First for 26 Years
Sunday 15th March 2009
Yesterday afternoon Thistle achieved something that no Thistle supporter under the age of 30 is likely to remember. Not since March 5th 1983 had Thistle managed to emerge from a fixture at East End Park with full points. On that date Michael Jackson was number one with ‘Billie Jean', Toto were busy in ‘Africa' and Orange Juice had just entered the charts with ‘Rip it Up'.
That was the musical backdrop to a 3-0 Thistle victory that just about kept The Jags in a promotion battle. Jamie Doyle was on target twice for Thistle with Kenny Watson accounting for the other Thistle goal.
A crowd of 1,480 saw the following victorious Thistle side:
McNab, Kay, Whittaker, Murray, Jackson, Watson, McDowall, McDonald, Johnston, J Doyle, O'Hara.
Although that victory would keep Thistle firmly in the promotion hunt they would eventually miss out finishing fourth behind St Johnstone, Hearts (both of whom were promoted) and Clydebank. Dunfermline meantime finished a miserable season by being relegated.
Although 26 years had elapsed since we last won in Dunfermline East End Park isn't the away venue that we have gone the longest at without recording a victory. Not since October 31st 1981 have Thistle won at Ibrox. A record that we are all dearly hoping that we might get the chance to put right next season.
