Update from the Board – 7 August 2026

Friday 7th August, 2026 at 5:00pm

The start of a season always brings a mix of excitement and optimism. And, as we go into our first Championship home match of the 2026/27 campaign, we all know there’s plenty of reason to feel that way.

In the 75 days since we came so close to promotion, we’ve not stood still. Mark Wilson, Ian Baraclough, Alex Rae, and Lee Turnbull wasted no time putting their summer recruitment – and retention – plans into action.

Sitting here now, we have a strong squad. Performances and progression in the Premier Sports Cup are an early measure, with a trip to face Hibernian to look forward to. And our opening-day win at Morton showed resilience and perseverance, which are vital throughout a Championship season.

That squad has, of course, been enhanced further by the return of Ben Stanway. Our model is clear: to produce outstanding young talent, give them a platform, and then put it in their hands to take in their careers. Ben has undoubtedly done that, and we know that another season in our midfield will only continue to enhance his prospects.

But for the positivity to continue on the pitch, we are well aware of our role as a Board in ensuring we give the best possible foundations for success, and continue to strive to pull us all in that direction.

In a similar vein to on the pitch, that same drive has been put into achieving that over the summer.

Season Ticket sales for June and July were up 13% year-on-year, and at the time of writing this on Tuesday night, we’re confident we will beat last season’s 2,825, and also breach the 3,000 mark in the coming weeks. Our Jags for Generations scheme has also grown by 26%, with at least 725 of you having signed up, and our 71 Club has increased in capacity and is now full.

At our two play-off home matches, we sold 6,719 and 6,833 home tickets respectively, and a third of those went to supporters who came to just one of the two games. That is a clear demonstration to us of the fanbase that is there, and we can all encourage them to come every fortnight.

There is also physical evidence of the work. The City End required significant clearance work to remove a buildup of earth and rubble that was putting pressure on the wall along McParland Way. Thanks to Neil Callander, behind the hill has now been restored to the way many of you will remember when walking to your place on the terrace in the past.

At our training facility at Petershill, a significant investment has been made in the gym, ensuring our players have access to the best possible facilities to help them stay in peak physical condition.

Our new Club Store opens today, as part of our new partnerships with Macron and KitKing. This has opened a little later than we might all have hoped, but for good reason, as we’ve significantly increased the size of the store. We hope you’ll all get to have a look soon, and enjoy the variety and quality of products which will continue to evolve across the partnership.

We’ve also just signed off on our Home and Away kits for 2027/28. Yes, signed off before a league ball was kicked at home in 2026/27(!). And we’ll be launching a fan consultation shortly over the design for our Third kit.

We are also hugely grateful to our sponsors, old and new, who play a big part in ensuring we are competitive. And we are delighted to have announced WrightKerr All Trades’ extended commitment to the club, having also signed to become our new stadium naming rights partner for the next three seasons.

For various reasons, there have been limited staff resources over the summer, and we thank all of you for your patience with that, and also want to thank Graham McRoberts and his team for their efforts.

As a Board, we’ve also taken positive steps. The additions of Sandy Fyfe and Craig Liddell have strengthened both our numbers and our skillset, with both making a big impact alongside their Board colleagues. We are also eagerly awaiting the result of the PTFC Trust’s elections for a new Fan Representative Director to join us, alongside Alistair Gray.

The Strategic Vision which was discussed late last year is also now being implemented, with a formal public launch of our five-year plan to follow shortly. Through our strategy, we aim not only to ensure the long-term health of our club, but also to drive its growth potential.

In every club and every fanbase, there are often contrasting opinions on what the best way forward is. We are looking forward to explaining our ambitious, forward-looking Strategic Vision in greater detail, and to getting us all as a collective behind realising that vision. And, of course, the democratic process of being able to stand for the vacant Fan Representative Director gives you the chance to come on board and positively influence that strategy.

And all this brings us back to the vital role you play in Partick Thistle’s success and prosperity. As fans, you show your support through attending, buying retail items, or simply spreading the good word of your club. But it’s also yours on a far deeper level as a fan-owned club.

The Jags Foundation are sitting at over 1,950 pledging members, and we encourage all supporters to consider making a regular contribution and becoming part of it. It’s your club – and you can play a direct role in how it is protected, and how it can grow.

There are also some thanks due to the fans who have played a big role this summer, and will continue to do so. To Graham Wilson and Darren Nichol for their help at Petershill. And to all the volunteers who helped prepare Firhill for the new season.

Whatever 2026/27 has in store, let’s all make sure we play our part in making it the best possible. Here’s to a season of new memories made, and taking more steps towards making our club the very best it can be.

The Board of Partick Thistle Football Club

Sandy Fyfe, Alistair Gray, Craig Liddell, Caroline Mackie, Donald McClymont, Grant Russell.