Nobby had to clear up after sweeping against Honved
It’s 50 years since Partick Thistle’s 1971 League Cup triumph saw them take part in the UEFA Cup for the first time.
They travelled to play Honved of Hungary on September 13, 1972.
Playing overseas wasn’t that novel for the Jags’ players, but the formation they fielded was a new experience.
Defender Nobby Clark was deployed as a sweeper for the first time, a move that was hailed as a great success.
He recalled: “We had been abroad a couple of months earlier when we took part in the July Cup in Sweden.
“Manchester City were there and, with the English season starting later, they were there for a bit of a jolly, while we were getting pre-season training.
“Playing Honved in the UEFA Cup was something different.
“Celtic were thrilled to play Real Madrid last week but we were just as excited by our draw.
“We had been brought up with stories of the great Hungarian sides.
“It was only on the morning of the game that our manager, Davie McParland, took us to a pitch at the side of the stadium and came up with the idea of me playing sweeper.
“It was a real pleasure for me to have two great centre-backs in Donnie McKinnon and Hugh Strachan in front of me.
“I also had full-back, Bobby Gray, to my right
and Alex Forsyth to my left. I had a free role to pick up anything that got past them.
“Of course, I had the advantage of being able to play the ball back to Alan Rough for him to pick it up at that time.
“Unfortunately, we lost a goal just before halftime. Coming back with a 1-0 defeat was seen as a favourable result, but the tie might have been different if we could have kept a clean sheet.”
Nobby had excelled as sweeper in Europe but was, sadly, sweeping up again when he got home.
He said: “We were presented with a flask made of china by the Hungarians.
“Mine was smashed to smithereens when I got back home. Someone at the airport must have been throwing my suitcase about.
“We went to the pictures while we were in Budapest to see a cowboy film. I recall our striker
Colin Smith preparing to have a cigarette.
“He was besieged by locals before he could strike a match. The cinema was made of wood and they were anxious that nobody smoked.”
Thistle fielded a back-four in the second leg, knowing they had to score to progress.
It wasn’t to be. An early goal was conceded and Honved ran out 3-0 winners.
Nobby signed for the Jags in 1968 and made his league debut against Rangers on New Year’s Day, 1970. His only goal for the club came in a 1-1 draw at Ibrox exactly four years later.
He took part in the early rounds of the League Cup in 1971 as Thistle marched towards Hampden and a 4-1 victory against Celtic.
A bout of flu meant he lost his place in the side before that historic day.
He said: “We were out after the game and Davie McParland said to me that I’d likely have been in the side if I hadn’t contracted flu.
“But I told him I couldn’t be prouder of the team. Jackie Campbell and Hugh Strachan were brilliant in central defence. Jackie, especially, was an outstanding player. I had a great day cheering on Thistle.
“I was given a winner’s medal by Scot Symon and it’s a treasured memento.”
Nobby, now 72 and retired from a career in accountancy, moved to Queen of the South in 1975, becoming the only person to win promotion as player and manager with the Doonhamers.
He served as Stranraer manager for a short spell after leaving Queens in 1986.
Later, he spent almost 20 years compiling reports on opposition teams for the managers of, firstly, Motherwell and then Aberdeen.