SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership
Sat 5 August, 2017. Kick Off: - 15:00
Easter Road, Edinburgh
Supporter Information :
Allocation: 1,900
Tickets on sale: NOW
Sales status: GENERAL SALE
Available to buy online at ptfctickets.co.uk
Call the club on 01415791971 and selecting option 1 for general enquiries between 10am and 4pm Monday-Friday
By visiting the office in person between 10am and 4pm Monday-Friday
Tickets are priced as follows:
Adults – £22
Concessions – £12
A concession is classed as a person under 18 years old, a person aged 65 or older or a student in full time education with a valid matriculation card.
Disabled tickets are also available. Please contact the club on 0141 579 1971 or visit the Firhill offices to purchase.
Tickets will also be available to purchase at Easter Road on the day of the match.
Supporters’ Buses:
City Centre Branch:
Pick ups:
Q Club – 11:20
Station Bar – 11:30
Non members welcome.
Please call 07979496154 or email to book.
Jordanhill Branch:
Pick ups:
Jordanhill Station – 13:00
Thornwood Bar – 13:05
Prices:
Members:
£14 for adults
£8 for concessions
All Jags fans are welcome but booking is essential.
For seats please contact Alistair on 07817612563 or email
For general enquires please contact Iain on 07779668357 or email
Jordanhill Branch Membership Information:
Jordanhill Branch Membership covers all published pre-split Ladbrokes Premiership league away games, except the visit to Ibrox where no bus will run.
Members will benefit from reduced rates for any away cup games.
As in previous seasons, membership can be paid in one installment or over the course of the season. However, we appeal for consistent payments as the buses require to be paid for on each away match day.
Membership costs are as follows:
Adult – £200
Student/Retired/Unemployed – £115
School Attenders – £80
Parent & Child – £240
For more information please contact Iain at
North-West Branch:
Pick ups:
Milngavie Station – 12:30
Esquire House Anniesland – 12:50
Maryhill Community Halls – 13:00
Prices:
£14 for adults
£8.50 for concessions.
For seats non-members should e-mail
North-West Branch Membership Information:
Non-members intending to travel regularly should consider joining the North-West since the benefits are considerable.
The North-West will run a bus to every away Betfred Cup, Ladbrokes Premiership and Scottish Cup fixture played outwith Glasgow in season 2017-18.
No need to book seats for each game, your place is guaranteed!
A fixed fee (full fare £270, concession fare £150) can be paid in installments throughout the season. This fee has been held at the same level as in 2016-17.
To become a North-West Branch member please e-mail
With qualification for the next round of the Betfred Cup safely secured it is time to turn the focus towards the opening match of the Ladbrokes Premiership as Thistle travel through to the capital for a tough curtain raiser against newly promoted Hibernian.
Looking forward to the match Jags boss, Alan Archibald, spoke of the excitement in the camp ahead of the new campaign starting.
“I think there is a real buzz about the new season and the players are all really looking forward to it. The Betfred Cup is a great way to get back into the swing of things but I think everyone really looks forward to that first weekend of league action – it’s a real showcase.
“What the Betfred Cup does do is it gives us a chance to blow away the cobwebs so that we are right on it for the first league matches. We needed to win those group stage matches though and it certainly wasn’t easy, as you saw with our opening day draw against Livingston.”
With Hibs, Celtic, two trips to St Johnstone and the visit of Aberdeen all in the opening month of the campaign Thistle have among the toughest starts of anyone in the league but this isn’t something that phases the Maryhill gaffer.
“We’ve got a tough start and we know that but we also know we’ve got to play them all at some point and so does everyone else. Having said that places like Easter Road are great stadiums to go and play in and the players all relish that.
“I was lucky enough to take in an Edinburgh derby last season as it was shortly before we played Hearts and the atmosphere was superb. I think because Hibs have been out of the league for a while you forget the atmosphere and the players have to embrace that. It’s going to be pretty much a sell-out I think and the players have to embrace that and use it to our advantage.
“I think most people will be expecting them to come out of the traps really strong but we’ve been stressing to the players that they’re an established Premiership side now and don’t have anything to fear. Yes Hibs have strong players but we’ve been playing at this level for a good amount of time now and we have to know that we have the quality to go and match up.
“If we can turn the fans against them then great but we know Saturday will be about us showing our quality and we’ll need to do that if we want to get a result.”
Archibald will be looking for a better start than he had last season as, after an opening day win, his side went nine matches without a victory.
