2019–20 Partick Thistle F.C. season

Partick Thistle
2019–20 season
Chairman	Jacqui Low
Manager	Gary Caldwell; (until 18 September); Ian McCall; (from 23 September)
Stadium	Firhill Stadium
Scottish Championship	10th (relegated)
Scottish Cup	Fourth round
League Cup	Quarter-finals
Scottish Challenge Cup	Semi-finals
Top goalscorer	League: Kenny Miller (5); All: Kenny Miller (9)
Highest home attendance	9,542 vs. Celtic, Scottish Cup, 18 January 2020
Lowest home attendance	1,380 vs. Connah's Quay Nomads, Challenge Cup, 12 October 2019
Average home league attendance	3,078
Home colours	Away colours
	← 2018–19 2020–21 →

The 2019–20 season was Partick Thistle's second consecutive season in the Scottish Championship, having been relegated from the Scottish Premiership at the end of the 2017–18 season. Partick Thistle also competed in the League Cup, the Scottish Challenge Cup and the Scottish Cup. On 15 April, the SPFL voted to end the lower leagues in Scottish football due to the coronavirus pandemic and as a result Partick were relegated to League One after two years in the Championship, which the club decided not to take legal action against.^[1]

Season summary

Following a difficult start to the season, Gary Caldwell was sacked as manager on 18 September after eleven months in charge. At the time of Caldwell's departure, the club had recorded two draws and three losses in the first five games of the league campaign and sat ninth of the ten teams in the Scottish Championship.^[2] On 23 September, Ayr United manager Ian McCall was announced as Caldwell's successor for a second spell at Partick Thistle, having previously managed the club between 2007 and 2011.^[3] Alan Archibald, who had been dismissed as manager in October 2018 after five years in charge,^[4] also returned to the club as assistant manager, with former Ayr United midfielder Neil Scally also joining the coaching staff.^[3]

McCall's first game in charge was Partick Thistle's quarter-final match against Celtic in the Scottish League Cup on 25 September, which Celtic won 5–0.^[5] Three days later the club achieved its first league win of the season with a 3–1 victory over Inverness Caledonian Thistle, lifting them from the bottom of the Championship to ninth above Alloa Athletic.^[6] It was not until November that the team's first home win of the season was secured after a 2–1 victory over Greenock Morton, by which time the club had fallen back into last place.^[7]

In November EuroMillions lottery winner Colin Weir assumed overall control of the club after purchasing a majority of club's shares. Weir, who had won a £161 million jackpot in 2011 and had previously contributed £2 million to Partick Thistle, stated his intentions were to donate the majority stake to a fan group by the end of March 2020 to allow fan ownership of the club.^[8] Weir died after a short illness on 27 December,^[9] and was replaced by former chairman Jacqui Low in February 2020.^[10]

On 13 March 2020 all football in Scotland, including the Scottish Championship, was suspended until further notice due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country.^[11] At the time of suspension Partick Thistle was in last place in the Scottish Championship, two points behind ninth-placed Queen of the South with one game fewer played.^[1] A proposal by the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) to end the season for all leagues prematurely in mid-April 2020, despite an objection from Dundee F.C., led Partick Thistle to announce a legal effort to overturn the decision.^[12] Following Dundee F.C.'s withdrawal of their objection and subsequent support for the SPFL's proposal, the club announced it would not pursue legal action due to the financial cost.^[1] With prize money and promotions and relegations decided on positions achieved at the time of suspension in March,^[12] Partick Thistle were therefore relegated from the Scottish Championship to League One, the first time the club had fallen to the third tier of Scottish football since 2006.^[13]

Competitions

Scottish Championship

3 August 2019 1	Alloa Athletic	1 – 1	Partick Thistle	Recreation Park
15:00	Hetherington 34'	Report	Cardle 60'	Attendance: 1,672 Referee: Nick Walsh

9 August 2019 2	Partick Thistle	1 – 2	Dundee United	Firhill Stadium
19:05	Saunders 23'	Report	Shankland 55' Pawlett 73'	Attendance: 3,218 Referee: William Collum
Note: Game televised on BBC Scotland

23 August 2019 3	Greenock Morton	3 – 2	Partick Thistle	Cappielow
19:05	Cadden 72' Sutton 77' McLean 80'	Report	Miller 25' De Vita 28'	Attendance: 2,197 Referee: Bobby Madden
Note: Game televised on BBC Scotland

