Sat 21 December, 2019
SPFL Ladbrokes Championship 
The Energy Check Stadium at FirhillSPFL Ladbrokes Championship
Sat 21 December, 2019. Kick Off: - 15:00
The Energy Check Stadium at Firhill
Prices:
Adults: £20
Concessions (over 65s and students): £15
Juveniles (under 16): £5 *
*supporters under the age of 16 can apply for a free season ticket at the Jackie Husband Stand ticket booth before the game.
Travelling Support
Away fans will be housed in the north end of the Jackie Husband Stand entering the stadium via turnstiles 40 and 41 only.
There is a cash gate for Dundee supporters and a card payment option will be available at the Jackie Husband Stand ticket booth.
JagZone LIVE v Dundee
Our audio commentary service, JagZone LIVE, will be providing full audio coverage as Thistle take on Dundee.
The build-up to the game with our commentary team will begin at 2:45pm, 15 minutes ahead of kick-off.
To listen to the broadcast, simply log in to your Jagzone account, click on the audio commentary tab and press the play button on the player.
JagZone LIVE is only available to JagZone subscribers so sign up here to listen to the show.
Match Programme v Dundee
Dundee are the visitors to the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill this Saturday as Thistle play their final home game of the decade.
Our matchday programme for the game will be available for just £3.
Included in the programme will be:
Copies of our matchday programme will be on sale around the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill ahead of kick off.
If you can’t make it along to the game, copies of the programme can be purchased online from our programme supplier, Curtis Sport, here.
2020 Calendars
The 2020 Partick Thistle Calendar is now on sale and will be available to purchase from the old programme stall in the Jackie Husband.
Priced at just £8 stock is limited to don’t miss out.
Calendar’s are also available to purchase online.
PlayerZone v Dundee
Reece Cole and Osman Kakay will appear in tomorrow’s PlayerZone.
Head to the Aitken Suite after the match for the chance to meet them.
Half-Time Draw
It will be Alex O’Hara performing the half-time draw at the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill.
You can buy your draw tickets from our sellers around the ground ahead of the game.
Kris Doolan DVDS
Full information on collections and purchases of Kris Doolan testimonial DVDs can be found here
Off the back of a 3-1 win over second-placed Inverness last Saturday, Thistle have another tough home game on their plate as Dundee come to Maryhill. The Dee ended a four-game winless run with a thrilling 4-3 victory over Dunfermline and will be keen to extend their return to form in Glasgow. As for the hosts, it’s now just one defeat in seven with including their first back-to-back league wins of the term and they have the chance to make it three-in-a-row this weekend. Jags boss, Ian McCall, spoke to ptfc.co.uk ahead of the clash:
“Yeah, I’m delighted with our form. I did say to the players to ignore the Dunfermline game, although I found it hard to ignore it. We’re on a good run and it’s now a substantial run – it’s not just 2 or 3 games. In the Championship, every game offers different types of challenges and outwith Dundee United anyone can beat anyone else.”
McCall is expecting a very difficult game against the Dark Blues who currently sit in fifth place, seven points ahead of the Jags.
“It’ll be a very tough game on Saturday. We beat them 3-1 at Dens Park in October in one of my first games but they have a lot of very good players. It’ll be tough. They’ve got a lot of quality in their ranks and they got a win last week so they will be in confidence.”
With the side’s recent run of results, Thistle have moved four points clear of bottom spot and into eighth but the gaffer is wary of the team getting too far ahead of themselves.
“Our target was always to be in within 5 or 6 points of 4th place by the end of the second round of fixtures. If we win on Saturday we could be within 4 points depending on results, but you can’t count your chickens.
“Our poor start means we’ll need to win more than three in a row to get there but if we win on Saturday, that’ll be three wins in a row and that isn’t a bad place to start.”
The winter transfer window is edging closer and the manager hopes that players will use that as motivation to go and prove they deserve to be hear past January.
“I’ve been completely honest with the players. Every manager will look to strengthen and change in January and I am no different to them. Everybody has had opportunities to show what they can do. There have been players who have done well and shown what they can do, it’s up to them to continue that and keep it going.”
McCall then touched on the status of the three young loanees whose current deals would be up next month as things stand.
“We’ve got three loans who are up in January and we’re working really hard to keep Reece Cole and Osman Kakay until the end of the season. We’ve got Cammy Palmer as well but his loan expires a little later in January. It’s not any different to what other clubs in the division will do, everyone is looking to do business and it’s whether you can get them over the line.”
