Post by romfordkev on Jun 30, 2009 16:18:51 GMT
If you drive to the Maryhill District of Glasgow, you'll come across the closest Scottish Football League ground to the City Centre.
It's not one of the "Old Firm" sides either.
Welcome to FIRHILL - home of "THE JAGS", "THE HARRY WRAGGS", or even "THE MARYHILL MAGYARS".....................otherwise known as PARTICK THISTLE FC.
Currently in the SCOTTISH FIRST DIVISION, Partick finished 2nd in the League during the 2008/09 Season.
Here's my brief pictorial tour.
NOT A PROMISING START!!
MY FIRST VIEW OF THE GROUND WAS THIS OF THE EAST STAND - LOCKED SECURE IN A HIGH FENCED PADDOCK.
BACKED ONLY BY A SMALL ACCESS ROAD (WHICH SKIRTS A SMALL RIVER/CANAL), IT IS ALSO OVERLOOKED BY A RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT.
TAKEN THROUGH THE FENCING, THIS IS A CLOSE UP OF THE CLUB BADGE ERECTED ON THE BACK OF THE STAND (KNOWN AS THE "JACKIE HUSBAND STAND."
VENTURING DOWN ONTO THE MAIN ROAD, THIS IS THE MAIN STAND AT FIRHILL. BUILT IN 1927, IT IS NO LONGER USED ON MATCHDAYS.
I DID IN FACT THINK THAT WAS "MY LOT" WITH REGARDS TO PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES...........UNTIL I SPIED A SMALL ACCESS LANE JUST TO THE RIGHT OF THIS PICTURE!!
BINGO!! THIS LOOKS MORE PROMISING!!
HAVING DISCOVERED THE ONLY ACCESS POINT TO THE GROUND'S "INNER SANCTUM", I PARKED MY CAR ALONGSIDE THE "JACKIE HUSBAND" STAND, AND STROLLED THROUGH THE GATES!!
PITCHSIDE, THIS IS THE SIDE ON VIEW OF THE "J H".
INCIDENTALLY, THE STAND IS NAMED AFTER JOHN "JACKIE" HUSBAND, A CENTRE BACK WHO PLAYED FOR THE CLUB BETWEEN 1938 - 1950, AND IN VARIOUS CAPACITIES (INCLUDING MANAGER) SERVED PARTICK THISTLE FOR A TOTAL OF 52 YEARS.
VIEW ACROSS THE PITCH TO THE NORTH STAND.
COMPLETED IN 2003, THIS USUALLY HOUSES THE AWAY CONTINGENT ( UP TO 2000) ON A MATCHDAY.
IT IS OVERLOOKED BY STUDENT ACCOMODATION, BUILT TO SERVE THE NEARBY UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW.......CAN'T BE BAD - STUDENT "DIGS" AND EFFECTIVELY A FREE SEASON TICKET TO WATCH "THE JAGS", FROM THE COMFORT OF YOUR OWN HOME!!
THE OLD MAIN STAND - STILL AN IMPRESSIVE STRUCTURE, BUT AS MENTIONED BEFORE, VERY RARELY USED ON MATCHDAYS.
THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE STAND APPEARS TO HOUSE THE CLUB OFFICES AND/OR AN ADMIN BLOCK........STRANGE!!
PERHAPS A PERMANENT FIXTURE IN THIS BLOCK OF THE MAIN STAND, A BANNER FROM "GREAVES SPORTS - THE OFFICIAL RETAIL PARTNER OF PARTICK THISTLE FC!"
......IT DID CROSS MY MIND.........BUT I DIDN'T HAVE A BIG ENOUGH BAG!!
VIEWED FROM BEHIND THE GOAL, THE "JACKIE HUSBAND."
A MODERN, SINGLE TIER ALL SEATER WITH (AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, AND UNLIKE THE OLD MAIN STAND) A TOTALLY UNRESTRICTED VIEW ACROSS THE FIRHILL PITCH.
ALSO FROM BEHIND THE GOAL (AT THE "SOUTH END"), THE NORTH STAND - FRAMED BY FIRHILL'S MODERN FLOODLIGHTS, AND THE STUDENT FLATS BEHIND.
THE OLD AND THE NEW.
VIEW OF THE MAIN STAND, WITH ALL IT'S ANTIQUATED CHARM - FLANKED BY THE COLD, CLINICAL LINES OF THE MODERN FLOODLIGHT PYLONS.
LEAVING THE WORST TO LAST!!
THIS IS THE "SOUTH END" OF FIRHILL - WHICH OBVIOUSLY IS NOT USED, AS IT'S JUST A GRASS BANK!!
ORIGINALLY, THIS WAS A SEMI CIRCULAR OPEN TERRACE - BUT IT WAS DEMOLISHED TO MAKE WAY FOR A NEW STAND.
PLANNING PERMISSION IS STILL BEING AWAITED..................
Aha................"Fir Hill For Thrills" as they used to say in Glasgae.
