Ian now thinks he may have dodged a bullet at Firhill!
IAN MAXWELL always wanted to be a football manager.
So he will never forget the day the Partick Thistle board told him he didn’t have a future in the dugout, but in an office at Firhill.
Fast forward five-and-a-half years, and Maxwell is now the club’s managing director and was recently voted on to the SPFL Board to become one of the movers and shakers in the Scottish game.
Having played his part in the Jags’ rise in the past three years to become an established top-flight outfit, Ian reflects that he may have dodged a bullet.
The 41- year- old former St Mirren defender said: “I saw a stat recently which said that 50% of managers who lose their first job don’t get another one.
“So, it kind of makes you think that being involved in another capacity at a football club offers more security.
“I signed for Thistle in 2008 as a player. Ian McCall was the manager and Gerry Britton was his assistant.
“Gerry left to concentrate on being a lawyer and Davie Irons replaced him. I then became Ian’s assistant when I was looking at a career beyond playing.
“When Ian resigned in in 2011, I thought I’d get a crack at the manager’s job. But the board offered it to Jackie McNamara, who was still a player at the time, while I was asked to move into the business side of the club.
“At the time, I admit I wasn’t happy. But with hindsight, it was the right thing for all concerned.
“I’ve a degree in Civil Engineering, and started working an afternoon here and there looking after small projects. It gave me an option for when I stopped playing.
“I was also involved with Davie Moyes’ brother, Kenny, helping him with his sports tours company and finding out a bit about business. So that gave me a bit of grounding and Thistle clearly identified something in me.
“I threw my heart and soul into the job. I started looking after the kit, buses, selling advertising boards, pre-match meals and other things away from the administration. It’s really grown from there.
“I’m now the MD, and it has worked out really well and given me an opportunity for a totally different career path.
“Being on the SPFL board is great for the profile of the club and me personally.
“I think it’s important to have representation from one of ourselves, Kilmarnock, Motherwell, clubs of that size.
“Listen, I’m not going to revolutionise Scottish football.
“But it doesn’t do any harm to have a different set of eyes and ears looking at things and coming up with suggestions.
It’s good to be on the inside of it all.”
One job Maxwell expects to have in the not- too- distant future is dealing with interest in Alan Archibald. The 38-year-old has been brilliant since he took over from McNamara three-and-ahalf years ago, and is now the longestserving manager in the Premiership.
Maxwell said: “Jackie was a hard man to replace when he left for Dundee United. Alan took over and got it going very quickly.
“He built on the excellent foundations put down by Jackie and Simon Donnelly, and also made us defensively a bit sounder. We won promotion to the Premier as a result.
“What I like most about him is that he’s honest, whether he is speaking to the players, the media or at a board meeting. He doesn’t put spin on anything. He is very straight.
“We were just a goal away from the top six last season. Alan has done a wonderful job and doesn’t get the praise he deserves.
“Alan’s signing record is good as well, and he is very thorough. He is under the radar a wee bit, but I think we’ll do well
this season and I don’t think it will be long before a bigger club comes along and says: ‘ We quite fancy him’.
“Listen, at this level everyone wants to move on eventually. We are realistic and know this is a stepping stone.
“The same applies to our MD, to our physio, our scouts and our Academy staff. You want to work at the highest level possible.
“I’m in no rush to leave. We have plenty to achieve and many ways to progress the club.”
Thistle have recruited well this summer, but still want to add at least one more player before the window closes at the end of the month.
Maxwell said :“We know how important recruitment is, and we now have a guy down south working fulltime for us. He knows the market down there and has great contacts.
“When you are trying to sign a player and the wages on offer elsewhere are very similar, you do whatever you can to give yourself an edge.
“We know footballers talk, and we want players to say that this is a good set-up so that they will want to come here.”