“We had a poor start to the league last term and it makes it so much harder later in the season. We definitely want to avoid being in that situation again this term and that means getting off to a strong start despite the difficult run of fixtures.
“The more points we can get at this stage of the season – especially away from home – the better. Hopefully we can then take that form into our home games and build a really solid start to the season. Everyone knows that Hibs coming back up brings another big budget into the league and now we need to show that we have the strength to compete at this level.”
In sharp contrast to the trials and tribulations Archie had with injuries in the early stages of the season his list of available players is looking much healthier ahead of the trip to Leith.
“Yep, we’re pretty much at full strength now, the only absentees through injury will be Mustapha Dumbuya and Gary Fraser although Ryan Edwards is suspended for the game having picked up a sixth yellow card in the last game of last season.”
More exclusive preview interviews with Niall Keown as well as new signing, Milan Nitrianský and Jags gaffer, Alan Archibald are now available to Jagzone subscribers – log in now to see them.
Jagzone members will also be able to watch extended highlights of the game.
Can’t make it to Easter Road? Jagzone members can listen to live audio commentary of the match. JagZoneLIVE begins at 2:30pm on Saturday.
For a full list of all the great content you can access from just £5.99 per month as a Jagzone member, click here.
Alan has committed, will you join him? 2017/18 season tickets are still on sale.
Article Copyright © 2017. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Since the conclusion of the Betfred Cup group stages, Alan Archibald has had a busy week. An open day, two new signings and a huge amount of preparation for today’s Ladbrokes Premiership opener. However, the day had finally arrived, the beginning of the 2017/18 league season and to open things for the campaign, Thistle faced the daunting task of travelling to Easter Road to take on newly-promoted Hibernian.
The Jags lined up with just one of Alan Archibald’s summer signings in the starting eleven. Niall Keown made his debut as a fully fledged Jag after re-signing on a two-year deal this summer, alongside Daniel Devine at centre-half. Callum Booth and Christie Elliott were the Thistle full-backs while Abdul Osman, Stuart Bannigan and Adam Barton created a trio in the centre of midfield. Blair Spittal picked up a knock during the week and as such it was a front three for Thistle rather than the four that they’ve deployed during the Betfred Cup. Chris Erskine and Steven Lawless started wide on either side of the central striker, Kris Doolan. Along with Blair Spittal, Ryan Edwards also missed out through suspension. Thistle new boys, Jordan Turnbull and Milan Nitriansky both made the bench for the game.
The home side seemed right up for it after the unfurling of the Championship title winners flag but it was the Jags who started brightly in the contest and the Maryhill men were duly rewarded as they took the lead in the sixth minute. Thistle used some patient passing involving a number of Jags players before making the killer pass. After some build-up, Steven Lawless slid a through ball into Chris Erskine who managed to turn his man. The number ten then slotted past Marciano with his left foot finding the far corner and putting his side a goal to the good.
Falling behind gave Hibs the impetus to improve and it didn’t take them long to equalise following a spell of improved play. John McGinn started the attack by bursting forward powerfully and trying to slot the ball into Simon Murray. Ex-Dundee United striker, Murray, couldn’t control but the loose ball deflected fortuitously into the path of Martin Boyle off Daniel Devine and Boyle wasted no time, slotting home at the near post to level matters.
In the 22nd minute, Hibs almost took the lead. Simon Murray laid the ball off for John McGinn who was making a foray into the box but Abdul Osman made a great challenge to stop the Scotland international, however, the ball went straight to Steven Whittaker, 20 yards from goal. The defender shot low but it was straight at Cerny who held comfortably.
In the 28th minute, Thistle were hit by a huge injury dilemma. Kris Doolan was forced off with a hamstring issue and was replaced by Kevin Nisbet.
Just four minutes after the substitution, the hosts took the lead. Swanson was played the ball on the right of the Thistle box and he threaded a perfect cutback towards the penalty spot. Running onto it was Steven Whittaker who after his earlier chance, wasn’t going to miss this time. Using the outside of his right foot he redirected the ball, finding the bottom corner and putting the Hibees ahead.
There was to be no more action before the break with the score staying 2-1 as the teams went for the break. Thistle had started well but their performance levels dropped fairly quickly but their struggles were not helped by the loss of their talismanic striker, Kris Doolan.
