Davie was the man behind Jags’ band of brothers
Davie Mcparland was one of the nicest men in football – but he was also one of the most determined. He managed Partick Thistle to their mostfamous victory — thrashing Celtic 4-1 in the 1971 League Cup Final.
Mcparland, who passed away at the age of 83 last weekend, took over as Jags’ boss after their relegation in 1970.
He’d previously played nearly 600 times for the club, and then coached the reserve side.
Ronnie Glavin was one of the young players he promoted to the top team, and meeting Mcparland was a life-changing experience.
Ronnie recalled: “Thistle had a scout called Jimmy Dickie. He found the young players and Davie coached them.
“I signed at 16, and he was like a father to me and the others who arrived at Firhill.
“Davie educated us in football and taught us to be good people. In many ways, he was a visionary as a coach.
“When he became the first-team manager, he promoted all the young lads.
“We ran away with the Second Division title, and the next season we won the League Cup. “We had enthusiasm, pace, power and a hunger that Davie gave us.
“He could be hard, but in the right way. “I went on to have success at other clubs, including working with Jock Stein at Celtic. “But Davie was as good as anyone.” Partick Thistle are an outfit that has always lived in the shadow of Rangers and Celtic, but Davie managed to make his young charges share his love for the club.
Ronnie went on: “As a kid, I was a big Celtic fan. When I signed for Thistle, everyone thought I wouldn’t be too bothered about beating Celtic.
“It was all about the Old Firm rivalry that Glasgow is famous for. “When we went to Celtic Park and Ibrox, the home fans expected they would batter us. “I didn’t like that, and it made me more determined to show we were a match for them.
“I developed an attitude where I just didn’t care who we were playing. I was determined to win, regardless of the opposition.
“Davie built that into us. Thistle were his team and he expected us to win.
“It was amazing that so many players he developed went on to become full internationalists. The squad was filled with a fabulous group of lads. We were like brothers.
“Before the League Cup Final against Celtic, 30 journalists were asked who they thought would win, and only one picked Thistle.
“One was particularly disparaging, and Davie had that article pinned up on the dressingroom wall. We used that as inspiration.”
Another of Davie’s qualities was his patience, which was often needed with the high jinks that went on around Firhill.
Ronnie, now 67, went on to be a successful Celtic player and a Barnsley legend, but he regards his time at Thistle as the happiest of life. He said: “On Hogmanay night, 1972, we were taken to a hotel to prepare for facing Rangers.
“There was a lot of noise from parties, and we weren’t sure how easy it would be to sleep.
“Jackie Husband told us that he had sleeping tablets if anyone needed them.
“I was told they were great – just take one and you’d go out like a light.
“I asked when I should take it, and Donnie Mckinnon told me to swallow it there and then. “We were half-way through the main course of our meal when I started to feel really strange.
“I fell off my chair and Davie was shouting over: ‘What’s wrong with him?’.
“Instead of carrying me out, the lads dragged me across the floor. I could see it all happening in slow motion, but I couldn’t do anything about it.
“The next day I was sent off for the one and only time of my career as we lost 1-0 to Rangers.
“I’ve never touched a sleeping tablet since!”