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13 jags are told your time's up
 
McCALL clear-out
McCALL clear-out
 
SKIPPER Gibson wanted
SKIPPER Gibson wanted
 

Exclusive by Bert Mitchell

NEW Partick Thistle boss Ian McCall will start his rebuilding job at Firhill with a massive clear-out.

He will tell 13 of his 14 out-of-contract players they can go, leaving him with just eight signed players.

The 41-year-old was at his desk for the first time this morning after being appointed late on Friday night.

And McCall has immediately set out his stall to put a Thistle team on the field who can play attractive and winning football.

He said: "I built an attractive, winning team at both Airdrie-onians and Falkirk and that is my target for Partick Thistle.

"To do that, though, we need a clear-out. In that respect, with the exception of Jimmy Gibson, who I have already spoken to, the rest of the out-of-contract players will be allowed to move on. I know the type of players I want to attract here and we are already making moves on that front.

"These players will be of decent quality who can play the type of football that is good to watch. I know for a few seasons now that has not been the case at Firhill and I am determined to find the right blend that will hopefully entertain the fans but also make us very competitive next season."

While McCall is confident of enticing skipper Gibson to pen a fresh deal, he is also thought to be keen on retaining the services of versatile midfield star Billy Gibson. There will be no new keeper Kenny Arthur.

However, McCall also revealed his determination to remain at Firhill to see through a job he believes needs an overhaul from "top to bottom".

He said: "The club needs a complete restructure and the Youth set-up is something I will look at immediately.

"To my knowledge Adam Strachan is the only home-grown player to have come through the ranks recently. We must improve on that. We must make a greater impact in the community."

McCall continued: "This is a job that will take time and in that respect I want to see it through. My aim for Thistle is to return to the SPL.

"I want us to play the type of attractive football that will allow us to become the great Glasgow alternative for entertainment, in footballing terms."

McCall has already been working overtime on bringing a new No.2 while he is determined to announce up to three new signings before taking a short pre-arranged holiday on Thursday - accompanied by his mobile.

He will be operating on a smaller budget than previous boss Dick Campbell, but McCall remains undaunted.

He said: "When I was at Airdrieonians my budget was non-existent and with a 14 man squad we pushed Jags all the way for the First Division title. The team I built at Falkirk, which went onto win the Division One title, was not done on big money."

Publication date 28/05/07

Posted by: CLOSE FURHULL DOON, Demo Skwad on 11:36am Mon 28 May 07
Classic opening line to this article...when I read McCall was going to REBUILD Firhill...I instantly thought my dreams had come true and they had knocked doon furhull while I was sleeping. But alas no such luck.

Anyway, McCall will fail cause he's a dumpling and even looks like one. The two wee sad jag fans will continue to look ridiculous and eventually the council will do the world a favour and demolish this smelly eyesore.

CLOSE FURHULL DOON NOOO
Posted by: Gyppo's Nightmare - SOAP, FAR FROM GYPPONAULD on 12:44pm Mon 28 May 07
"Demo Skwad"... you wish.
Posted by: The Gypsy Lives, Glasgow on 12:49pm Mon 28 May 07
Looks like the Gypsey fan has woken up as only they bear a grudge against the Jags who gave them a home when no-one else would take them in. Sad to see their manager who in the words of his predecessor (Big Robbo - the racist) was "allegedly" stealing from the club. Now the Jags have awoken from their slumbers and at last appointed a manager capable of bringing back our glory days in the SPL under the messiah Lambie - something Clyde have never experienced and never will. Go on Ian clear the place out and give us a team worth watching and the Thistle fans will return in their droves.
Posted by: Close Furhull Doon, Demo Skwad on 4:30pm Mon 28 May 07
The Gypsy Lives wrote:
Looks like the Gypsey fan has woken up as only they bear a grudge against the Jags who gave them a home when no-one else would take them in. Sad to see their manager who in the words of his predecessor (Big Robbo - the racist) was "allegedly" stealing from the club. Now the Jags have awoken from their slumbers and at last appointed a manager capable of bringing back our glory days in the SPL under the messiah Lambie - something Clyde have never experienced and never will. Go on Ian clear the place out and give us a team worth watching and the Thistle fans will return in their droves.
ho ho noo am accused o being a clyde fan (who are marginally better than you lot but every bit as smelly)...ha ha ha ...you sad wee jaggy a-holes are full of it. Ye just cannae take it that your wee midden shed and joke club should be shut doon. even though ye no it makes sense.

For the record...ah don't suuport any team. But I have a dislike of thistle and the two plebs that follow them.

BTW I Dunno whit you bams have got aboot gypsies...but a suggest ye look up the meaning o the word...ah'm no romantic or brave enough or genetically capable of being of Romany blood.So u better think up a new one!

Noo let's get the demo skwad, the sledgehammmers the gither and dae the world a favour by tearing doo this dump aka furhull.



