Partick Thistle, one of the oldest clubs in Scottish football, has a proud history in a city dominated by the Old Firm. But sadly, some of the off-field headlines about the team in recent months have left fans worried about the financial future of The Jags.
In September, the Glasgow Warriors - the professional rugby team who currently play their home games at Thistle’s Firhill stadium - decided to move to pastures new from summer 2012 by relocating to the Scotstoun Stadium.
Last week the club was hit by a fresh blow when Sangs - the parent company of Thistle’s shirt sponsor macb - were forced into administration. It is understood the Warriors and macb combination could result in a £250,000 hole in the budget for next season, the majority of which is caused by the departure of the rugby stars. But it is not all doom and gloom at Firhill.
In an interview with STV, club chairman David Beattie shared his thoughts on the financial challenges ahead, the future of the stadium, his young manager, and having a little tipple at games.
“Macb - the company is presently in administration and we are speaking to the administrators just now. It is a blow. It is not a doomsday scenario for Thistle in any stretch, but it does leave a hole in our budgets for part of this year and - if we don’t replace the sponsor - a big hole for next year.
“I think the Warriors quite enjoyed playing at Firhill. I understand that they want their own stadium. I can understand, from a rugby perspective, them moving to Scotstoun but it does leave a big hole and a much bigger hole than the sponsorship loss. We are working on solutions to fill that hole, and that is going to be very challenging.
“Over the past three years, the directors of the club have been working really hard to make Partick Thistle a sustainable business. The loss of the revenue of the Warriors and the sponsorship doesn’t make life any easier. I would prefer to be starting with a sustainable budget where even if we are earning no money, as long as we are not losing any money, then we can start building things. But every year, we are starting at a negative. That takes the focus away from the team.
“Our objective is to make Partick Thistle a sustainable business, first and foremost - to leave a legacy behind to say ‘we have done our bit, the new custodians are coming into the club with a sustainable business they can build on in the future’.
“We want to stay a full time club. That is dictated to by sponsorship income. Primarily, it is dictated to by the amount of attendances clubs get at their stadiums.”
Beattie hopes a two-pronged approach involving fans is one of the key ways to help get Thistle out of its current financial predicament. The first would involve a group of supporters whose job would be to sit on a ‘sub board’ with the club’s general manager Ian Maxwell and businessmen. Their aim would be to deliver new revenue opportunities.
Community Trust
A second aspect would see the development of a community trust, which would engage with people in the local area and make Firhill Stadium a hub in Maryhill - not just the home of a football club.
As he investigates all possibilities, Beattie has ruled out any movement from the club’s historic stadium. He added: “We have no plans to move from Firhill just now, and I don’t see that in the foreseeable future. We have a part of the stadium owned by essentially five individuals outwith of Thistle who own the south end and the old stand. Partick Thistle own 50% of that as well.
“If we could generate some revenue streams coming through with the development of that, this could only benefit Partick Thistle.”
Another possible money-spinner Beattie has spoken about is the reintroduction of alcohol into Scottish football grounds.
While you can drink at football matches in England and at other sporting events in Scotland, a ban on booze has been in place at Scottish football games for over 30 years after violence marred the 1980 Scottish Cup final between Celtic and Rangers.
Glasgow Warriors fans can enjoy a beer when their team plays at Firhill, but Jags fans can not use the same facilities when football is being played there. With this in mind, the chairman thinks Thistle is the ideal team to pilot the idea.
He added: “It is something I am quite passionate on. If you think UK-wide, in football terms, Scotland is the only place that you can’t drink alcohol at football matches. We are in the entertainment business, and any other place you go to in the entertainment business you can drink responsibly.
“In England, you go there an hour, hour and a half before the game, you can have a quick drink then go into the stadium and enjoy the game.
“We have experience as a football club of organising drink at the events. We took care of all the bars for the Glasgow Warriors games, so we have a certain degree of expertise about how we serve the drink, how we police the drink.
“The main difference between the Warriors and rugby and football generally, is that rugby you can bring your drink into the stadia itself and sit and watch the match and have a drink. I am not advocating that. I am saying before the match, rather than go to the local pub and try and drink as much as you can before coming to the match, do it at a more leisurely basis at the club.
Praise for McNamara
While his attention at the moment is fixing the off-field problems, Beattie says he is pleased with the progress the team are making on the pitch. While enduring a disappointing season in cup competitions Thistle is currently fourth in the Scottish First Division, ten points behind league leaders Ross County.
Former Celtic defender Jackie McNamara and his assistant Simon Donnelly have been in charge of the club since May last year, and Beattie is confident they will take the team forward.
“He (Jackie) has brought a huge degree of professionalism to the club,” the chairman added. “Jackie and Simon both said whatever happens with Partick Thistle, they will leave the club - if they moved on to bigger and better things - better than they found it, and they are delivering on that.
“Team wise, we have a very, very young team. We are playing attractive football. We lack that little cutting edge in the box just now, but that is inexperience of young players. I am quite happy bringing young players through Partick Thistle as well because not many Scottish footballers get the opportunity to play first team football in Scotland.
“This year was always going to be a difficult as Jackie was given quite a slash in his budget, so he is in the rebuilding phase just now. I think we have some really good players. More importantly, I think we have some really good reserve players that are chapping at the door. I think it could be quite exciting for Thistle going forward.”
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