Friday 13th June, 2025 at 6:00pm
After nearly five and a half years, 207 appearances and 100 goals Brian Graham has left Partick Thistle and moved to Premiership bound Falkirk after a transfer between the clubs was agreed for an undisclosed fee.
Someone who has served the Jags in a variety of different roles during his time in Maryhill, Brian has left an indelible mark on the club’s men’s and women’s teams.
After joining The Jags from Ross County in January 2020 Brian quickly grabbed a trio of goals including a debut counter against Arbroath and Thistle’s last strike before the Covid shutdown when he found the net late on against Dunfermline.
After an uncertain summer following relegation to League 1 Brian played a key part in the team’s immediate promotion back to the Championship with 11 goals in 19 league games including a brace in the title-clinching game against Falkirk.
While firing goals in during the 2020/21 campaign, Brian also took his first step into management as he became the manager of Partick Thistle Women’s FC – a position he held until May of this year.
PTWFC’s first season under him ended with promotion to the topflight of Scottish women’s football for the first time in the club’s history.
In the years since, Partick Thistle Women have reached a Scottish Cup semi-final, achieved a pair of top six finishes and been to the Sky Sports Cup final – all achieved as a part-time team.
Meanwhile, Brian continued to score at an impressive rate for the men’s first team with 18 to his name in the club’s first year back in the second tier.
The following season Brian’s exploits secured a place in the PFA Scotland Championship Team of the Year and in season 2022/ 23 his 21 strikes saw him become the fifth fastest Jag to net 50 goals in red and yellow post-World War II.
In the summer of 2023, Brian was appointed club captain and the armband seemed to inspire him to greater heights as he scored 26 goals, topping the divisional scoring charts with 20 in the league.
Those performances saw him voted as the PFA Scotland Championship Player of the Year as well as being selected in the Team of the Year for a third time in a row.
Brian was the second tier’s top goal-getter once again this past season with 15 league goals in 33 games while his 21 in all competitions made him just the third Jag in history to score 20 or more competitive goals in three straight seasons.
As well as leading the line, Brian stepped up to be part of the club’s interim management team alongside Mark Wilson in February with the team achieving a fourth-placed finish under their stewardship.
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Brian’s last two Partick Thistle goals came in dramatic fashion as the team turned a 1-0 first leg deficit around against Ayr United at Somerset Park in the Premiership Play-Off quarter-finals. He scored an early header to level the tie before firing in a late goal to spark memorable scenes – his final goal for the club would also be his 100th for Thistle competitively.
Club Chairman Richard Beastall said: “Brian leaves Partick Thistle with the best wishes of everyone at the club and with our thanks for the memories that will live in our hearts for years to come. We wish him all the best in the next stage of his career with Falkirk in the Premiership.
“For the last five years he has created a huge chapter in the history of our club, and he will always be welcome here.”
“We were keen for Brian to be part of our management team however he wanted to further his career as a player at the highest level possible.”
“I am sure that he will do well at Falkirk and that when he returns to management, and he will, I am sure that he will have a successful career in that field as well.”
“As a club we understand our supporters are keen to see new signings and we hope to share an update regarding that next week.”
Partick Thistle Head Coach Mark Wilson said: “I’ve had the pleasure of playing with Brian and more recently managing alongside him and he’s someone who brings the same determination and drive to everything he does, on and off the pitch.
“As a player, the numbers he’s achieved here at Partick Thistle speak for themselves. The consistency he’s provided season after season is proof of the strong combination of talent and work ethic that he possesses.
“Of course, while he’s been scoring goals for the men’s team, he’s also been managing the women’s team impressively. They’ve become one of the country’s best part-time teams very quickly under his leadership and he’s left them in an excellent position for the future.
“There’s no doubt he’s a big loss for the club, but everyone here wishes him all the very best for the future.”
#Once a Jag, Always a Jag