Posted by: worried jagsfan, glasgow on 5:14pm Mon 28 May 07
McCall has done well with 'crisis'clubs (Clydebank, Airdrie and Morton) and Thistle now appear to be in that category, so let's hope he can get the required support from the board to bring us back where the Jags belong.
Posted by: Close it doon...close it doon....close it noo, Glasgow Council Demo Skwad Oafis on 5:38pm Mon 28 May 07
worried jagsfan wrote:
McCall has done well with 'crisis'clubs (Clydebank, Airdrie and Morton) and Thistle now appear to be in that category, so let's hope he can get the required support from the board to bring us back where the Jags belong.
And so fan no3...(wow they must be breeding)...just where do the jags belong?

The dustbin? Naw too small. The skip? Still too small. A landfill site? Aye but bad for the enviroment. Och to heck wi it...toss the place into the stinking canal behind it...then toss mccall in efter it...dunno what would make the bigger splash. Tsunami in Maryhill me thinks.

Demolish this Midden...NOOOOOOOO
Posted by: jags mad on 9:07pm Mon 28 May 07
CLOSE FURHULL DOON wrote:
Classic opening line to this article...when I read McCall was going to REBUILD Firhill...I instantly thought my dreams had come true and they had knocked doon furhull while I was sleeping. But alas no such luck. Anyway, McCall will fail cause he's a dumpling and even looks like one. The two wee sad jag fans will continue to look ridiculous and eventually the council will do the world a favour and demolish this smelly eyesore. CLOSE FURHULL DOON NOOO
u need tae get a **** life mabe get a burd or some pals u sad **** creep
Posted by: thistlemad on 9:45pm Mon 28 May 07
Do what i do with the sad little barsteward completely ignore him!!!!
Now, to matters in hand. Lets hope McCall can attract the type of players both he and the fans want.
Players with a bit of skill and who will try their best in every game.
I`ll be sorry to see Kenny Arthur move on though. Hes been a great servant for the club, and will always have the affection of the true fans.
Some fans may have a problem with McCall, but he MUST be given the time to show he can do it. I just hope that a certain section of the fans will give him it.
As for who will be amongst the next batch to wear the red and yellow, Im sure we will be linked with all sorts of players during the close season. Personally I generally wait to make comment once they have signed, though not always.
Anyway, like the thousands of other Jags fans, we will watch and wait with interest.
Go on ya plick, Ive gave you an opening!!!
Posted by: John E Rotten, Stirling on 7:59am Tue 29 May 07
CLOSE FURHULL DOON wrote:
For the record...ah don't suuport any team. But I have a dislike of thistle and the two plebs that follow them.
---

So, someone who by his own admission doesn't follow any team, has the audacity to criticise those who do? What a complete tosser...
Posted by: shedboy, Glasgow on 10:22am Tue 29 May 07
McCall is the right man to haul the jags back from the brink. My only concern is that the boo boys will be on his back after a few bad results.

He must be given time to shape a team, and the clear out is as much a statement of intent, as it is a necessity.
Posted by: chaza, glasgow on 1:41pm Tue 29 May 07
Bert Mitchell and Ian McCall - cracking pair of tits!
Posted by: Morton guy, Greenock on 2:21pm Tue 29 May 07
McCall's a joke, Jags for relegation.
Posted by: vikingTON, gREENOCK on 3:21pm Tue 29 May 07
chaza wrote:
Bert Mitchell and Ian McCall - cracking pair of tits!
Bert Mitchell's articles are hilarious - for all the wrong reasons. He says:
"there will be no new keeper for Kenny Arthur"
Yet another crime against the English language. How he is a journalist I do not know.
Posted by: Bankies will return on 4:09pm Tue 29 May 07
Just to clarify something here, when at McCall was at Clydebank we were not a "crisis club". However when he left we were. He was given massive financial back by John Hall and almost blew promotion after falling out with the supporters. He formed a wee gang with his players using the old "everyone hates us" mentality and only scraped promotion on the last day of the season when Livingston blew it and we won at Brechin. Utterly despicable little individual who did a similar job at Morton in trying to destroy the connection between the fans and players. Don’t say you haven’t been warned.
Posted by: sicknote, Glasgow on 1:50am Wed 30 May 07
this is tae the bawbag that wants firhill closed doon. wit pish u talk. if u dont support clyde then wit the **** can u be but an erse. weve heard enough of ye ya ****. sign on ya fanny or ill be forced to axe ye to death. ian mccall wis not ma choice as a manager, if u look at his record it isnae the greatest but u wid hav had to be brave to take the job in the first place so he has that goin for him. i cant stand him but hopefully he will prove me wrang.
PTFC till a die.
Posted by: shedboy, Glasgow on 2:03pm Wed 30 May 07
Morton guy wrote:
McCall's a joke, Jags for relegation.
I cant wait to take maximum points of you needle weilding cretins next season.

remind me again, how many points were you ahead of us two seasons ago?
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