The visitors would be looking to start the second half as energetically as they did the first but in actual fact it was Hibs who got off to a good start in the second period. Martin Boyle got in behind Callum Booth and as he looked to create some danger in the Thistle box, the Jags’ left-back tripped Boyle and the penalty was awarded. Simon Murray was the man to step up and the number 15 sent Tomas Cerny the wrong way making it 3-1.
The Edinburgh side came close to a fourth on the hour mark when they struck the woodwork. Hibs hit the Jags on the counter and Martin Boyle found Simon Murray with the cross. Murray took it down and shot but it came back off the post and was cleared.
The Jags best chance to pull a goal back came in the 65th minute. Steven Lawless played a through ball allowing Callum Booh to get in behind and cross. His looped delivery found Kevin Nisbet who headed on goal but Ofir Marciano tipped the ball over the bar. The resulting corner found Chris Erskine and Thistle’s goalscorer struck quickly. The shot was saved by Marciano but the ‘keeper spilled it. Unfortunately, no one was on hand to tap home and the danger was cleared. Shortly following this chance, Steven Lawless was replaced by Milan Nitriansky who sat in at right-back allowing Christie Elliott to play on the left wing.
That would be the last notable chance of the game as Hibernian ran out 3-1 winners on the day. The Jags came out of the game with no points and an injury to Kris Doolan so it was an all-round frustrating day for the Maryhill men.
Thistle now look towards Tuesday’s Betfred Cup meeting with St. Johnstone at McDiarmid Park
Following a lengthy summer of preparation, the league season finally restarted today for Partick Thistle, however, it wasn’t a happy return to Ladbrokes Premiership action. Despite taking the lead in the sixth minute, the Jags ended up suffering a 3-1 defeat at the hands of newly-promoted Hibernian. Goals from Martin Boyle, Steven Whittaker and Simon Murray after Chris Erskine’s opener spelled defeat for the Firhill side. On a disappointing day for his side, Alan Archibald spoke to ptfc.co.uk to give his thoughts on the game.
Archie thought that despite the good start to the game, his side let themselves down after Hibs’ first goal in the 14th minute.
“I thought that we started brightly and did what we came here to do which was to frustrate them. We scored a very good goal but I was frustrated with the reaction after we conceded the equaliser. Our decision making and our passing was really slack and with that we invited unnecessary pressure onto ourselves.”
The gaffer reckoned that his side lost sight of how they wanted to play after the hosts netted the leveller.
“We just started to put ourselves under more pressure than we should have. We were playing the ball backwards when there were better options in front of us. We didn’t make Hibs work for their goals either, their first two came from us in possession, 10 yards inside their half.”
Following a spell last season when his side were lauded for their defensive stability, Archie is keen to find a fix for his side’s current leakiness defensively.
“I am always disappointed to lose goals, however, we’ve not had a lot of consistency at the back so I can cut the lads a bit of slack. Today was Niall Keown’s first game in any competition since coming back so he still isn’t up to his best yet and we’ll be working towards that in the coming days and weeks.”
Alan also gave us an update on Kris Doolan’s condition. The Jags striker was forced off with an injury during the first half.
“He just tweaked his hamstring. Hopefully, he’s told us early enough and used his experience to get off quickly and we hope there isn’t too much damage done. It was a big blow during the match. He is a focal point for us and can come up with goals at key times so we’re hoping that it isn’t serious at all.”
Archie and his squad now look towards Tuesday night’s clash with St. Johnstone in the Betfred Cup as the Jags attempt to progress further through the league cup. Kick-off in Perth is 19:45.
A more in depth video interview with Alan Archibald is available now to Jagzone subscribers and will be followed by reaction from Chris Erskine. Log in now to see it as soon as it is available.
Jagzone subscribers can rewatch the full 90 minutes at 10pm.
Highlights will be added at midnight and will be free for Jagzone subscribers.
For a full list of all the great content you can access from just £5.99 per month as a Jagzone member, click here.
Alan has committed, will you join him? 2017/18 season tickets remain on sale.
Article Copyright © 2017. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Sat 5 August, 2017
SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership 
Easter Road, Edinburgh
There will be three minutes of added time.
Fraser Murray replaces Simon Murray in Hibs' final change of the day.
John McGinn booked for a foul on Osman.
Vykintas Slivka replaces Marvin Bartley who has picked up a knock.
Christie Elliott, who is now playing on the wing, cuts in from the left and shoots but his attempt loops over the Hibs goal.
Anthony Stokes replaces Danny Swanson.
Milan Nitriansky comes on for Steven Lawless.
