Partick Thistle’s search for a sporting director is expected to be concluded next week.
The William Hill Championship club originally received around 100 applications for the newly created position, and that group was whittled down to 12 for the first interview stage.
That first round of interviews took place at Firhill on Thursday and Friday of last week, where the list of prospective candidates was cut to a final five. The quintet hail from Scotland, England and Northern Ireland.
A second round of interviews will take place before the end of the week, and a final decision from the club board will be made and announced next week.
Brian Graham and Mark Wilson are leading the men’s team on an interim basis after Kris Doolan was relieved of his duties last month, and will remain in post until the end of March at least. Thistle are unbeaten in the four games under the pair’s guidance.
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In a club statement released two weeks ago, chairman Richard Beastall explained why the search for a sporting director has taken precedence over finding a new head coach.
“We remain committed to recruiting a sporting director to lead our long-term vision of becoming an established Premiership club who develop our own talent,” he said.
“We are making this hire our priority and we are able to focus on this thanks to the positive impact Brian and Mark have had on the first team squad over the last two games. In highlighting the improvement in performances, it would be remiss of me not to thank both Craig Dargo, our head of youth academy, and Ross Stormonth, the assistant manager of Partick Thistle Women’s Team who have also taken on additional duties.
“We want to continue to support everyone’s efforts to attain a playoff position for the fourth season in a row as well as build a solid and sustainable future for our club.”
Meanwhile, there is a new face on the Thistle board following last night’s appointment of Grant Stupart, subject to Scottish FA approval.
A club statement explained that Stupart has ‘experience in senior roles within privately owned international logistics businesses, as well as running several businesses of his own, is expected to serve a term of office until at least the next Annual General Meeting of the club’.
“I am taking on this directorship as I believe that I can add value at various levels of the club,” Stupart told the club’s website. “Part of this role will be on a ‘hands on’ basis and I am looking forward to working with our partners.
“I first came to our Firhill home in the sixties with my dad, William. There is a seat in the ground that bears his name to this day, and he would be proud of me becoming a director of the club he loved.”