Ian finished by discussing the recently announced extension of Just Employment Law’s principal sponsorship of Partick Thistle and how that helps him in the footballing department.
“It’s great to get the backing of Just Employment Law for another season. The stability that getting sponsorship deals done early brings is great. It allows us to plan for the future and start offering players who are out of contract at the end of the season, and that we’d like to keep, deals early to try and tie them up. It all helps and brings a bit of stability to the club.”
More exclusive preview interviews with Steven Saunders and Thistle assistant manager, Alan Archibald, are now available to JagZone subscribers – log in to see them.
Jagzone members will also be able to watch extended highlights of the game.
Can’t make it to the match? JagzoneLIVE will bring you coverage of the full 90 minutes through our audio commentary service which begins begins at 2:45pm – you can listen in here.
For a full list of all the great content you can access from just £5.99 per month as a Jagzone member, click here.
Article Copyright © 2019. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Thistle fell to defeat this afternoon against Dundee with Paul McGowan’s first half strike separating the sides. After the match, Jags gaffer Ian McCall, spoke to ptfc.co.uk.
“I don’t think we did enough to win but we certainly didn’t deserve to lose. It’s the nature of this league that you can play well but not necessarily get the result. They got their goal in the first half after we had a couple of great chances. Kenny has hit the bar, on another day that bounces in, we’ve had a couple of headers from corners that flashed across goal as well.
“In the second half we huffed and puffed and their goalie made a one great save. They sat in and tried to hit us on the counter attack. I was pleased with the effort and how we went about things. We certainly didn’t do enough to win but we didn’t deserve to sit here with nothing.”
Thistle failed to score in a match for the first time in a couple of months as the Jags failed to break down a stubborn Dundee defence.
“In the second half we didn’t threaten enough. We didn’t have the guile to open them up when they camped deep and sat behind the ball. Their goalie made one great save but apart from that we didn’t really test them. It doesn’t matter how you play, it’s about results. It shows how far we’ve come that we went into today’s game with everyone expecting to win. If we had got that win we’d have been a handful of points outside the top four which would have been incredible. We just need to kick on from here.
“I just didn’t think we had enough players in goalscoring positions but we finished the game strong which has been a recent trend because we are very, very fit now but we just couldn’t get that equaliser.”
Scott Fox put in a man of the match performance making a number of impressive saves to keep Thistle in the game as Dundee looked to put the contest to bed.
“Scott had a terrific game. He dealt well with everything and had a couple of brilliant saves in the second half that kept the game to 1-0. You’ve always got a chance when a goal behind, all it takes is the ball to drop in the penalty area and you’re level but we couldn’t find that killer touch in front of goal this afternoon.”
Finally, the gaffer concluded with a message to the Jags support.
“I’m really, really disappointed for the supporters today. They got right behind the team for the whole day and we were desperate to win to get their Christmas holidays off to a great start. I’d like to take this opportunity to wish every Partick Thistle supporter and their families a very Merry Christmas.”
A more in depth video interview with Ian McCall is available to Jagzone subscribers now as well as reaction from Tam O’Ware – log in to view.
Jagzone subscribers will also be able to watch extended highlights of the game.
For a full list of all the great content you can access from just £5.99 per month as a Jagzone member, click here.
Article Copyright © 2019. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
McGowan's first half goal is enough to secure all three points for Dundee on an fternoon where Thistle didn't create enough chances in front of goal.
Dundee goal kick that they will be in no hurry to take.
O'Ware thumps the ball forward, Harkins nods it on but Hamilton collects ahead of Miller.
Dundee free kick a yard or so inside the Thistle half as we near injury time. Shoudl be a few minutes of that but no hint at all of a Thistle equaliser.
This game is slipping away from Thistle. Dundee are holding out with a degree of comfort.
O'Ware shoots from fully 30 yards out but his low shot doesn't pose Hamilton any problems.
After being fouled near the corner flag Cardle gets his head to Cole's free kick but there isn't any power in his header and Hamilton saves with ease.
Zanatta does really well to find space for a cross but his cross is poor.
Back underway but Saunders doesn't look like being able to continue with Robson ready to come on.
Saunders and Marshall clash heads which is going to cause a delay while both receive a little treatment.
Zanatta is fouled near the touchline and Thisyle have a free kick.
Cole's corner fnds the head of O'Ware but he can't keep his header down and the ball clears the Dundee bar.
Hamilton makes a good stop and pushes Miller's effort round the post.
Dundee can't make anything from the free kick but they win a throw deep inside the Thistle half.
Dundee have a free kick near to the corner of the Thistle box on their right hand side.
