Wednesday 28th December, 2016 at 8:00am
Yes, this game was played on Boxing Day and why not? Nowadays there is continuing widespread controversy about when matches can and cannot, should and should not be played. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day are non-starters, partly because of a complete lack of public transport, I suppose. On top of all this, the television companies must have their say, so we have dates moved around, lunch time kick-offs even involving teams many miles apart, Friday evenings, Sundays, 5.15 on a Saturday, you name it, all the fun of the fair. Christmas Eve and Hogmanay happen to fall on Saturdays this year, so that means adjustments to dates and kick-off times. Who is to blame for this mayhem? – the football authorities, the TV companies, the clubs themselves or changing public opinion? I rest my case!
Anyway, season 1996/97 was not a memorable one for Thistle. We had tumbled out of the Premier Division in 1996 and were now languishing in the second tier, with worse to follow. “Save the Jags” was just around the corner. The featured match, played in wet and windy conditions, was a decent affair with the score just about right. The visitors opened the scoring after 16 minutes and Thistle had to wait until 21 minutes from time for the equaliser, courtesy of a penalty-kick awarded by Hugh Dallas. You will no doubt remember him. The elegant left-foot of Jered Stirling put the penalty away with the customary aplomb. Things got even better eight minutes later when Gareth Evans (pictured on the front cover of the programme) put Thistle ahead. Joy was, however, short-lived as Paul Tosh equalised in 84 minutes.
The full Thistle team was as follows:- John Hillcoat, Callum Milne, Jered Stirling, Billy MacDonald, David Farrell, Gregg Watson, Gareth Evans, Tommy Turner, Steve Maskrey, David Moss, Derek McWilliams.
At number 11 for Dundee was a certain Chic Charnley – well, well.
Robert R
