SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership
Sat 28 April, 2018. Kick Off: - 15:00
McDiarmid Park, Perth
Supporters’ Information:
Admission Details:
Thistle fans will have the choice of the North Stand or the north end of the West (Main) Stand.
Admission Prices:
NORTH STAND
Adults – £23
Over 65s – £13
13-18 Years old – £12
Accompanied U12s – Free of Charge
WEST STAND
Adults – £24
Over 65s – £15
13-16 Yos – £14
Family Deal (turnstile 5 only) – 1 adult and max 2 kids aged 12 and under – £16
Supporters’ Buses:
Partick Thistle Football Club are providing FREE supporters’ bus travel to this fixture.
Bookings will be taken up until 5pm on Thursday. No bookings will be taken thereafter.
Please also note that there is a strict zero tolerance policy for alcohol on supporters buses.
To take advantage of this offer, simply book your place on the supporters’ bus of your choice below:
City Centre Branch:
The City Centre Branch bus is full but anybody who would normally travel on this bus should contact as the club is looking into alternatives to accommodate demand.
Jordanhill Branch:
Pick ups:
Jordanhill – 13:00
Thornwood Bar – 13:05
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
North-West Branch:
Pick ups:
The North-West Branch bus is full but anybody who would normally travel on this bus should contact as the club is looking into alternatives to accommodate demand.
Disabled supporter information
The same arrangements as for the previous match at MacDiarmid Park will apply.
Thistle fans will be in both the Main Stand and the North Stand (the stand behind the goals).
Wheelchair fans will be located in the elevated viewing area in the Main Stand, there are no wheelchair viewing facilities or accessible toilet in the North Stand.
St Johnstone has requested a list of names to be forwarded to them before the match so if you are intending to go please email as soon as possible.
Tickets for wheelchair/ambulant are priced at £14 which includes a carer. They can be collected and paid for from the St Johnstone ticket office before the match.
There are a limited number of car park spaces available for £5 but these are allocated on a first come first served basis. St Johnstone have advised that any blue badge holders requiring a space should phone the club on 01738 459090 to reserve a space and that this should be done as soon as possible.
Following a rousing victory over Hamilton Accies on Saturday there has been positivity running through the Jags camp all week. Despite the victory though, the manager and players alike all know that, as valuable as the three points were, they will mean much less if they aren’t backed up with a win against St Johnstone this weekend.
Speaking to ptfc.co.uk after training, Jags boss, Alan Archibald, started by highlighting just how much of an impact the Accies win had on the side.
“It was vital that we got the first victory and it made it a much better place to come to work on Monday. When you’re off for two weeks and there’s a big build up then everything has to go into that game something is always going to give. The first game of the split is ever so important and a victory on Saturday was absolutely essential. We got that and it gives us a platform to go and build but we must do that this week in Perth.
“We’ve got a good record up there but that means nothing in a situation like this. What it does do is it makes us confident that the players will be comfortable going there and we can look forward to it. I watched St Johnstone last week though and they looked very good – I thought they were unlucky to concede the late goal. They’re also a different side to the one we played in January as they’ve got two or three new additions who we’ve never played.”
Ryan Edwards’ winner at the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill sparked wild celebrations both on and off the pitch with players rushing, en masse, to the dugout. The squad unity and togetherness was there for all to see and it certainly isn’t something the manager undervalues.
“The togetherness has always been there as I’ve mentioned all season. Listen, there is no getting away from the fact that it has been a horrible run and a horrible season but the players haven’t shirked the responsibility. They are an honest bunch of professionals and they don’t need the lack of consistency in performance to be pointed out to them. As a group we haven’t performed this year but the spirit remains and you saw that on Saturday. The spirit will be extremely important between now and the end of the season so it was great to see in the victory over Accies.”
With the announcement in the week that Jags MD, Ian Maxwell, would soon be departing for Hampden Park, the gaffer was keen to add his voice to the growing support for the new Scottish FA Chief Executive.
“Ian has done a fantastic job here and we’re allowed to go and get on with our jobs as much as possible. He’s had a fantastic board here as well who have always been available to help him if he was stuck with something and without any barriers I think he will do a great job.