Much better corner from Cole this time but O'Ware is unable to stretch far enough to get his head to it.
There's a pocket of space for Jones just outside the Dundee box but he lifts his head as he shoots and the ball goes high over the bar. Dundee are pretyy confortable withbtheir lead at the moment.
It's an excellent save from Fox low to his right that prevents Dorrans from extending the Dundee lead.
Jones turns towards goal and shoots from the edge of the box but his effort is always on the rise and goes over the crossbar.
Zanatta's cross is gathered by Hamilton at his front post.
Thisyle hanging on at the moment with a Hemmings shot rebounding off the base of Fox's left hand post.
Hemmings shot is dragged wide of goal but via a touch from a Thistle defender which gives Dundee the corner.
Meekings' challenge halts Cardle and Thistle have to make do with a throw.
Cole's corners haven't been great today and this one too is cleared without threat to the Dundee goal.
Thistle are close to an equaliser. Williamson's cross finds Miller at the back post and his header takes a deflection that is enough to take the ball wide of goal.
A double save from Fox keeps the score at 1-0. He first saves from Dorrans and them prevents Hemminings finding the net from the rebound.
Penrice crosses over from ghe left but a defender slides in to clear.
It's by no means a poor Thistle performance but The Jags find themselves behind at the break.
Dundee have had the better of the chances but Thistle desperately unlucky not to take the lad when a Miller shot crashed off the underside of the bar.
It's a really poor Dundee corner and the ball goes out for a goal kick on the other side.
Saunders throws himself in front of the ball to deny Dundee a scoring opportunity.
Jones does really well to prevent the bakl going out for a goal kick but when he lays the ball back to Kakay he sees his effort blocked by a defender.
Williamson's teasing cross goes behind any waiting Thistle player inside the Dundee box.
Cardle and Kakay appear to have swapped sides.
Thistle clear the corner and come forward themselves but when Penrice crosses its an easy gather for Hamilton.
O'Ware holds his head as his run allows him to connect with Cole's corner but his glancing header goes just wide.
Saunders looks to be caught as Cole's free kick comes in and Dundee clear.
Kakay is fouled and Thistle have a free kick wide on the right.
It's a bit too easy for Dundee. A cross comes over from the left and McGowan is able to move off his marker and his low shot beats Fox.
A clearance falls to Cole about 30 yards out. He advances a step or two before shooting. At first his shot looks like going high over the bar but it dips late but just a fraction too late and Dundee have a goal kick.
After a bit of treatment Penrice is back on, or will be soon, and looks okay.
Penrice looks to be a bit of pain after trying to get the ball over from the bye line on the left hand side.
Hemmings gets the better of O'Ward but not Saunders who robs him off the ball with a well timed challenge.
Cole's corner is a poor one and Dundee thump the ball clar which at least gives Thistle a throw inside the Dundee half.
The game is really starting to open up and Dorrans is only just off target with a shot from outside the Thistle box that had Fox scrambling.
Cardle looks to be caught late off the ball under the nose of the referee but all Cardle gets is a lecture from the referee.
Thistle are so close to taking the lead as a Miller shot thunders off the underside of the bar and drops the wrong side of the line. Cardle can't force the loose ball home before a Cole shot produces a save from Hamilton.
Kerr is allowed to advance with the ball towards the Thistle goal. He shoots from 20 yards out but his shot is partially blocked by Bannigan which allows Fox to make an easy save.
Hemmings, after some good work from Robertson, works the ball to McGown to his right. McGowan probably takes a touch too many and when he does shoot the ball deflects off a defender into the arms of Fox.
Jones forces Hamilton into a hurried clearance and Thistle win a throw midway inside the Dundee half.
Cole's corner is clared.
First hint of an opportunity for Thistle as Cole floats a cross to the back post but Dundee clear ahead of Miller.
Dundee are the better side at the moment and Fox has to grab a Hemmings header from underneath his crossbar.
Dundee are close an early lead. Kerr delivers an excellent cross from the right and Fox does well to claw away Johnson's header. Referee Madden spots a foul as the loose ball is contested and Thistle win a free kick.
Miller's excellent touch on the half way line creates space for him but his pass skips away from Jones.
Johnson has the ball wide on the right for Dundee but his cross evades Mackie at the back post.
Thistle kick the game off and are shooting towards the city end in the first half.
After last week's impressive win over Inverness there is little surprise that Ian McCall has selected the same side, right down to the choice of substitutes, to face Dundee this afternoon.
Thistle will be hoping to round off the Firhill fixtures of 2019 by recording a third successive victory.
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