2020–21 Partick Thistle F.C. season

Partick Thistle
2020–21 season
ChairmanJacqui Low
ManagerIan McCall
StadiumFirhill Stadium, Glasgow
Scottish League One1st (promoted)
Scottish CupThird round
League CupGroup stage
Top goalscorerLeague: Brian Graham (12)
All: Brian Graham (12)

The 2020–21 season was Partick Thistle's first season in the third tier of Scottish football in Scottish League One, having been relegated from the Scottish Championship at the end of the 2019–20 season. On 15 April 2020, 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] Partick Thistle also competed in the League Cup, and the Scottish Cup.

Summary

On 2 October 2020, the SPFL confirmed that the Scottish Challenge Cup had been cancelled for the upcoming season.[2] Partick Thistle began their season on 7 October in the League Cup group stage with the League One season beginning on 17 October.

On 11 January 2021, all football below the Scottish Championship was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]

On 29 January 2021, the suspension was extended until at least 14 February.[4] In March 2021, the Scottish Government gave permission for the league to resume.

On 16 March, clubs from League 1 and 2 voted to implement for a reduced 22-game season with a league split after 18 games.[5]

On 29 April, Thistle were declared champions of League One and secured promotion to the Scottish Championship following their 5-0 victory over promotion rivals Falkirk.[6]

Competitions

Scottish League One

Main article: 2020–21 Scottish League One
17 October 2020 1 Clyde 1 – 0 Partick Thistle Broadwood Stadium
15:00 Love 70' Report Attendance: 0
Referee: David Dickinson
24 October 2020 2 Partick Thistle 2 – 1 Airdrieonians Firhill Stadium
15:00 Graham 40'
Spittal 60'		 Report Carrick 36' Referee: Graham Beaton
31 October 2020 3 Cove Rangers 1 – 0 Partick Thistle Balmoral Stadium
15:00 McAllister 90+4' Report
7 November 2020 4 Partick Thistle 2 – 2 Falkirk Firhill Stadium
15:00 Cardle 66'
Graham 68'		 Report Morrison 13'
Telfer 88'		 Attendance: 0
Referee: Grant Irvine
21 November 2020 5 Partick Thistle 2 – 0 East Fife Firhill Stadium
15:00 Graham 17 pen.', 78' Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Duncan Williams
28 November 2020 6 Montrose 0 – 1 Partick Thistle Links Park
15:00 Report Murray 6' Referee: Kevin Graham
5 December 2020 7 Partick Thistle 0 – 0 Dumbarton Firhill Stadium
15:00 Report Attendance: 0
Referee: David Lowe
12 December 2020 8 Forfar Athletic 0 – 2 Partick Thistle Station Park
15:00 Report Gordon 52'
Docherty 78'		 Referee: Gavin Ross
19 December 2020 9 Partick Thistle 0 – 1 Peterhead Firhill Stadium
15:00 Report Brown 30' Attendance: 0
Referee: Kevin Graham
26 December 2020 10 Falkirk 0 – 0 Partick Thistle Falkirk Stadium
15:00 Report Rudden Red card 64' Referee: Duncan Williams
20 March 2021 11 Partick Thistle 1 – 1 Cove Rangers Firhill Stadium
15:00 Cardle 70' Report Megginson 82' Attendance: 0
Referee: Steven Reid
27 March 2021 12 Airdrieonians 2 – 4 Partick Thistle Excelsior Stadium
15:00 McKay 2'
Roy 72'
Crighton Red card 78'		 Report Tiffoney 35', 62'
Graham 47'
Murray 49'		 Referee: Craig Napier
30 March 2021 13 Partick Thistle 2 – 2 Forfar Athletic Firhill Stadium
19:45 Murray 16'
Graham 66'		 Report Fenwick 2', 44' Attendance: 0
Referee: David Lowe
6 April 2021 14 East Fife 2 – 2 Partick Thistle Bayview Stadium
19:00 Wallace 14 pen.'
Smith 17'		 Report Graham 72'
Tiffoney 90+4'		 Attendance: 0
Referee: David Dickinson
10 April 2021 15 Peterhead 0 – 3 Partick Thistle Balmoor Stadium
15:00 Report Cardle 39'
Tiffoney 52'
Graham 60'		 Attendance: 0
Referee: Kevin Graham
13 April 2021 16 Partick Thistle 2 – 0 Clyde Firhill Stadium
19:00 Rudden 65', 90' Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Lloyd Wilson
15 April 2021 17 Partick Thistle 5 – 0 Montrose Firhill Stadium
19:00 Rudden 20', 38'
Bannigan 52'
Tiffoney 55'
Gordon 77'		 Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Alan Muir
20 April 2021 18 Dumbarton 0 – 2 Partick Thistle Dumbarton Football Stadium
19:45 Report Rudden 80'
MacIver 89'		 Attendance: 0
Referee: Barry Cook
24 April 2021 19 Partick Thistle 1 – 0 Airdrieonians Firhill Stadium
15:00 Graham 31' Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Grant Irvine
27 April 2021 20 Cove Rangers 2 – 2 Partick Thistle Balmoral Stadium
19:00 McAllister 21 pen.'
Strachan 75'		 Report Rudden 7'
Tiffoney 77'		 Attendance: 0
Referee: Craig Napier
29 April 2021 21 Partick Thistle 5 – 0 Falkirk Glasgow
19:00 Rudden 29'
Tiffoney 31'
Graham 41', 59'
Cardle 72'		 Report Stadium: Firhill Stadium
Attendance: 0
Referee: David Dickinson
4 May 2021 22 Montrose 3 – 2 Partick Thistle Links Park
19:00 Rennie 19'
McLean 36'
Ballantyne 87'		 Report MacIver 25'
Cardle 62'		 Attendance: 0
Referee: Peter Stuart

