Partick Thistle Football Club

The benefits of a strong infrastructure at any football are obvious. It is with that very much in mind that we are delighted to announce an addition to the coaching staff here at Firhill with the return of a familiar face. Although, given that he has been training at Firhill for much of pre-season it hardly feels as if he has been away.

Stepping into a role similar to that recently vacated by John Henry is Simon Donnelly. Additionally Simon, much respected at Firhill, has registered as a player and looks certain to play a big role both on and off the park this season.

Manager Ian McCall was delighted to welcome Simon back into the fold when he spoke to www.ptfc.co.uk;

"It's great to have Simon back at Firhill in a player/coach role. We are very serious about youth development at the Club. It's an area that perhaps hasn't always been a priority for the Club but improvement has been made and we hope to make continued progress over the next three or four years. John Henry's departure to Burnley obviously created a vacancy and part of Simon's new dual position  at Firhill will see him fill a role very similar to that of John's."

"Simon doesn't, yet, have his Youth Coaching Licence but the Club will put him through the relevant courses for that qualification. I should also stress that I gave Owen Coyle, John Hughes and Sandy Stewart their first coaching positions and none of them at the time had their Coaching Licence and things haven't worked out too badly for them."

"Simon will work with the young players during the week but come a Friday all his focus will be on the first team fixture at the weekend. We are pleased that Simon has taken up a coaching position at the Club but we are also pleased that he will be part of the playing squad as well. Simon still feels that he has much to contribute as a player and is adamant that he can play for a few seasons yet. I said at the end of last season that if Simon didn't find himself another club that we would give consideration to having him back. He never let me down in the past and I will have no hesitation at all in involving him this season."

"In addition to Simon's new position there will also be a little reorganising elsewhere. I think that Ian Cameron is a brilliant coach and in addition to his continued work with the under 19 side he will now assist myself and Gerry Britton with the first team on a Saturday."

In addition to manager Ian McCall www.ptfc.co.uk also caught up with our new player/coach who was only too happy to discuss his new role at the Club.

"I'm delighted to be back at Firhill and I'm delighted to have been given the opportunity, at this stage of my career, to take my first steps in the coaching side of the game. Moving into the coaching side of things has something that has been in the back of mind for sometime now as I know that I don't have that many seasons left as a player."

"I've not yet got my Youth Licence but the Club are going to put me through the coaching course to get that qualification. In the meantime I'm going to learn as much as I can working closely with Ian McCall and Gerry Britton. They both have great experience and there is much that I can learn from them. I'm really looking forward to working alongside the management and staff at Firhill in this area."

"As exciting as it is to be moving into coaching I'm also excited at the prospect of being involved with the first team as a player. I will obviously be working with the young boys during the week but I will also be training with the first team and I still feel that I am more than capable of making a contribution at that level."