5th May 2001 Partick Thistle 4 Stenhousemuir 0 (SFL Second Division - game 36)

matches:2000-01: ← 43game 4401 →

60y, 2m, 3d	John Lambie	Brian Fairley

Sandy Stewart; Allan Moore; Paul McGrillen
Stephen Docherty; Jamie Smith; Scott McLean

Paul McGrillen (1-0, 48 mins); Barry Elliot (2-0, 56 mins); Stephen Craigan (3-0, 69 mins); Paul McGrillen (4-0, 70 mins)
Stephen Craigan		Jimmy Sandison; Graeme Davidson; Simon Mensing; Scott Miller

Barry Elliot (Brian Hamilton, 73 mins); Peter Lindau (Scott McLean, 75 mins); Paul McGrillen (Martin Hardie, 84 mins)		Martin Mooney (Nicky Henderson, 61 mins); David Menelaws (Jimmy Fisher, 75 mins)

22y, 4m, 28d	Kenny Arthur	Ryan McGurk
35y, 6m, 21d	Sandy Stewart	Andy Storrar
23y, 4m, 22d	Alan Archibald	Jimmy Sandison
24y, 6m, 6d	Stephen Craigan	Simon Mensing
30y, 1m, 25d	Mark McNally	Brian McColligan
23y, 7m, 28d	David McCallum	Graeme Davidson
36y, 4m, 10d	Allan Moore	Chris Jackson
32y, 0m, 29d	Danny Lennon	Barry Donald
22y, 6m, 11d	Barry Elliot	David Menelaws
28y, 4m, 26d	Peter Lindau	Scott Miller former Jag
29y, 8m, 16d	Paul McGrillen	Martin Mooney

28y, 0m, 25d

21y, 5m, 28d	Michael Brown	Garry Gow future Jag
33y, 9m, 0d	Brian Hamilton	Jimmy Fisher
24y, 10m, 18d	Scott McLean	Nicky Henderson former Jag
25y, 0m, 13d	Martin Hardie	Paul Miller
22y, 9m, 24d	Jamie Smith	Peter Cormack

TTA report

The trophy award and celebrations on the pitch overshadowed a one-sided game. McGrillen scored (48) then Elliot (flashing header) made it 2-0 (56). Craigan and McGrillen scored within a minute (69 and 70) to finish the season on a high. Worthy champions. 17 points clear of Arbroath. Highest scorers, best defence.

Media report

07-May-2001, Daily Record

STEPHEN'S NAKED AMBITION; I Told My Folks I'd Strip If I Scored - I Settled for Just the Shirt. YOU could forgive Stephen Craigan for getting shirty at Thistle's championship party. The defender nodded home his only goal of the campaign on his 39th appearance of the season for the Second Division champs and was promptly booked for ripping off his jersey and throwing it into the air as he celebrated. But the ecstatic 24-year-old Northern Irishman later revealed he'd almost gone the full monty as the joy of netting his first senior strike since signing for Motherwell six years ago coursed through his veins. He even punched the air in celebration after George Clyde flashed the yellow card at him! Craigan - captured by boss John Lambie last July - said: “That was the first goal I've ever had in the first team. My mum, dad, brother, aunt, uncle and girlfriend Elaine had all come over to watch me and I'm delighted everything went well and we finished the season on a high. I'd told my mum and dad if I ever scored I would take all my clothes off. But if I'd done that I would have got a red card so I settled for taking off my shirt. It earned me a booking but I've only had two or three this season so it didn't matter.”