Scottish League Cup

Main article: 2020–21 Scottish League Cup group stage

Group stage

7 October 2020 Group St Mirren 4–1 Partick Thistle St Mirren Park
19:45 Tait 45+1'
Obika 74'
Breen 81 o.g.'
Connolly 82'		 [7] Attendance: 0
Referee: Colin Steven
10 October 2020 Group Partick Thistle 2–0 Queen's Park Firhill Stadium
19:45 Cardle 66', 81' [8] Attendance: 0
Referee: Kevin Graham
13 October 2020 Group Queen of the South 0–0
(2–3 p)		 Partick Thistle Dumfries
19:45 [9][10] Stadium: Palmerston Park
Attendance: 0
Referee: Peter Stuart
Penalties
14 November 2020 Group Partick Thistle 0–0
(4–2 p)		 Greenock Morton Glasgow
15:00 [11] Stadium: Firhill Stadium
Referee: Steven Kirkland
Penalties

Scottish Cup

Main article: 2020–21 Scottish Cup
23 March 2021 Second round Partick Thistle 3–0 Cowdenbeath Firhill Stadium
19:45 Gordon 7'
Rudden 52'
Murray 66'		 Report Attendance: 0
Referee: Graham Grainger
3 April 2021 Third round Dundee United 2–1 Partick Thistle Tannadice Park
15:00 Shankland 78'
Clark 90+!'		 Report Tiffoney 25' Attendance: 0
Referee: Steven McLean

