Partick Thistle Football Club

On Tuesday 27th July, the Possilpark branch of Stepping Stones Out of School Care were welcomed to Firhill for a tour by club historian, Robert Reid.

The tour began when the children went through the Player's Entrance.

Robert talked them through what happens on Match Day and showed the kids where the visiting team got changed and where the referee and his assistants prepared for the game. Youth player, Kieran Burns managed to spare a few moments to say hello to the children.

"Robert also showed us the Home dressing room, the manager's room and the polis room." remembers David Quinn, aged 6.

The group were then led through the tunnel and to the pitch. This was Patrick Gallacher (5), and Frazer MacKinnon's (5) favourite part of the tour. "I was a wee bit disappointed that we didn't get to play on the pitch, even although the goals weren't set up." (David) "We could have put our jackets down as goalposts though." (Frazer).

After spending some time sitting in the dugout and listening to some more of Robert's stories, the tour moved on to the traditional player's tunnel and then the boardroom.

With the tour coming to a close, Robert then led the children through to the Aitken Suite (pictured, right). The children had decided to wander over in this direction anyway having smelled the players' lunch of minestrone soup and cottage pie!

"Robert let us have a seat and spoke to us for a little longer about Partick Thistle. Then, after a while, the players returned from training. We got to meet lots of them and they signed autographs and posed for photos with us. My favourite was David (Rowson), because he had the same name as me!" (David).

"I liked meeting Simon Donnelly because he was my Dad's favourite player when he was wee!" (Patrick).

"I really enjoyed meeting all of the players and getting their autographs!" (Daniel Conway, 5)

The children by this point were getting a little hungry. Robert, very kindly, let them eat their packed lunch in the Main Stand where we were treated to a chat with Gerry Britton. The children were persuaded into giving him a rendition of "Rellow Army" and the (in)famous "Geerrrreee" chant.

While lunch was being eaten, the kids were treated to one final surprise as new signing Marc Corcoran was unveiled to the press in front of us. "This was my favourite bit of the day - I liked it when the new guy put on the red and yellow top for the first time" (David).

Despite nearly getting drowned in the rain waiting on a number 3 bus back to Possil, all of the kids had a fantastic day and have said they will definitely come along to watch Thistle this season because of the "Kids Go Free" scheme. A big thank you to Robert, his granchildren Ben and Megan for helping out, as well as Jim Wilson for taking lots of fantastic photographs.

Vinny Ferguson