The Thistle Archive

Alex Rae is a member of a very select group of people indeed. He has the honour of being one of only two men, in their role as captain of Partick Thistle, to lift a major trophy above their heads. Rae's moment of glory, as if any Thistle fan needed reminding, came around 4.45pm on the evening of 23 October 1971. That was the day that Thistle defied the odds to lift the League Cup defeating Celtic in the final. That memorable afternoon was still many years down the line when Rae's football career began in earnest when as a 16 year old outside-left he joined Renfrew Juniors in 1962. The young Rae clearly impressed while starring there and after a year with the junior side he stepped up to the senior ranks when he joined East Fife. Rae spent five years with East Fife before, in 1968, he moved to England when he signed for Bury for a reported £10,000 fee. He spent just one season with the Lancashire side and it was at this point that his association with Partick Thistle began.

Thistle were relegated at the end of the 1969-70 season and while Davie McParland had at his disposal a young talented squad of players it lacked experience. The acquisitions of Rae and Hugh Strachan were made with addressing that deficiency very much in mind. Rae's influence on McParland's young squad was almost immediately visible. He made his debut in a League Cup-tie against Stirling Albion in August 1970. A 3-2 success that afternoon assured Rae of a winning start at his new club. There were a few hiccups in the early portion of the season but once Thistle were off and running there was no stopping them. Rae's contribution towards their eventual Second Division championship winning season shouldn't be underestimated. He would play in 36 League and cup matches and score six goals.

Success in season 1970-71 though was just a prelude to the season, arguably the most memorable in Thistle's long history, which was just around the corner. In Thistle's first game back in the First Division Rangers were beaten 3-2 but it was Thistle's progress in the League Cup that really got the pulse rate racing. After a memorable quarter-final win against St Johnstone, Falkirk were brushed aside in the semi-final setting up a final date with Celtic. Celtic were as strong favourites for this game as it was possible to be, but it was Thistle's young stars that stole the show. It was one of the elder statesman, at just 25, that began the rout. A curling shot from Alex Rae ended up in the Celtic net after just ten minutes, then the afternoon just got better and better, and by half-time Thistle led 4-0. A second half Celtic goal was largely irrelevant and all that was left for Rae to do was lift the trophy.

Rae, in an internet interview some 30 years after the match, admitted that that afternoon had been a major experience for him: "I have to say that that game has changed my life to a certain extent. I have had so many people recognise me in the most unusual places as being the man who lifted the cup for Thistle". Although Rae's goal at Hampden in October 1971 would be his last as a Thistle player it was far from the end of his Thistle career. He missed just one game that whole season and while Thistle as a club didn't fulfil the promise that the League Cup brought, Rae played just short of 40 games the following season. Included in that total were Thistle's two against Honved during their brief European adventure. After this, Rae though would not be a Thistle player for much longer, for following a fall out with manager McParland it became clear that his future lay away from Firhill. Kilmarnock and East Fife vied for his services and with Rae's wife hailing from Fife he returned to his first senior club, East Fife. From there he moved to Cowdenbeath and then on to Forfar Athletic.

In total Rae spent six seasons with Forfar as firstly a player then player/coach before finally taking up the reigns of manager. During his spell as manager at Forfar he came close to be part of a result every bit as memorable as Thistle's League Cup win in 1971. The venue was once again Hampden Park, but this time it was a Scottish Cup semi-final date with Rangers. Not only did Forfar hold Rangers to a 0-0 draw before narrowly losing the replay they felt they should have been awarded a late penalty. After two seasons as manager at Forfar. Rae's career outside the game forced him to resign his position. He was out of the game for four years before taking up the role of reserve coach at Dundee. After leaving Dens Park he scouted for a variety of teams before departing the scene.