Beattie willing to consider fan offers for Partick Thistle

Partick Thistle chairman David Beattie has promised he and his fellow board members will consider an anticipated offer to bring fan ownership to the club.

Thistle have moved quickly to provide stability on the park by bringing former managers Ian McCall and Alan Archibald back to Firhill.

McCall has returned as manager after leaving Ayr with Archibald and Neil Scally as his assistants after Gary Caldwell was sacked last week.

But uncertainty remains off the park with a potential takeover from New City Capital, a company run by Barnsley chairman Chien Lee, being looked at by the Scottish Football Association.

Beattie met with several fans' groups last week, including Forever Thistle, which was recently launched to provide a platform for a community buyout after Beattie and his allies ousted the previous board in the summer with a view to selling their shares to Lee.

Beattie said: "It was a very productive meeting and Forever Thistle may be putting in a different proposal to take fan ownership.

"We as directors of the club only have one concern, and that's the sustainability of Partick Thistle Football Club. So whatever deal comes out we are going to consider, and if we think it's for the benefit of the football club, we are going to take it.

"It would be rude of us if the fans wanted a potential deal from their side not to consider that.

"I haven't seen any detail yet, so there is no proposal on the desk, I have just had an indication that they think they are going to put a deal together.''

Talks are continuing over Lee's takeover bid.

"We have put a letter in about the dual interest in to the SFA,'' Beattie said. "The SFA have quite rightly asked for some more detail and that's where we are. We are in the process of putting more detail in.

"I think it's done on a case-by-case basis with the SFA. There's no right or wrong, they will look at it in the wider context of what's good for Scottish football, and I think that's correct.

"It's not just dual interest in Scotland, they have to consider whether it's dual interest in England, and they have just sold Nice Football Club, so I'm sure there have been a number of hours spent on it."

Beattie was chairman during McCall's previous stint in charge and he made the 54-year-old his prime target.

"He's sitting near the top of the Championship with a smaller budget than our club can offer him,'' Beattie said.

"But more importantly Ian knows the club and has a feel for the club. The fact he has brought Alan Archibald is massive and just to add more fuel to the fire he has brought Neil Scally as well. So we are absolutely delighted."

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