31 August 2019 4	Partick Thistle	2 – 3	Ayr United	Firhill Stadium
15:00	Bannigan 14' (pen.) 65' Gordon 43' 44'	Report	McCowan 24' Doolan 72' Kelly 78'	Attendance: 3,060 Referee: Andrew Dallas

13 September 2019 5	Arbroath	1 – 1	Partick Thistle	Gayfield Park
19:05	Thomson 14'	Report	Miller 65'	Attendance: 1,214 Referee: David Munro
Note: Game televised on BBC Scotland

21 September 2019 6	Partick Thistle	0 – 3	Dunfermline Athletic	Firhill Stadium
15:00		Report		Attendance: 2,820 Referee: Euan Anderson

28 September 2019 7	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	1 – 3	Partick Thistle	Caledonian Stadium
15:00	White 21'	Report	Zanatta 10' Miller 46' Palmer 82'	Attendance: 2,469 Referee: Don Robertson

5 October 2019 8	Partick Thistle	0 – 1	Queen of the South	Firhill Stadium
15:00		Report	Brownlie 60'	Attendance: 2,910 Referee: Andrew Dallas

19 October 2019 9	Dundee	1 – 3	Partick Thistle	Dens Park
15:00	McGowan 25'	Report	Miller 85' Gordon 88' Mansell 91'	Attendance: 5,010 Referee: David Munro

26 October 2019 10	Partick Thistle	1 – 3	Arbroath	Firhill Stadium
15:00	Bannigan 59'	Report	Donnelly 37' McKenna 74' Hamilton 77'	Attendance: 2,793 Referee: Gavin Ross

29 October 2019 11	Dundee United	1 – 0	Partick Thistle	Tannadice Park
19:45	Shankland 62'	Report		Attendance: 6,929 Referee: Greg Aitken

2 November 2019 12	Ayr United	4 – 1	Partick Thistle	Somerset Park
15:00	Moore 11', 48' Moffat 18' Forrest 52'	Report	Cardle 79'	Attendance: 2,558 Referee: Willie Collum

9 November 2019 13	Partick Thistle	2 – 1	Greenock Morton	Firhill Stadium
15:00	Gordon 59', 66'	Report	Baird 61'	Attendance: 2,751 Referee: Bobby Madden

26 November 2019 14	Partick Thistle	1 – 1	Alloa Athletic	Firhill Stadium
19:45	Zanatta 38'		Trouten 15'	Attendance: 1,714 Referee: David Munro

30 November 2019 15	Dunfermline Athletic	5 – 1	Partick Thistle	East End Park
15:00	Nesibit 38', 22', 31', 49' Martin 10'		Cole 74'	Attendance: 3, 948 Referee: Mike Roncone

7 December 2019 16	Queen of the South	1 – 2	Partick Thistle	Palmerston Park
15:00	Murray 20'		Cardle 70' Cole 85'	Attendance: 1, 314 Referee: Steven McLean

14 December 2019 17	Partick Thistle	3 – 1	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	Firhill Stadium
15:00	Jones 48' Saunders 64' Zanatta 93'		Keatings 57'	Attendance: 2,144 Referee: Steven McLean

21 December 2019 18	Partick Thistle	0 – 1	Dundee	Firhill Stadium
15:00			McGowan 31'	Attendance: 2,957 Referee: Bobby Madden

28 December 2019 19	Greenock Morton	1 – 2	Partick Thistle	Cappielow Park
15:00	Jacobs 30'		Jones 5' O'Ware 61'	Attendance: 2,742 Referee: Craig Napier

4 January 2020 20	Alloa Athletic	1 – 1	Partick Thistle	Recreation Park
15:00	Brown 62'		Bannigan 74'	Attendance: 1, 827 Referee: David Munro

11 January 2020 21	Partick Thistle	1 – 4	Dundee United	Firhill Stadium
15:00	Miller 87'		Shankland 38', 60', 65' Sporle 45'	Attendance: 4, 101 Referee: Willie Collum

25 January 2020 22	Arbroath	2 – 1	Partick Thistle	Arbroath
15:00	McKenna 6' Wighton 34' Virtanen 90+4'	Report	Graham 90+5'	Stadium: Gayfield Park Attendance: 1,418 Referee: David Lowe

