Former Rangers midfielder Ian McCall has been handed the manager’s job at Partick Thistle as he looks to resurrect the struggling Glasgow side’s fortunes.
Formerly the manager of Ayr United, McCall had transformed the fortunes of the Honest Men and helped guide the once lowly Scottish side to 2nd place in the Championship.
Now he takes over the side hunkered in 10th with ambitions to first salvage Partick Thistle’s season before bringing them back to the Scottish Premiership.
“I’ve had a few hard decisions to make over the years but this is the toughest,” McCall told the Ayrshire Post [as quoted by the Daily Record].
“Ayr and their chairman Lachlan Cameron gave a chance to me when others wouldn’t. So I owe a huge debt of gratitude to him and the club.
“But I don’t think any supporter can accuse me of being disloyal.
“This is the fourth or fifth job that has come up for me in my time here.
“It got to the stage where I thought, ‘if I don’t take this job I never will’.
“Thistle are close to my heart, they’re in trouble and I want to help them get out of it.
“There will be provisions there to help them go and win the league.
“It won’t happen overnight, but in time that has to be the aim.”
McCall played for Rangers for two seasons in the late 1980s and played over 20 league games for the side.
Also turning out for Partick Thistle in his playing days, many Rangers fans will know Ian McCall from his time managing a variety of clubs around the country.
Clydebank, Morton, Airdrie, Falkirk, Dundee United, Queen of the South, Ayr United and Partick Thistle make up McCall’s C.V. in Scotland.
He returns to Partick Thistle as manager after spending four years managing the Firhill club between 2007 and 2011.
