Kris Doolan joins Thistle Weir Youth Academy

Friday 13th January, 2023 at 10:01am

The Thistle Weir Youth Academy can confirm that Kris Doolan has been appointed as the Academy’s new Head of Youth Phase.

The Partick Thistle Hall of Famer joins the Academy in an important role that will oversee the development of players in the under 18 squad, helping to transition them towards first team football at Firhill. Kris will take up the post immediately and has spent the last week with the under 18 side preparing for his new role.

Kris needs little introduction to the Red and Yellow Army with the UEFA A licence holder spending ten happy years as a Jags favourite, setting club records throughout his 401 appearances in Thistle colours, netting 121 goals.

Since leaving Firhill, Kris spent time with Ayr United and Arbroath before hanging up his boots to start his own successful coaching academy in Ayrshire. The former number nine has also spent time coaching in the SFA Elite Performance School alongside fellow ex-Jag James Grady, delivering sessions to the top young talent within Scottish youth football.

Kris now joins the Thistle Weir Youth Academy re-uniting with Paul McDonald who worked with Kris during his first steps into coaching almost 20 years ago. Under Paul’s guidance at Kilmarnock, Kris worked as a community coach delivering sessions to young boys and girls throughout Ayrshire. Kris combined the role with playing for Auchinleck Talbot before leaving the position upon signing professional terms at Firhill under Ian McCall.

All at Firhill warmly welcome Kris back to the Club and look forward to seeing him working within the Academy developing young players for the first team.

Head of Youth Phase, Kris Doolan, said: “When the opportunity to return home to Firhill presented itself, it was one that I jumped at. Partick Thistle gave me countless happy memories as a player and I’m now looking to use the experiences I’ve had in red and yellow to help develop players within the Academy to become first team players for the Club. There is a proven player pathway at the Club which makes it a really enticing environment to work within.

“I’m incredibly excited to get started with the new role and to work with Paul McDonald again who gave me my first taste of coaching when I was a teenager in the Kilmarnock community department at Rugby Park. This role is one that has my full focus and as a result I will be scaling back my own Academy but it is a challenge I am really looking forward to.”

Academy Director, Paul McDonald said: “When the Head of Youth Phase role became available, Kris was the first person I thought to bring to the Academy. As a Club Hall of Famer, he knows exactly what Partick Thistle is all about and his experience and skills will be a great asset to our Academy.

“Kris’ appointment is an exciting one for the Academy as we look to continue driving the club’s youth player development set-up. We’ll be celebrating a decade of the Thistle Weir Youth Academy later this year and Kris’ appointment adds to a fantastic group of coaches we have within the Academy as we go from strength to strength.”