31 January 2020 23	Partick Thistle	1 – 1	Ayr United	Glasgow
19:05	Graham 33' 38' O'Connor 52' Cardle 61'	Report	Harvie 25' Forrest 52' (pen.) Muirhead 60' Docherty 84'	Stadium: The Energy Check Stadium Attendance: 2,416 Referee: Euan Anderson

8 February 2020 24	Dundee	2 – 0	Partick Thistle	Dundee
15:00	Byrne 33' Hemmings 23' 34' McGowan 42' Nelson 89'	Report	Graham 26' Cole 90+7'	Stadium: Kilmac Stadium at Dens Park Attendance: 4,816 Referee: Collin Steven

3 March 2020 25	Partick Thistle	0 – 0	Queen of the South	Glasgow
19:45	Bannigan 90+3' Cole 90+3'	Report	Pybus 88'	Stadium: The Energy Check Stadium Attendance: 2,122 Referee: David Lowe

7 March 2020 26	Dundee United	1 – 1	Partick Thistle	Dundee
15:00	Powers 19' Watson 52' Reynolds 76'	Report	Bannigan 52' (pen.) Mayo 72' Graham 82'	Stadium: Tannadice Park Attendance: 7,603 Referee: Mike Roncone

10 March 2020 27	Partick Thistle	1 – 1	Dunfermline Athletic	Glasgow
19:45	Graham 90+4'	Report	Beadling 61' Devine 69' Murray 72'	Stadium: The Energy Check Stadium Attendance: 2,078 Referee: Steven Kirkland

Scottish League Cup

13 July 2019 Group F	Partick Thistle	1 – 0	Airdrieonians	Firhill Stadium
15:00	Crighton 66' (o.g.)	Report		Attendance: 2,241 Referee: Grant Irvine

16 July 2019 Group F	Queen's Park	1 – 2	Partick Thistle	Penny Cars Stadium
19:45	Kouider-Aïssa 56'	Report	Miller 6' Robson 36'	Attendance: 944 Referee: David Dickinson

20 July 2019 Group F	Hamilton Academical	2 – 2 (6–5 p)	Partick Thistle	Fountain of Youth Stadium
15:00	Cunningham 17', 54'	Report	Williamson 16' Gordon 73'	Attendance: 1,693 Referee: John Beaton
	Penalties
	Oakley Cunningham McKenna Gogić Smith McMann		Bannigan Gordon Miller Mansell Jones De Vita

24 July 2019 Group F	Partick Thistle	3 – 2	Clyde	Firhill Stadium
19:45	Gordon 12', 60' Miller 49'	Report	Wallace 25' Bannigan 65' (o.g.)	Attendance: 2,403 Referee: Kevin Graham

Knockout Round

17 August 2019 Second round	Partick Thistle	3 – 2 (a.e.t.)	Ross County	Firhill Stadium
15:00	Miller 80' Penrice 96' Saunders 114'	Report	Spittal 60' Paton 105'	Attendance: 2,053 Referee: Steven McLean

25 September 2019 Quarter-finals	Celtic	5 – 0	Partick Thistle	Celtic Park
19:45	Bayo 15' Rogic 46' Ntcham 56', 63' Sinclair 76'	Report		Attendance: 25,008 Referee: Steven McLean

Scottish Challenge Cup

7 September 2019 Third round	Montrose	0 – 2	Partick Thistle	Montrose, Scotland
15:00		Report	Cardle 2' Miller 53'	Stadium: Links Park Attendance: 861 Referee: Craig Nappier

12 October 2019 Fourth round	Partick Thistle	2 – 0	Connah's Quay Nomads	Glasgow, Scotland
17:15	De Vita 34' Penrice 77'	Report		Stadium: Firhill Stadium Attendance: 1,380
Note: Game televised on S4C

16 November 2019 Quarter-Finals	Stenhousemuir	1 – 4	Partick Thistle	Stenhousemuir, Scotland
15:00	Hopkirk 68'		Cole 34' Harkins 70' Slater 79' Miller 86'	Stadium: Ochilview Park Attendance: 1,244

14 February 2020 Semi-Finals	Partick Thistle	1 – 2	Raith Rovers	Glasgow, Scotland
19:45	Mansell 83'	Report	Benedictus 31' Hendry 74'	Stadium: Firhill Stadium Attendance: 2,196 Referee: Alan Newlands
Note: Game televised on BBC Alba