Saturday afternoon started with red, yellow and black balloons being released at Firhill and ended with Stenhousemuir being made to look like maroon balloons. Lambie's men were in party mood with the prospect of picking up the championship trophy at the end of the game. Both sides looked distinctly hung over in the first half but the Jags had a four- goal hair of the dog after the break. Paul McGrillen, who netted Thistle's title-clincher against Forfar, got them off the mark with a superb strike. Peter Lindau dodged past a couple of defenders on the right then sent a perfect pass to the other side of the park and the former Falkirk star gave keeper Ryan McGurk no chance with a dipping shot from the edge of the box. Barry Elliot nodded home David McCallum's free-kick from the right eight minutes later and Craigan got on the end of a McCallum corner in 69 minutes. McGrillen wrapped it up a minute later with McCallum again the supplier. He swung over a deep cross from the left and the hitman banged home a scissors kick from all of two yards. Sub Martin Hardie - the Jags second-top scorer with 16 goals - saw a header saved moments after coming on and Alan Archibald was unlucky not to add to Thistle's total from long range.

All in all, the result didn't matter. The 4624 fans had come to party at Firhill as Partick picked up their first silverware since 1976. Lambie joined skipper Danny Lennon to receive the trophy and the crowd - who had cheered each of their heroes as they received winners' medals - went wild again. They ignored appeals and joined the team on the pitch, posing for pictures with the players and even kissing the turf. Next season brings fresh challenges in Division One but Craigan, who played more games than any other Partick player this term, just wanted to party. He said: “You don't win a championship every week so we'll enjoy this moment then think about next season when we come back in July.”

Lambie sucked on his trademark cigar as he watched the celebrations and said: “It's been a long hard season. We've had a few hitches but all credit to the players - they've been magnificent. You couldn't bow out in front of your support in a better way than winning 4-0. The fans here have been starved of success for so long. When I came here we were third bottom of the division and I was s** myself we'd go down but we've improved every year. I also think it's brilliant for Hamilton because it means both teams who play here have won championships and they gave me my start in management. But Thistle are always my first concern and I've already got a few players in mind for next season.”

Stephen featured at #10 in our Top 12 countdown here on The Thistle Archive →

STEPHEN CRAIGAN

Saturday 5th May 2001 SFL Second Division – game 36 Stenhousemuir [h] W4-0

“If there was a better professional in Scotland, I've still to see him. Fantastic guy.” ~ John Lambie

In the close season Summer of 2000, the 24 year old Stephen Craigan was freed by Alex McLeish – John Lambie knew an opportunity when he seen one. Ho-ho, thank you very much. Motherwell’s loss was very much Thistle’s gain. After two seasons of faffing around in the third tier, Partick Thistle desperately needed to get out of there. Lambie got busy, assembling a crack squad that could not be beaten. Craigan would be the cornerstone. The steely defender made his competitive debut on the 8th August and ended up starting in every single game from there. How fitting that after giving his all for 39 games consecutively (and 90 minutes every time) he would net his first goal on the very last day of the season. It was the title party day at Firhill - and the Jags were in the mood to celebrate! The BBC reported thus:

“Despite being held for the first 45 minutes, Thistle left their fans happy with a storming four-goal second period. With just three minutes gone in the second half, Partick broke the deadlock when a superb run by Peter Lindau carved open the Stenny defence and Paul McGrillen drove the ball into the corner of the net. After 56 minutes Partick added a second when a floated free-kick by David McCallum was headed in by Barry Elliot. And just to prove the gulf between the teams, Partick added two more within 60 seconds. With 69 minutes gone, defender Steve Craigan moved forward to flash a header past goalkeeper Ryan McGurk, and McGrillen finished the rout off with a fourth to set the scene for jubilant celebrations.”

When STEPHEN's goal went in, the warmth around the ground was palpable. As the huge roar subsided, Thistle fans looked at each other knowingly with big grins, nodding heads and clapping hands. The chant soon went up: “One Stephen Craigan, there’s only one Stephen Craigan!” His “taps aff” celebration epitomized the joyous spirit of the much-loved one-goal wonder, and duly serves as the most apt cover-shot for this very feature!

Craigan was pivotal to Jags’ meteoric rise from third to first tier football – and he helped us stay there. He’ll always be well thought of by the Firhill cognoscenti. Partick Thistle and Stephen Craigan had three great seasons together – and thankfully there was a wee goal to show for it!

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STEPHEN CRAIGAN