Squad statistics

Player statistics

As of 4 May 2021 (UTC)[12]
No. Pos Nat Player Total League One League Cup Scottish Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK Scotland SCO Jamie Sneddon 13 0 10+0 0 3+0 0 0+0 0
2 DF Scotland SCO Ryan Williamson 18 0 12+2 0 2+1 0 1+0 0
3 DF Scotland SCO James Penrice 24 0 14+4 0 4+0 0 1+1 0
4 MF Scotland SCO Thomas O'Ware 16 1 12+0 1 4+0 0 0+0 0
5 DF Scotland SCO Darren Brownlie 27 0 20+1 0 4+0 0 2+0 0
6 MF Scotland SCO Steven Bell 10 0 8+2 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
7 MF England ENG Joe Cardle 26 7 14+6 5 3+1 2 2+0 0
8 MF Scotland SCO Stuart Bannigan 24 1 19+0 1 4+0 0 1+0 0
9 FW Scotland SCO Brian Graham 24 12 18+1 12 3+0 0 1+1 0
10 FW Scotland SCO Zak Rudden 17 8 7+6 7 1+1 0 1+1 1
11 FW Scotland SCO Blair Lyons 12 0 1+9 0 0+2 0 0+0 0
12 GK Scotland SCO Kieran Wright 15 0 12+0 0 1+0 0 2+0 0
14 MF Northern Ireland NIR Shea Gordon 27 3 11+10 2 4+0 0 2+0 1
15 MF Scotland SCO Chris Erskine 2 0 0+2 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
16 DF Scotland SCO Ciaran McKenna 16 0 9+2 0 2+1 0 1+1 0
17 MF Scotland SCO Connor Murray 26 4 16+4 3 3+1 0 0+2 1
18 MF Scotland SCO Charlie Reilly 3 0 1+1 0 0+1 0 0+0 0
19 MF Scotland SCO Scott Tiffoney 13 7 9+2 6 0+0 0 2+0 1
20 FW Scotland SCO Gospel Ocholi 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
21 MF Senegal SEN Mouhamed Niang 21 0 12+5 0 0+3 0 1+0 0
22 DF Scotland SCO Richard Foster 24 0 20+0 0 3+0 0 1+0 0
23 MF Scotland SCO Ross Docherty 23 1 19+0 1 3+0 0 1+0 0
24 MF Scotland SCO Billy Owens 1 0 0+1 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
25 GK United States USA Mason McCready 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
26 MF Scotland SCO James Lyon 3 0 0+2 0 0+0 0 0+1 0
27 GK Scotland SCO Luke Scullion 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
28 DF Scotland SCO Andy Rodden 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
30 DF Scotland SCO Bradley Renfrew 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
31 FW Scotland SCO Ross MacIver 8 2 3+4 2 0+0 0 1+0 0
88 MF Scotland SCO Andy Geggan 5 0 0+5 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
Players who left the club during the 2020–21 season
6 MF Scotland SCO Blair Spittal 7 1 3+1 1 2+1 0 0+0 0
15 DF Scotland SCO Rhys Breen 6 0 3+1 0 2+0 0 0+0 0
19 FW Scotland SCO Salim Kouider-Aissa 1 0 1+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
19 DF Scotland SCO Adam Devine 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0
29 MF Scotland SCO Dean Watson 0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0 0+0 0

Club statistics

League table

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Partick Thistle (C, P) 22 11 7 4 40 18 +22 40 Promotion to the Championship
2 Airdrieonians 22 12 2 8 35 24 +11 38 Qualification for the Championship play-offs
3 Cove Rangers 22 10 6 6 28 18 +10 36
4 Montrose 22 9 6 7 33 33 0 33
5 Falkirk 22 9 5 8 29 26 +3 32
Source: SPFL
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-to head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Play-off (only for deciding promotion, play-off participation and relegation).[13]
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Division summary

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122
GroundAHAHHAHAHAHAHAAHHAHAHA
ResultLWLDWWDWLDDWDDWWWWWDWL
Position7566443235534533211111
Updated to match(es) played on 4 May 2021. Source: [14]
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

League Cup table

Pos Team
 Pld W PW PL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification STM QOS PAR GMO QPK
1 St Mirren 4 2 2 0 0 8 4 +4 10 Qualification for the Second round — — 4–1 p1–1 —
2 Queen of the South 4 1 1 2 0 7 5 +2 7 2–2p — 0–0p — —
3 Partick Thistle 4 1 2 0 1 3 4 −1 7 — — — p0–0 2–0
4 Greenock Morton 4 1 0 3 0 4 3 +1 6 — 2–2p — — 1–0
5 Queen's Park 4 0 0 0 4 1 7 −6 0 0–1 1–3 — — —
Source: [15]
Rules for classification: 1) points, 2) goal difference, 3) goals scored, 4) away goals scored, 5) matches won, 6) away matches won, 7) drawing of lots.[16]

Transfers

Main articles: List of Scottish football transfers summer 2020 and List of Scottish football transfers winter 2020-21