Scottish Cup

23 November 2019 Third round	Partick Thistle	1 – 0	Penicuik Athletic	Firhill Stadium
15:00	Cole 1'	Report		Attendance: 3,165 Referee: Mike Roncone

18 January 2020 Fourth round	Partick Thistle	1 – 2	Celtic	Firhill Stadium
17:30	Bannigan 90+3'	Report	Griffiths 12' McGregor 78'	Attendance: 9,542 Referee: Alan Muir

Squad statistics

Appearances

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Championship		Scottish Cup		League Cup		Challenge Cup
No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	SCO	Jamie Sneddon	8	0	6	0	0	0	2	0	0	0
2	DF	SCO	Ryan Williamson	25	1	15	0	1	0	6	1	3	0
3	DF	SCO	James Penrice	36	2	25	0	2	0	5	1	4	1
4	DF	SCO	Tam O'Ware	30	1	19	1	2	0	5	0	4	0
5	DF	SCO	Darren Brownlie	4	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
6	DF	IRL	Sean McGinty	28	0	19	0	1	0	6	0	2	0
6	DF	SCO	Lewis Mayo	2	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
7	MF	ENG	Joe Cardle	32	4	22	3	0	0	6	0	4	1
8	MF	SCO	Stuart Bannigan	33	5	24	4	1	1	6	0	2	0
9	FW	SCO	Kenny Miller	32	9	21	5	2	0	6	3	3	1
9	FW	SCO	Brian Graham	6	2	5	2	0	0	0	0	1	0
10	FW	ENG	Alex Jones	17	2	12	2	0	0	4	0	1	0
11	MF	SCO	Gary Harkins	12	1	9	0	2	0	0	0	1	1
12	MF	ENG	Reece Cole	24	4	18	2	2	1	1	0	3	1
14	MF	NIR	Shea Gordon	22	7	15	4	0	0	6	3	1	0
15	DF	ENG	Tommy Robson	27	1	15	0	2	0	6	1	4	0
16	MF	SCO	Darian MacKinnon	3	0	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
18	FW	ENG	Lewis Mansell	21	2	12	1	0	0	6	0	3	1
19	FW	CAN	Dario Zanatta	28	4	22	3	2	0	3	0	1	1
20	MF	SCO	Jamie Barjonas	5	0	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
21	DF	IRL	Lee O'Connor	5	0	4	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
22	GK	SCO	Scott Fox	30	0	20	0	2	0	4	0	4	0
23	MF	ITA	Raffaele De Vita	16	2	9	1	0	0	4	0	3	1
23	FW	SCO	Zak Rudden	4	0	3	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
24	MF	SLE	Osman Kakay	13	0	11	0	1	0	0	0	1	0
33	GK	SCO	Luke Scullion	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
35	MF	SCO	Dean Watson	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
43	DF	SCO	Steven Saunders	24	3	16	2	2	0	4	1	2	0
77	FW	AUS	Mitch Austin	2	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
Players who left the club during the 2019–20 season

Club statistics

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	PPG	Promotion, qualification or relegation^[a]
6	Dunfermline Athletic	28	10	7	11	41	36	+5	37	1.32
7	Greenock Morton	28	10	6	12	45	52	−7	36	1.29
8	Alloa Athletic	28	7	10	11	33	43	−10	31	1.11
9	Queen of the South	28	7	7	14	28	40	−12	28	1.00
10	Partick Thistle (R)	27	6	8	13	32	47	−15	26	0.96	Relegation to League One

Source: SPFL
Rules for classification: 1) Points per game.
(R) Relegated
Notes:

^ All play-off matches were cancelled, as clubs voted to curtail the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.^[14]

League Cup table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification	PAR	HAM	AIR	QPA	CLY
1	Partick Thistle	4	3	0	1	0	8	5	+3	10	Qualification for the Second Round	—	—	1–0	—	3–2
2	Hamilton Academical	4	2	1	1	0	8	5	+3	9	Qualification for the Second Round	p2–2	—	—	0–0p	—
3	Airdrieonians	4	1	1	0	2	7	8	−1	5		—	2–3	—	p2–2	—
4	Queen's Park	4	0	2	1	1	4	5	−1	5		1–2	—	—	—	p1–1
5	Clyde	4	0	0	1	3	6	10	−4	1		—	1–3	2–3	—	—

