Goals Galore at Firhill!

Firhill Park, home to Partick Thistle has always been happy hunting ground for Ayr United and our first match there on 11th April 1914 was an excellent start with United recording a 3-0 win.

It wasn’t long before Thistle marked their home authority with a 2-0 victory on our visit there on 30th January 1915.

Despite some defeats, United kept up their success with two 3-1 away wins in consecutive seasons of 1917/18 and 1918/19.  Thistle redressed some balance with some good wins over the Honest men, but season 1928/29 proved to be a high scoring affair with United trooping off as 8-4 victors. Again Thistle fought back with 5-1, 7-0 and 6-2 wins over the next few seasons.  Ayr recorded a 3-2 win in season 1938/38, the last before the war years.

Thistle rekindled the high scoring encounters with a 5-1 win in 1956/57, 3-1 in 1959/60 and 4-1 in 1966/67 though United did manage a 3-3 draw in 1960/61.

Season 1969/70 saw United re-assert their position with a 3-1 league win a Christmas day league win in 1971/72 and again 1972/73. 

On 17th March 1973 Ayr United visited Firhill on Scottish Cup quarter final duty.  Ayr had been performing well during the season and national papers had forecast that Ayr, in current form, would give somebody a real good going over before long. The Ayr contingent in the 10,939 crowd could not have wished for a better day for that to happen. Things began badly when Thistle scored first, but something in their play told the Ayr crowd that this day was to be a special day. A Davie Wells free kick rebounded out of the busy Thistle goalmouth and Davie McCulloch drove the ball high and straight to equalise. Just before half time Davie struck again to put Ayr 2-1 up at halftime.

The halftime talk was about Ayr being on the threshold of their first ever cup semi final - but Ayr supporter negativity born from many previous disasters refused to accept it until it happened - if it happened. When George McLean slotted in a Johnny Graham cross those present wondered if Ayr's nerve would hold. Nerves erupted into uncontrolled joy when McLean put away a penalty nine minutes from time and the Honestmen were in wonderland when Johnny Doyle made it 5-1 in the last minute.

Ayr managed a nice 2-0 win at Firhill during their spell in the premier league on 4th September 1976.

Goalkeeper Alan Rough and Partick Thistle were again at the wrong end of a 5-1 drubbing by Ayr on 26th August 1981. This time it was the League Cup and Thistle were in the Premier League, Ayr in the first. This time Derek Frye was the hero scoring four against Scotland's 'keeper.

By 9th May 1998 Ayr and Thistle were involved in what was indeed the biggest game of the league seaso. Partick needed to win to stay up, Ayr needed only a draw. The scene was set for a battle royal and a 5 figure crowd packed into the ground. Ayr took 14 buses from Somerset alone and countless others made the journey by car. They were not disappointed. A mistake by the Partick defence let Ian Ferguson in for the opener and even though Evans pulled one back for the Jags, it was never going to be enough. Louie Donowa was replaced by Laurent D'jaffo and the French favourite made an instant impact ending a good move with a vicious shot on the turn which flew past Hamilton and into the net.

Great celebrations followed and they were completed in the final minute with a piece of individual brilliance from Billy Findlay. The midfielder embarked on a run from halfway, beating 3 players in the process, before curling a superb right foot shot high past Hamilton. The 3-1 win Ayr United sent the Somerset faithful dancing in the streets.

Thistle re-joined the First Division for season 2001/02 and an early 2-1 defeat at Firhill heralded the pattern for the season. The result was repeated in December.

The teams did not meet again until season 2005/06 when they were both in the 2nd division.  United lost 1-0 in the first match but came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 on 11th March 2006.

On 18th September 2007 the clubs met in a Challenge Cup quaretr final match at Somerset Park. It was 1-1 at full time but super striker Alex Williams struck a dramatic 120 minute late winner as United came from behind to reach the Challenge Cup semi finals