impressive third arrived, John Millar seeing red for a second booking. Lindau brought down a cross from the left in the area, twisted and turned and banged the ball home. Three Albion defenders are probably still wondering where he is. Thistle's fans screamed for their heroes at full time and when they reappeared from the dressing room they were soon bedecked in scarves and silly hats. The club had begged their supporters not to invade the pitch but the emotion got the better of a few hotheads. The police didn't seem to mind and the players seemed glad of the company. They ran to the stands and threw themselves at their supporters' feet. But it took more than a few choruses of “We want Lambie” to get the man of the moment on the pitch. When he did arrive, he was lifted shoulder-high. His players stripped off his shoes and threw them to the crowd, Eric Cantona style.

Jags fans may worship the ground Lambie walks on but not his footwear. The shoes were promptly returned. Afterwards, the elated 60-year-old made a typically Lambie-esque admission. He said: “My feet are f** soaking. When I get home, I'll be right into the pigeon hut. I had two or three whiskies last night and I can't face any more. The nerves were getting to me. I had to turn back to the house twice this morning because I'd forgotten my keys and stuff. I suppose now we'll need to go and find another few points so we can get the championship.” But even in his moment of triumph - his second promotion for Partick in his third spell in charge - he was looking to next season. Lambie said: “Players will come and players will go, which is a shame and the hardest part of my job.” Jubilant skipper Danny Lennon - who ranked his joy alongside winning the Coca-Cola Cup with Raith Rovers - was forced to agree. He said: “I hope we don't lie down and think we've achieved anything yet. We're just getting back to where we belong. I'm not saying it'll happen next season but in three or four years we'll be back in the Premier League. Next term I'd be happy with this squad and maybe three or four new faces. We need more depth for Division One because this season we've been lucky with injuries and that might not happen again.” Stirling boss Ray Stewart sloped off as the Jags enjoyed their party. While Lambie and his men can look forward to promotion, this result and a 1- 0 win for Queen's Park left Stewart's bottom dogs in even greater peril of the drop to Scottish football's basement.

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