Pictured on the right in Panini Sticker glory is Jackie Campbell, who played 579 games for Partick Thistle between 1963 and 1982. You can find out about the illustrious Jags of years past at the Partick Thistle Hall of Fame.
Partick visit Cappielow this afternoon for a league match against the Ton. The last time Morton met the Jags was on a Friday night in Glasgow, and Partick won 5 - 0. Last weekend saw Partick leap over Livingston, Morton and Hamilton into fourth place with a win over Livi. Though Morton lost 1 - 0 to Falkirk, manager Moore is calling it the Ton's best-played game of the season. The Jags believe they're finally on track. Greenock believe they're finally back on track. Which one's wrong? Depending on how the other league games play out, Morton could finish the afternoon as high as fourth or as low as eighth, Partick as high as third or as low as seventh.
Scotland and Nova Scotia were hit by simultaneous weather bombs this week. Today's match between Ayr and Ross County has been postponed due to storm damage at Somerset Park. Popular opinion in Scotland might finally be shifting toward summer football. The Greenock Telegraph has two recent stories touching on the subject. Forward Paul Di Giacomo says that winter weather makes for poor football and poorer viewing, especially for the kids. And groundskeeper Mark Farrell talks about the largely wasted expense of undersoil heating.
In an earlier post I asked which clubs have been particularly at home in the First Division in the eighteen seasons since the league reorganization of 1994. Let's apply that thinking to the other divisions.
In the eighteen seasons since the Third Division was created in 1994, which clubs have spent more than half their seasons there? East Stirlingshire has been there the whole time. Montrose and Albion Rovers are next at 17 seasons. Queen's Park 15. Elgin City 12. Cowdenbeath 11.
Which clubs have spent more than half their time since 1994 in the Second Division? Stenhousemuir and Forfar Athletic have been there 12 years. Brechin City and Alloa Athletic 11. Stranraer 10.
Finally, who are the longterm residents of the Premier League since its inception in 1998-99? Rangers, Celtic, Hearts, Kilmarnock, Aberdeen, Motherwell and Dundee United have all been there every year. Hibs missed one year. Motherwell narrowly avoided relegation in 2003. Aberdeen are in danger of it this season.
[Crap. Partick 2, Morton 1. Goal by McGeouch. Morton slip to seventh.]
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