See also

References

  1. ^ "Partick Thistle decide not to take legal action after SPFL plan relegates them". Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  2. ^ "Scottish Challenge Cup cancelled for season 2020-21". BBC Sport. Retrieved 4 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Scottish lower leagues & Scottish Cup suspended for three weeks". BBC Sport. 11 January 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
  4. ^ "Scottish Cup, lower leagues and women's football remain suspended". BBC Sport. 29 January 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
  5. ^ "Scottish League 1 & 2 clubs vote for 22-game season with split after 18 matches". BBC Sport. 16 March 2021. Retrieved 18 March 2021.
  6. ^ "The moments that mattered!". ptfc.co.uk. Partick Thistle FC. 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  7. ^ "St Mirren v Partick Thistle". www.bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  8. ^ "Partick Thistle v Queen's Park". www.bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  9. ^ "Queen of the South v Partick Thistle". www.bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 13 October 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2019.
  10. ^ "Betfred Cup Results". www.spfl.co.uk. SPFL. 20 July 2019. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  11. ^ "Partick Thistle v Greenock Morton". www.bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 14 November 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  12. ^ "Partick Thistle 2020/2021 player appearances". Soccerbase. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  13. ^ "The Rules of the Scottish Professional Football League" (PDF). SPFL. pp. 38–39. Retrieved 20 October 2019.
  14. ^ "Scottish League One 2020/21". worldfootball.net. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  15. ^ "Summary - League Cup Group G". Soccerway. Retrieved 14 November 2020.
  16. ^ "Format". SPFL. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 15 June 2017.
  17. ^ "Partick Thistle: Ross Docherty signs from Ayr as six players agree extensions". BBC Sport. BBC. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  18. ^ "Foster Signs one year deal at Firhill". ptfc.co.uk. Partick Thistle FC. 20 July 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  19. ^ a b c d "Summer Signings". SPFL. spfl.co.uk. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  20. ^ "Motherwell sign experienced goalkeeper Scott Fox". bbc.co.uk/sport. BBC Sport. 22 June 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  21. ^ "Player Update – 4th July 2020". ptfc.co.uk. Partick Thistle. 4 July 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  22. ^ "STRIKER ALEX JONES JOINS NORTHAMPTON TOWN". ntfc.co.uk. Northampton Town FC. 2 March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  23. ^ "Hamilton Accies hero Darian MacKinnon makes shock switch to seventh tier Drumchapel". dailyrecord.co.uk. Daily Record. 5 July 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  24. ^ "Steven Saunders calls time on career aged 29 as former Scotland cap gets ready for white-collar life". dailyrecord.co.uk. Daily Record. 16 August 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  25. ^ "New Signing – Tommy Robson". queensparkfc.co.uk. Queens Park FC. 27 August 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  26. ^ "Lewis Mansell leaves the club". ptfc.co.uk. Partick Thistle FC. 22 October 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  27. ^ "Mansell joins the reds". accringtonstanley.co.uk. Accrington Stanley FC. 6 November 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  28. ^ a b "Rhys Breen & Kieran Wright join Partick Thistle on loan". rangers.co.uk. Rangers FC. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  29. ^ "Livingston striker Salim Kouider-Aissa signs one-year loan deal with Partick Thistle". glasgowtimes.co.uk. Glasgow Times. 16 September 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  30. ^ "Declan Glass joins on season-long loan". ptfc.co.uk/. Partick Thistle FC. 24 September 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  31. ^ "Ross County midfielder Blair Spittal goes on loan to Partick Thistle". ross-shirejournal.co.uk. Ross-shire Journal. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  32. ^ "Andy Geggan joins on loan". ptfc.co.uk. Partick Thistle FC. 8 March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  33. ^ a b "Steven Bell and Chris Erksine join on loan". ptfc.co.uk. Partick Thistle FC. 12 March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  34. ^ "Yusuf Hussain and Ross MacIver depart Motherwell until the summer". motherwelltimes.co.uk. Motherwell Times. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2021.
  35. ^ "Scott Tiffoney joins on loan for the rest of the season". ptfc.co.uk. Partick Thistle FC. 23 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
  36. ^ "Loan Signing: Dean Watson". annanathleticfc.com. Annan Athletic FC. 8 January 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.