“He’s always got Scottish football at the front of his mind when he makes decisions, he’s also able to look at it from every point of view as well – a player’s, a manger’s, a businessman’s and a fan’s. Ian is someone I’ve had a great relationship with over the last few years, he’ll bring honesty and integrity and I think he’ll do a fantastic job.”
After a season dominated by injuries it was clearly a relief for Archibald to be able to report on a clean bill of health ahead of the trip to Perth.
“We’re fully fit with the same availability as last week which is great and hopefully gives us a bit of consistency. We’ve also seen Stuart Bannigan back training over the last couple of weeks which is absolutely brilliant for him as he’s been out for a long time now.
More exclusive preview interviews with Callum Booth, Christie Elliott 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 McDiarmid Park? 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.
Article Copyright © 2018. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Having picked up their first win since January last week when they defeated Hamilton 2-1, Partick Thistle travelled to McDiarmid Park looking to make it two league wins on the bounce for the first time this season. Thistle had no scope to change their position in the table after Hamilton beat Ross County earlier today but the Jags were able to extend the gap between themselves and the 12th placed Staggies and they managed to do just that. A goal in the 39th minute from Joe Shaughnessy had the Perthshire Saints leading but a late penalty, won by Ryan Edwards and converted by Conor Sammon, earned the Maryhill men a point that could prove valuable with just three more games to play. Thistle manager, Alan Archibald, spoke to ptfc.co.uk following the game to share his thoughts on a scrappy 90 minutes.
The gaffer started by highlighting how happy he was with his side’s spirit as they battled from behind to claim points for the second week in a row.
“I think some people thought that because St. Johnstone are all but safe that we would just beat them but they put up a good fight. Saints did a great job of stopping us from playing. They cut off the flow of the ball from back to front and made it difficult to create but, credit to the lads, they didn’t give up at any point and kept fighting for that equaliser.”
Archie is glad that the team were able to take a point because although it doesn’t change the table much, it keeps Thistle unbeaten post-split and keeps confidence up.
“Psychologically, it’s a big one. We had been on such a poor run of form that just going two games unbeaten is a step forward and although that sounds dreadful, it’s the truth. Losing before the County game on Friday would have been a massive blow so that equaliser could be worth more than just the point we got today.”
The teams directly above and below Thistle in the Ladbrokes Premiership table played earlier in the day but the manager says that the Jags shouldn’t get hung up on other results and should focus on getting maximum points from their own games.
“You hear people saying if they do that and we do this then we’ll finish here but I’m just thinking about us. We can’t rely on any other results going our way but we can win our matches. It’s not up to us whether Dundee beat Hamilton or St. Johnstone beat County but we can go out and win our last three games now and hope that it’s enough to get us to 10th.”
Alan was pleased to have won the penalty late on and glad to see the experienced Conor Sammon step up and score with seemingly no nerves whatsoever.
“Conor is a very cool customer. He’s seen it all in his career and we know we can rely on him from the spot. That’s his third penalty; all this year which is surprising considering how infrequently we’ve had penalties in recent seasons but it’s good to know that when we get them, we can trust him to stick them away.”
Archie and the Thistle squad now look to next Friday’s crunch game against Ross County as 12th take on 11th in the Ladbrokes Premiership. Kick-off is 19:45 from the Energy Check Stadium at Firhill.
A more in depth video interview with Alan Archibald is available now to Jagzone subscribers and will be followed by reaction from Baily Cargill and Conor Sammon. Log in now to see it as soon as it is available.
Jagzone subscribers will be able to rewatch the full 90 minutes soon
Highlights will be added shortly 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.
Article Copyright © 2018. Permission to use quotations from this article online is only granted subject to appropriate source credit and hyperlink to ptfc.co.uk.
Sat 28 April, 2018
SPFL Ladbrokes Premiership 
McDiarmid Park, Perth
A hard fought point for the Jags with the team who scored first failing to win; unusually in this fixture.
Having failed to create too many chances, Thistle will be happy with the draw and must now focus on a crunch game against Ross County next Friday. We'll be back for that fixture with more live text commentary.
Baily Cargill is the JagZone Man of the Match .
There will be three added minutes.
Sammon sends Clark the wrong way and draws the Jags level!
Ryan Edwards is taken down as he tries to get to Conor Sammon's knock down.
Woods is cautioned for dissent.
Chris Erskine wins a central free-kick 40 yards out which Woods will take.
