From The Other Side
Craig Anderson spoke to Partick Thistle’s summer signing Scott Chaplain ahead of tomorrow’s eagerly anticipated derby match in the IRN-BRU First Division…
Clyde v Partick Thistle (3/11/2007)
SCOTT CHAPLAIN reckons Clyde will be a different outfit to the one he faced in August – but he reckons Partick Thistle will be better equipped as well.
The Partick Thistle midfielder has netted only once this season, in that 4-0 defeat at Firhill, but reckons a much tougher Bully Wee will be lying in wait for them. Chaplain said: “It’s fair to say both sides have had a pretty similar start to the season with new managers coming in and new players arriving. There’s no doubt that Clyde will remember what happened a couple of months ago and they will want to put that right.
“As the season has gone on, like us, the new players will have built understandings with their team-mates and I think both sides will be stronger for it.”
Clyde host their former landlords at Broadwood and while Partick are a point ahead of Colin Hendry’s side, they are still searching for their first away win of the season. In fact their only point on their travels came on the opening day of the campaign when they drew 1-1 at Stirling Albion.
Old rivalries will be resumed as Ian McCall’s side faced their one-time Glasgow adversaries and it’s a derby that Chaplain has been made all too aware of. He said: “I know a couple of Clyde fans and they’ve told me all about the rivalry between the clubs from years gone by. I was told about the competitive edge to these games and I was glad to experience it when we played each other in August.
“Scoring in the game was a bonus for me, but I’m hoping I get a run in the team and hopefully add to that.”
Partick come into the game without a win in five league games and will be looking to get that win, a run that stretches back to the end of September. Since then they’ve only drawn two of their four games after that and McCall will be pushing for his side to notch their first win at Broadwood since Boxing Day in 1998.
But Chaplain is hoping the fans can take home a win over their old rivals again by Saturday teatime. He added: “The game with Clyde in August was probably our best performance of the season so far and it would be great to get that again. But we know they will be ready for this time and after the draw with St Johnstone last week, it will give them belief that they can start on a decent run.
“I’m hoping to be involved myself as I’ve enjoyed playing at Clyde when I’ve visited with Ayr and Albion Rovers in the past. The park along with the atmosphere can make it a memorable place to play so, from our point of view, a win at Broadwood would give our fans something to cheer about.”
Clyde have been the dominant side in the last couple of years, going unbeaten in all four matches against the Jags last season, with two wins and two draws.
Whoever wins on Saturday, though, will have the bragging rights until these sides meet again in early 2008.