The Story of 1901-02 Added To The Site

The story of Partick Thistle’s 1901-02 season has now been published on this site. Read the full review of the 1901-02 season here.

Season 1901-02 in the Second Division began with concerted efforts to reduce the players’ wage bill which had been unsustainable the previous season in the First Division, and was even more untenable following relegation at the end of the previous season.

Several high profile players, including Tom Atherton and David Proudfoot, had left the club, and the squad had been pared back to a much smaller number.

With wholesale changes made to the forward line, early league results were inconsistent, and Thistle were always chasing Port Glasgow Athletic, who set the early pace at the top of the league.

Indeed, it wasn’t until the turn of the year, with Port Glasgow almost out of reach at the top of the league, and Thistle knocked out of the Scottish Cup by Kilmarnock, that Thistle at last went on a consistent run, winning nine games in a row. That good run coincided with young Alexander McAllister of Bearsden becoming Thistle’s regular centre forward.

The winning run was too late to catch Port Glasgow, who won the Second Division title. However, off the pitch Thistle President William Ward had been lobbying First Division clubs with a vision of an expanded top division. The proposal was successful at the Scottish League AGM, and Thistle were rewarded with promotion.

The next season would see Thistle back in the top flight of Scottish football.

Read the full review of the 1901-02 season here.