15th Jul 2004 Royal Highland Fusiliers 0 Partick Thistle 9 (Friendly)

matches:2004-05: ← 01game 0203 →

Match Information

			Joe Burke		Derek Whyte			35y, 10m, 14d
					Gerry Britton			33y, 8m, 25d
					?
					?
					Ritchie Pacquette; Ritchie Pacquette; Ritchie Pacquette; Ritchie Pacquette; John Gemmell; Willie Howie; Andy Ross; Steve Fulton; Andy S. Gibson
			?		?
			?		?
			?		Andy Dowie			21y, 3m, 20d
			?		Grant Murray			28y, 10m, 16d
			?		Wayne Heath			21y, 2m, 17d
			?		Willie Howie			22y, 0m, 6d
			?		John Gemmell			19y, 10m, 9d
			?		Steve Fulton			33y, 11m, 5d
			?		Ritchie Pacquette			21y, 5m, 17d
			?		Andy S. Gibson			22y, 4m, 13d
			?		Andy Ross			21y, 9m, 27d
								23y, 7m, 25d
			?		?
			?		?
			?		?
			?		?
			?		?

notes

The starting line-up is not known and the quoted players weren't necessarily in place at kick-off. Wayne Heath played as a trialist. Played in Episkopi.

match data help required

We're always looking to improve our match data in terms of filling in missing timings, profile pictures, identifying unknown forenames, missing linesmen etc. We require specific help in this match: What was the (evening) kick-off time? Who was the referee? What was the half-time score? Could you help fill the Thistle teamsheet? Could you help fill the opposition teamsheet? Please do get in touch → if you can assist in any way!

Match Report

TTA report

An unusual trip to the British sovereign base area of Akrotiri, Cyprus was marked by two games against the Royal Highland Fusiliers, both of which were played at the Happy Valley Playing Fields in the Episkopi Cantonment, before a small number of locals living in the zone. Goals from Ritchie Pacquette (4), John Gemmell, Willie Howie, Andy Ross, Steve Fulton & Andy S. Gibson gave Thistle a healthy first-leg advantage!

Media report

David Forrest, 30-Sep-2023, PTFC Match Programme

The 2003/04 season had been horrendous for the club. After back-to-back promotions and a 02/03 season filled with silky football, Alex “Toastie” Burns’ departure to Motherwell left a gaping hole up front that Thistle struggled to replace. Gerry Collins was sacked midway through the season, with Gerry Britton and Derek Whyte moving up from the players dressing room as co-managers. Thistle finished last in the Premier League, eight points behind 11th place Aberdeen and sixteen points from safety. Britton and Whyte stayed to rebuild, as Thistle looked to bounce back to the Premiership immediately. Thistle’s pre-season started on Monday the 12th of July with a trip to Ochilview to face Stenhousemuir. With 675 punters in attendance, Thistle raced into the lead when player-manager Britton headed home a cross from Jamie Mitchell after six minutes. Andy Gibson put Thistle 2–0 up on thirty minutes, with a low shot under the keeper. After the usual pre-season carousel of substitutions, the game fizzled out as Stenny failed to threaten in a dull second half where most Jags players were more concerned about whether they had packed their suncream yet.

A mere three days later, Thistle were in the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri on the island of Cyprus. A throwback to when Cyprus was a crown colony, Akrotiri was retained by the British under the 1960 treaty of independence. A vital part of the UK’s surveillance network in the Mediterranean and the Middle East, Akrotiri has a significant military presence to this day, with multiple bases and stations for signals intelligence. This British military presence would provide Thistle their opponents for two of the games in Cyprus, in the form of the Royal Highland Fusiliers. A legendary army regiment, the Royal Highland Fusiliers had a notable history in football too, winning the Army FA Cup three times in 1969, 1970 and 1979. Sadly for them, this reputation would count for nothing over the course of two games against the heavy fire of Partick Thistle’s brave boys overseas, both played at the Happy Valley Playing Fields in the Episkopi Cantonment.

With Akrotiri being a secure military facility, attendance was limited to a sparse number of curious locals. Those lucky enough to attend got a treat as Thistle hit the Fusiliers with an assault of military precision, crushing them 9–0, with John Gemmell, Willie Howie, Andy Ross, Steve Fulton & Andy Gibson getting on the scoresheet to compliment the four scored by journeyman trialist Richie Pacquette. To say Pacquette has been around a bit would be an understatement. The man has been through more clubs than Tyrrell Hatton on Ryder Cup weekend. Still playing at 40, the Dominican internationalist is listed as having played for 33 clubs on his Wikipedia, including multiple stints at Hampton & Richmond and Maidenhead. The fact Thistle are not listed raises a question… how many other clubs Pacquette has graced the turf of as a trialist? We could be in triple figures by now!

Stats Watch

● 21-year-old Wayne Heath makes his Thistle debut.

● John Gemmell scores his first goal for Thistle.

● Ritchie Pacquette scores his first FOUR goals for Thistle!

● Willie Howie scores his first goal for Thistle.

● Steve Fulton scores his only goal for Thistle.

ongoing sequences:

● 25 consecutive competitive appearances for David Rowson, 23rd Dec 2003 to date, a new personal best. (Longest run since: Grant Murray - 33 games, 20th Sep 2003 to 17th Apr 2004. 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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