Sunday 21st May, 2017 at 6:34pm
In a season which saw Partick Thistle secure their highest league finish since the 80s, the club has ended the campaign in a disappointing manner. Since the split, the Jags have picked up but a single point and scored just once in the final four games of the season. A 6-0 defeat to Aberdeen round up a poor end to a fabulous season.
Archie started by mentioning how although today’s performance was harrowing, it’s important to look at the season as a whole and think about the performances of the season overall rather than just this week when a number of key squad members have been missing.
“The fans have been great all season and I think they do recognise that today, we were depleted and tired after a long season. However, these last two or three games do leave a bad taste. It’s difficult to be too angry at the players because they have been very good over the course of the season and there were reasons that we were poor today. We were missing ten players and it definitely showed. Two players pulled out this morning, after we’d worked on our shape in training. We were forced to change our shape at the last minute and that no doubt affected us.”
Alan also complimented the development squad players who he called on during the game as they were brought on for some rare minutes in a difficult game for inexperienced boys.
“I felt for the young lads. I didn’t want to have to bring them on in a situation like that, when we’re up against it because they didn’t really have an opportunity to show what they can do technically. I felt we did need to bring them on though. We brought young Ross Fleming at left-back. He did well and he played better than some of our older players. I take my hat off to all three of them because they didn’t hide.”
Although his side were able to make the top six this season, the gaffer knows that it will be an even more difficult challenge to retain a top six spot.
“Next year we start a fresh. We can’t be complacent; we know what we have to do. All the other teams in the league will be looking to get better as well and we have to do that too. Hibs are coming up and they have plenty of money to spend so you expect that they’ll be challenging for at least a top six spot. Thinking about finishing in the top half I great but at this club, first and foremost, the focus is firmly on survival and that’s going to be our first target next season.”
Today’s game marked the end of the 2016/17 season for the Jags as the team go for a well-earned break. The fixtures for the new season will be announced on the 23rd of June.
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Alan has committed, will you join him? 2017/18 season tickets are now on sale.
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