Source: ^[15]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.^[16]

Transfers

In

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee

Out

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee

Loans In

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee

Loans Out

Date	Position	Nationality	Name	From	Fee

References

^ ^a ^b ^c "Partick Thistle decide not to take legal action after SPFL plan relegates them". BBC Sport. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
^ "Gary Caldwell sacked as Partick Thistle boss". BBC Sport. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
^ ^a ^b "Ian McCall appointed manager after Ayr United exit". BBC Sport. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.
^ Law, Danny (6 October 2018). "Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald sacked following Ross County defeat". The Press and Journal. ISSN 2051-1051. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
^ McGarry, Graeme (25 September 2019). "Ian McCall won't be judging Partick Thistle player on Celtic thumping". Glasgow Evening Times. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
^ "Inverness CT 1-3 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
^ Crawford, Kenny (9 November 2019). "Partick Thistle 2-1 Greenock Morton: Hosts record first home win of season". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
^ "Partick Thistle: EuroMillions winner Colin Weir to gift control to fans". BBC Sport. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
^ "Partick Thistle aim to 'build on Colin Weir legacy' after EuroMillions winner's death". BBC Sport. 28 December 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2021.
^ "Partick Thistle: Jacqui Low returns as chairman". BBC Sport. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.
^ Coyle, Andy (13 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Scottish football suspended indefinitely". STV News. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
^ ^a ^b Murray, Ewan (14 April 2020). "Partick Thistle issue legal challenge to SPFL over plan to end Scottish season". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 26 June 2021.
^ Mendola, Nicholas (16 April 2020). "Partick Thistle accepts cruel relegation despite match-in-hand". NBC Sports. NBC Universal. Retrieved 27 June 2021.
^ "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles and reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.
^ "Summary - League Cup Group F". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 August 2019.
^ "Format". SPFL. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.

[15] All play-off matches were cancelled, as clubs voted to curtail the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.^[14]

[BBC_Sport_16.04.2020-1] "Partick Thistle decide not to take legal action after SPFL plan relegates them". BBC Sport. 16 April 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.

[2] "Gary Caldwell sacked as Partick Thistle boss". BBC Sport. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.

[BBC_Sport_23.11.2019-3] "Ian McCall appointed manager after Ayr United exit". BBC Sport. 23 September 2019. Retrieved 26 September 2019.

[4] Law, Danny (6 October 2018). "Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald sacked following Ross County defeat". The Press and Journal. ISSN 2051-1051. Retrieved 21 June 2021.

[5] McGarry, Graeme (25 September 2019). "Ian McCall won't be judging Partick Thistle player on Celtic thumping". Glasgow Evening Times. Retrieved 22 June 2021.

[6] "Inverness CT 1-3 Partick Thistle". BBC Sport. 28 September 2019. Retrieved 22 June 2021.

[7] Crawford, Kenny (9 November 2019). "Partick Thistle 2-1 Greenock Morton: Hosts record first home win of season". BBC Sport. Retrieved 23 June 2021.

[8] "Partick Thistle: EuroMillions winner Colin Weir to gift control to fans". BBC Sport. 21 November 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2020.

[9] "Partick Thistle aim to 'build on Colin Weir legacy' after EuroMillions winner's death". BBC Sport. 28 December 2019. Retrieved 21 June 2021.

[10] "Partick Thistle: Jacqui Low returns as chairman". BBC Sport. 28 February 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2020.

[11] Coyle, Andy (13 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Scottish football suspended indefinitely". STV News. Retrieved 24 June 2021.

[Murray_2020-12] Murray, Ewan (14 April 2020). "Partick Thistle issue legal challenge to SPFL over plan to end Scottish season". The Guardian. Guardian Media Group. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 26 June 2021.

[13] Mendola, Nicholas (16 April 2020). "Partick Thistle accepts cruel relegation despite match-in-hand". NBC Sports. NBC Universal. Retrieved 27 June 2021.

[14] "Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles and reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote". BBC Sport. 15 April 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2020.

[16] "Summary - League Cup Group F". Soccerway. Retrieved 4 August 2019.

[Format-17] "Format". SPFL. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.

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