Thistle finally finding a rhythm late in the game as they push for an equaliser.
Foster finds Williams with a low cross who turns and shoots but Cerny makes a low save.
A low Wotherspoon shot from 20 yards is blocked by Cargill on its way to goal.
Keown is booked for chopping down Williams on the Thistle right.
At the other end, Williams cuts the ball back to MacLean but he shoots well over from 15 yards.
Sammon heads towards goal from Booth's cross but his header lacks power from the angle and Clark collects.
Woods whips a free-kick into the box and Doolan meets it. His attempt hits the bar and Cargill heads the rebound over but the flag was up against Doolan so it wouldn't have counted anyway.
Erskine hits a volley from Booth's cross. He meets it beautifully from 15 yards but strikes it straight at Clark who collects at the second attempt.
MacLean gets to a Wotherspoon free-kick but his weak header is gathered easily by Cerny.
MacLean gets down the right and cuts the ball back for Liam Craig. The number 26 attempts a shot from a tough angle but fires well over.
Christie Elliott cut inside from the right and drives centrally. He tries to slot the ball through to Spittal but the pass is too heavy and goes out for a goalkick.
The corner comes in and Shaughnessy meets it. The ball goes high into the air and drops in front of Doolan. He tries to volley on his weaker foot but slices it out of play.
Martin Woods sees a ranged effort deflected behind.
Callum Booth fires high and wide from 25 yards.
Nothing comes of the free-kick as Martin Woods' cross is cleared.
A handball is given against the hosts and Thistle can deliver from 30 yards out.
Liam Craig takes down a high ball in the box and lifts it towards the back post. He finds Shaughnessy and he heads back across goal into the corner.
Erskine feeds Spittal into space on the right wing and he tries to pick out Doolan with a cross. The delivery is wayward though and Clark has to stop it dropping into the net at the back post.
Shaughnessy meets the corner and heads goalward. Woods clears it off the line and Cargill does the rest.
Foster gets in behind Thistle's rear-guard and cuts it back for Wotherspoon. The number ten shoots from the angle but hits Tomas Cerny and the danger subsides.
Niall Keown does brilliantly to head the corner behind.
Cargill tackles Foster after a good spell of St. Johnstone play.
Martin Woods takes the set-piece and tries to curl it in at the near post that had been left open by Zander Clark. He had Clark scrambling but misses the target by a yard.
Andy McCarthy and Matty Willock get a talking to from the referee after a heavy coming together. The two have fouled one another a couple of times already. A few moments on and Tanser fouls Spittal ten yards outside the box.
Matty Willock breaks away into the Thistle half, running at Callum Booth. He shifts onto his right foot and shoots but the effort deflects off Booth into the hands of Cerny.
Doolan finds Lawless in space in the Saints box with a lovely low ball. Unfortunately, Lawless was forced a bit wide and he shoots over.
Neither team really taking the game by the scruff of the neck with a scrappy start to the game.
Early corner for Thistle as Steven Lawless sees his cross turned behind.
After a minute's applause in memory of John Lambie, Kris Doolan kicks the game off.
Hello and welcome to the ptfc.co.uk live text commentary for Partick Thistle's trip to Perthshire to take on St. Johnstone.
The Jags travel to McDiarmid Park off the back of their first win in three months. Last Saturday Thistle came from behind to beat Hamilton Accies 2-1, ending a dreadful run of form and lifting them off bottom spot in the Ladbrokes Premiership table. On the other hand, St. Johnstone fell to a late defeat at Dens Park last time out with Sofien Moussa clinching a big three points for Dundee.
Alan Archibald hasn't been able to name an unchanged side often this season but he does exactly that today. The 11 men who began last weekend's crucial clash will line-up today with Tomas Cerny in behind a back four of Christie Elliott, Niall Keown, Baily Cargill and Callum Booth. The two sitting midfielders are Andrew McCarthy and Martin Woods in behind an attacking midfield contingent of Blair Spittal, Steven Lawless and Chris Erskine. The man who grabbed the equaliser last time out, Kris Doolan starts again up front ahead of Conor Sammon who reamins on the bench as a dangerous option. Winning goal-scorer, Ryan Edwards is also on the bench with the potential of playing the same role he did against Accies.
Kick-off is just over half an hour away here at McDiarmid. Join us right here at 15:00 for live updates of all the action.