Sammy Picken

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Sammy Picken

• Sammy Picken, 1937 (ET) Samuel Picken was born on Thursday, 13th May, 1920, in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire. The 5' 7 (10st 0lbs) forward signed for Donald Turner's Thistle on Monday, 22nd November, 1937, having most recently been with Bridgeton Waverley. Aged 17, he made his debut appearance on Saturday, 4th December, 1937, in a 4-0 win at home to Hibernian in the SFL First Division. Sammy scored his first goal for Thistle on Wednesday, 26th January, 1938, in an 8-0 win at home to Stranraer in the Scottish Cup. He scored the last of his 32 goals on Saturday, 16th December, 1944, in a 4-1 win at home to Albion Rovers in the Southern League. He played his last game for the club on Saturday, 18th August, 1945, in a 3-1 defeat at home to Heart of Midlothian in the Southern League, having clocked up 150 appearances as a Jag. His club-list included Bridgeton Waverley, Partick Thistle, Airdrieonians, East Stirlingshire, Cowdenbeath and Ballymena United. Sammy died in the summer of 1993, in Kirkintilloch, East Dunbartonshire, aged 73. * * If you can help us to improve any of these marked points on The Thistle Archive, then please do get in touch →

Bio Extra

His family originated from Ballymena, County Antrim. Sammy was actually player-manager at Ballymena for his final season in 1953-54, but returned to Scotland due to having a family. On his return to Scotland, and until he sadly passed, he was an active scout for Airdrie. Sam had started alongside his older brother, Willie, at Bridgeton Waverley. Willie also had a good career in the game, playing with Bradford Park Avenue, Dunfermline Athletic, Falkirk, Albion Rovers and East Fife. Sammy is laid to rest in the Auld Isle cemetery in Kirkintilloch.

(STF/JK)

Every Goal

compiled from our All Games criteria.

17y, 8m, 13d		26.01.1938 Stranraer [h] W8-0 (Scottish Cup 1st Round replay)
17y, 8m, 30d		12.02.1938 Cowdenbeath [h] W1-0 (Scottish Cup 2nd Round)
18y, 3m, 7d		20.08.1938 Raith Rovers [a] W4-2 (SFL First Division - game 2)
19y, 4m, 10d		23.09.1939 Celtic [a] L2-4 (Friendly)
19y, 4m, 13d		26.09.1939 Glasgow Highlanders [h] W11-3 (Friendly)
19y, 5m, 8d		21.10.1939 Queen of the South [h] D2-2 (Regional League, Western Division - game 1)
19y, 5m, 29d		11.11.1939 Hamilton Academical [a] L4-6 (Regional League, Western Division - game 4)
19y, 9m, 11d		24.02.1940 Dundee United [h] L2-4 (Emergency Cup 1st Round, 1st leg)
19y, 10m, 3d		16.03.1940 Airdrieonians [h] W3-2 (Regional League, Western Division - game 17)
19y, 10m, 12d		25.03.1940 Rangers [a] D2-2 (Regional League, Western Division - game 19)
19y, 10m, 28d		10.04.1940 Queen's Park [h] W6-0 (Regional League, Western Division - game 22)
19y, 11m, 11d		24.04.1940 Kilmarnock [h] W5-2 (Regional League, Western Division - game 25)
19y, 11m, 18d		01.05.1940 Ayr United [h] W2-0 (Regional League, Western Division - game 27)
20y, 0m, 8d		21.05.1940 Clyde [a] L1-2 (Glasgow Charity Cup Quarter Final)
20y, 2m, 28d		10.08.1940 Dumbarton [h] W5-2 (Southern League - game 1)
20y, 5m, 13d		26.10.1940 Airdrieonians [h] D3-3 (Southern League - game 12)
20y, 10m, 9d		22.03.1941 Motherwell [h] D4-4 (Southern League Cup Section 1 - game 4)
21y, 0m, 0d		13.05.1941 Dennistoun Waverley [a] D4-4 (Clydeside Blitz Fundraiser)
21y, 0m, 0d		13.05.1941 Dennistoun Waverley [a] D4-4 (Clydeside Blitz Fundraiser)
22y, 3m, 30d		12.09.1942 Hamilton Academical [a] D2-2 (Southern League - game 5)
22y, 4m, 27d		10.10.1942 Clyde [h] L1-3 (Southern League - game 9)
22y, 5m, 25d		07.11.1942 Albion Rovers [h] W6-2 (Southern League - game 13)
22y, 6m, 8d		21.11.1942 Heart of Midlothian [a] D3-3 (Southern League - game 15)
22y, 9m, 21d		06.03.1943 Third Lanark [a] L2-3 (Southern League Cup Section B - game 2)
22y, 10m, 0d		13.03.1943 Motherwell [h] W5-1 (Southern League Cup Section B - game 3)
22y, 10m, 21d		03.04.1943 Motherwell [a] W3-0 (Southern League Cup Section B - game 6)
24y, 7m, 3d		16.12.1944 Albion Rovers [h] W4-1 (Southern League - game 18)

Every Penalty

compiled from our All Games criteria.

#
1	19y, 5m, 29d		11.11.1939 Hamilton Academical [a] L4-6 (Regional League, Western Division - game 4)	1-1, pen 15 mins
2	19y, 10m, 28d		10.04.1940 Queen's Park [h] W6-0 (Regional League, Western Division - game 22)	4-0, pen 2nd half
3	19y, 10m, 28d		10.04.1940 Queen's Park [h] W6-0 (Regional League, Western Division - game 22)	5-0, pen 2nd half

Sammy Picken
3/3 ← success rate → 100%

Partick Thistle
567/815 ← success rate → 69.6%
@ 08-Feb-2026

Thistle Honours

	1938 - PAISLEY CHARITY CUP Joint-Winner
	1941 - GLASGOW CHARITY CUP Runner-up
	1945 - SUMMER CUP Winner

the decisive games…

1938 - PAISLEY CHARITY CUP Tue-10-May-1938 [a] D2-2 St Mirren (Paisley Charity Cup Final) McKennan and McSpadyen scored in this draw. The SC reported that Thistle (the holders) “handed the cup over to St Mirren”. As per 1927, “Joint-Winners” were noted in the history books. Groan. Could someone not have counted the corners? Donald Turner

1941 - GLASGOW CHARITY CUP Sat-31-May-1941 [n] L0-3 Rangers (Glasgow Charity Cup Final) Hampden. Thistle had no-one except Newall to match Rangers' eager forwards. They fought to the end but were “outmatched in strategy and pace” (SC). Husband was outstanding but it wasn't enough and goals 36, 59 and 87 did the damage. Stanley Matthews guesting for Rangers was clearly unfit. Donald Turner

1945 - SUMMER CUP Sat-30-Jun-1945 [n] W2-0 Hibernian (Summer Cup Final) Hampden. A poor game and luck was on Thistle's side again. Hibs missed a good chance early on then a 30-yard drive by Brown was well saved before Johnson headed in a McGeachy cross (26). In the 2nd half Hibs (disrupted by injury) hit the bar twice but Johnson knocked in a parried shot (85) to win the cup. Donald Turner

• Listed per out Honours list criteria.
• Players who have contributed an appearance in any given tournament are included.

Gallery

click on image to enlarge (magnifiable if deemed necessary by your browser)

• The Picken brothers in the press, 19th October 1940. (ET)

• Sammy Picken in the press, late 1937. (ET)

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