Friday 21st September, 2018 at 9:54am
Scottish First Division
27th September 1975
Partick Thistle 2 Queen of the South 1
Season 1975/76 saw Thistle crowned First Division champions, losing only twice in the entire 26 match league, an experimental arrangement which was never repeated. There were far too few games, although from March onwards the clubs played in a Spring Cup to compensate for the lack of fixtures.
The featured match resulted in a 2-1 success for Thistle, but it wasn’t one of their more convincing performances. Still, the two points remained at Firhill, and this represented another step towards promotion, which we had been denied the previous season. Our goalscorers were Dougie Somner and Denis McQuade in 9 and 62 minutes respectively, so we seemed fairly comfortable until Queen of the South scored after 88 minutes to create a measure of panic in the Thistle ranks, but all was well in the end.
The full line-up representing the Jags was as follows:- Alan Rough, John Hansen, Danny Kellachan, Jackie Campbell, Alan Hansen, Andy Anderson, Bobby Houston, Denis McQuade, John Marr, Dougie Somner, John Craig.
Wearing number 9, it would suggest John Marr was spearheading the attack, but this was never the case. It was just a ploy by the wily Bertie Auld who occupied the manager’s chair at the time.
As I said, this wasn’t a particularly convincing performance, although it enabled us to remain at the top of the First Division. Over the years we have been particularly severe on the men from Dumfries, winning 9-0 in season 1948/49 and 9-1 on another occasion in 1956. It was also against the Doonhamers that Willie Sharp notched the quickest-ever goal, a mere 7 seconds from the kick-off in a 4-0 win in December 1947. To rub salt in the wound, Jimmy “Tiger” McGowan played 543 games in Thistle’s defence but found himself for some reason up the park and scored his one and only goal – and against which team was that? Yes, you have guessed it – Queen of the South.
Football is a funny old game, as someone once said! Don’t tell them that in Dumfries!
Robert R
