The Thistle Archive

Ronnie Glavin arrived at Firhill from Lochend Rovers and his first introduction to regular first team football was hardly in ideal circumstances. At the end of the 1969-70 season Thistle found themselves relegated from the First Division with the then 18 year old Glavin struggling to make a huge impact in what was naturally a poor Thistle team. He did, however, score the first of his 60+ Thistle goals that season netting in successive weeks against Motherwell and Dundee, although Thistle lost both of those fixtures.

The following season saw Davie McParland assume the role of Thistle manager and Glavin wasn't the only young star to flourish under his tutelage. Only East Fife presented any real challenge to Thistle's title aspirations that season but Partick still comfortably finished above them as they topped the division. Glavin's contribution, playing in just over half of Thistle's fixtures, was over double figures. There was even better just round the corner for Thistle. In October 1971 McParland's largely young team lifted the League Cup defeating Celtic 4-1. Glavin's role that afternoon was to snuff out the threat of Celtic's Jimmy Johnstone - a task he performed with great robustness.

One of the great disappointment's in Thistle's history is the fact that the side that won the League Cup started to break up almost immediately after lifting the trophy. Glavin though remained at Firhill for a number of seasons. He was Thistle's top scorer in season 1972-73 with 17 goals and topped the scoring charts the following season as well with 13 in all competitions. Rumours abounded though that Glavin would soon be on his way out of Firhill.

The mounting transfer speculation surrounding Glavin finally became something more tangible in November 1974. There was reported strong interest in Glavin from England, but when he did finally leave Firhill it was to a venue much closer to hand. After pulling on a Thistle jersey for the very last time at Aberdeen on 9 November he joined Celtic a few days later. The reported fee of £80,000 was then a Club record fee paid by Celtic. How times have changed in that respect. While at Parkhead, Glavin was able to add to the medals he won while a Partick Thistle player. He helped Celtic to the Premier Division title in 1977 and was also part of the Celtic side that lifted the Scottish Cup in 1975.

Despite over 200 appearances for Thistle, he appeared to come to the attention of Scotland for the very first time only as a Celtic player, for whilst at Firhill he was neither capped at full or under 23 level for Scotland. Nor did he get the opportunity to represent the Scottish League. While a Celtic player, however, he was capped for Scotland in a fixture with Sweden at Hampden Park in 1977. Lining up in the same side as a former Thistle team mate Alan Rough, Glavin played his part in Scotland's 3-1 win.

Before joining Celtic rumours had been strong that Glavin would leave Thistle to move south to England. In 1978 he did just that when he signed for Barnsley for a fee of £40,000. He proved to be a massive hit in Yorkshire and is still considered as something of a hero by the Barnsley fans. He twice helped Barnsley to promotion and in total he scored 92 times for them - a total that puts him high up in the list of their all time goal-scorers.

After leaving Barnsley he spent time in Portugal with Belenenses before returning to England to take up a player coach with old club Barnsley and a similar role with Stockport County, before a short spell with Cowdenbeath. Ronnie finished his playing career in the USA with St. Louis Streamers where he wrote a children's coaching manual "How to play Soccer".

He took his first steps into football management as boss of non-League Frickley Athletic in 1991 before moving to Emley in 1994. While boss at Emley he took them on a run in the 1998 FA Cup that took them all the way to the Third Round where they only lost narrowly at West Ham United. Glavin returned to Barnsley in 2003 as assistant manager before, in 2004 until 2006, becoming manager of Worksop Town.

1969 - GLASGOW CUP

1971 - SFL SECOND DIVISION

1971 - LEAGUE CUP

1972 - JULY CUP