Erskine is booked for dissent.
Lawless gets Booth in behind his man and the left back lifts a good cross in which Nisbet heads. Marciano tips over. The resulting corner comes to Erskine who shoots from the edge of the box. Marciano is behind it buts spills. Unfortunately no one can get to it and the ball is cleared.
Hibs counter and Boyle finds Murray with a cross. Murray controls well and shoots but it comes back off the post and is cleared.
Elliott picks up a yellow for a foul on Swanson.
Abdul Osman's slack pass gifts Martin Boyle possession. He bursts into the box and shoots but blazes an attempt over.
Simon Murray sends Cerny the wrong way from the spot and Hibs have a two-goal lead.
Callum Booth fouls Martin Boyle in the box and it's a penalty to Hibs.
A headed clearance by Daniel Devine falls to Danny Swanson 25 yards from goal. He controls and shoots but Cerny gets down well to save and hold.
Simon Murray kicks the second half off.
No half-time changes.
A deep Stuart Bannigan free-kick finds Niall Keown who heads at the near post. Marciano gets down to save and the referee blows for half-time.
Efe Ambrose is cautioned for a dangerous tackle on Chris Erskine as the Jags man looked to break past the defender.
Stuart Bannigan is the first player of the game to into the book.
Swanson has the ball on the Hibs left and plays an intricate pass towards the penalty spot. Steven Whittaker gets on the end of it and finishes into the bottom corner with the outside of his right foot.
Kris Doolan is forced to be replaced early with Kevin Nisbet coming on. Big opportunity for the youngster.
Adam Barton spends too much time on the ball in midfield and is dispossessed by John McGinn. McGinn then shoots from range but skies his attempt.
Simon Murray lays the ball off to John McGinn in the box and Abdul Osman makes a brilliant tackle to deny McGinn the chance to shoot. The ball then breaks to Whittaker who shoots from 20 yards but his low shot is easy for Cerny to save.
Boyle gets past Elliott and tries a cross from the by-line. It's deflected into the air, over Tomas Cerny and Callum Booth is forced to clear acrobatically.
Martin Boyle levels things for Hibs.
John McGinn made a powerful run forward and tried to slot Simon Murray through. The striker couldn't control the ball but it fortuitously deflected off Danny Devine into the path of Boyle who finished past Cerny at the near post.
Hibs are picking their game up since the goal and are starting to hold possession for more time but the Thistle defence is holding for now.
Simon Murray gets the ball 20 yards from goal and shifts onto his right foot. He powers a shot on goal but it's straight at Cerny and he saves comfortably.
Chris Erskine nets the opener and it was very patient build-up from the Jags.
Adam Barton, Stuart Banngian, Christie Elliott and Abdul Osman all had touches in the move but it was Steven Lawless' ball through to Chris Erskine that allowed the number ten to turn into the box and finish across goal.
Following the unfurling of the Championship title winners flag, the teams are ready to go.
Kris Doolan kicks things off this afternoon with Thistle defending the South Stand for the first half.
Hello and welcome to the ptfc.co.uk text commentary for Partick Thistle's trip to Easter Road to take on Hibernian.
Today's clash is Thistle's first of the new Ladbrokes Premiership season and represents a tough challenge for the Jags. Newly promoted Hibs come into the new season off the back of a title winning season in the second tier and boss, Neil Lennon, has been backed well in the transfer market to ensure his squad is ready for the top flight.
Thistle's starting XI features one of Alan Archibald's summer signings as Niall Keown makes his first start since re-joining on a two-year deal in the centre of defence alongside Daniel Devine. Callum Booth and Christie Elliott are the Thistle full-backs while Abdul Osman, Stuart Bannigan and Adam Barton create a formidable trio in the centre of midfield although there is the chance that Barton could drop back into the defence to form a back three at points during the game. Blair Spittal is injured and as such it's a front three for Thistle rather than the four that they've deployed during the Betfred Cup. Chris Erskine and Steven Lawless start wide on either side of the central striker, Kris Doolan. Along with Blaor Spittal, Ryan Edwards also misses out through suspension.
The Jags' bench is something of a mixed bag with a combination of new faces and youngsters. New signings, Milan Nitriansky and Jordan Turnbull sit on the bench having joined Thistle during the week. James Penrice, Ryna Scully, Mark Lamont, Neil McLaughlin and Kevin Nisbet complete the bench for the Maryhill men.
The fans are filtering in here at Easter Road and the new season is edging ever closer.