THEY'VE witnessed all the highs and lows that the beautiful game conjured in two decades of agony and ecstasy.

And they've probably been party to some colourful language along the way.

But now the shelters which offered cover to the Partick Thistle squad through the tough years, and trembled at the roar when the club won promotion back to the Premiership last season, are being given away.

A new technical area is being installed at Firhill and the old shelters are being offered to any club or group who comes up with the best reason for why they should have them.

Jags manager Alan Archibald will judge the entries, supported by club sponsors macb water.

He said: "I would love these dugouts to find a nice pitch or ground to settle down in.

"They bring back a lot of happy memories for me as they were my home for not just last season as we won the League, but for many years before that.

"I am very pleased that they are not going to waste and hopefully there will be a football team out there who would welcome a shelter from what the weather can throws at us"

Michael Max, Football Operations Manager at Firhill, added: "The dugouts went in, in the early 1990s when the new stand was built.

"Famously they were the dug-outs we used when we won promotion last year and so they've obviously housed the team and the club greats. John Lambie would have been the first manager to use them.

"We're very much a community club and we want to offer the dug-outs to a good home.

"Any sports clubs or junior football teams out there should get in touch.

"We want to know why they'd be good for them, but we want a bit of humour too."

Groups interested in the shelters should apply with a photo and no more than 200 words to macb@stand-united.co.uk

Entries close on Monday, October 28 and winners will be announced on Wednesday, October 30.

ewan.fergus@ eveningtimes.co.uk