And the stars will be out in force for his Testimonial
It's Jim Thomson's 'big day' on Sunday 18th July! His Testimonial Match to honour over ten years loyal service at Queen of the South.
The opposition that afternoon will be Rangers and Walter Smith has already indicated that he'll be bringing his full first team squad to Palmerston for the game.
Jim and the Ranger's manager go back a long way and JT himself explains, "When I was a player at Clyde back in the early '90s, Walter's son was a team-mate of mine and he used to come along regularly to watch him play.
"I got to know Walter quite well and I was naturally delighted when he agreed to bring his Rangers side down to Dumfries.
"It will be their first real match of the new season and no doubt they'll be a few new faces in his squad.
"Two days later they'll be flying out to Australia to continue their build-up for the season ahead but I appreciate them fitting in the fixture for my big game".
Jim first signed for Queens on New Year's Day 1997 and (apart from a two year break at Arbroath) he's been a Queens' player ever since.
During his time at Palmerston he's chalked up 358 first team appearances so no wonder he now deems himself a 'naturalised Doonhamer'.
He is still very much involved with the club itself and not only serves as Under-19 coach but is in charge of the Community Schools coaching as well.
Close on 2000 Rangers' fans are expected and they'll be housed in the East Stand. The Police have ruled that the match will be 'all ticket'.
Bill Goldie
27.06.10
Season review - Part 4
Part Four - October
The reign at the top lasted just a single week as bogey side Morton arrived at Palmerston and, as usual, departed with all three points again. The game finished 3-2 but was in reality nowhere near as close as that scoreline suggests. Brian Graham opened the scoring early on for the visitors before Dennis Wyness was unlucky to see an effort cleared off the line. However, it proved to be a rare Queens attack as Peter Weatherson and then Allan Jenkins extended the Morton lead. Stewart Kean came on as sub and livened us up considerably, grabbing a consolation with five minutes to play before Barry Wilson scored another in the last minute and almost bagged an injury time equaliser we certainly wouldn't have deserved. It would prove however to be Wilson's last start for us. The match was also notable for being the final fixture (presumably) of Jim Thomson's Queen of the South career. Although predominantly u19's coach this season, JT had a playing contract. He never kicked a ball for the first team in the whole season but did sit on the bench as an unused substitute on four occasions when injuries elsewhere meant he was needed. This proved to be the last such occasion.
Wilson nets in the last minute of his last start for Queens
A week later though in this topsy-turvy season, Queens returned to the top of the table following a superb 3-1 win at eventual champions Inverness Caledonian Thistle. Derek Holmes opened the scoring after just 35 seconds with a 25-yard half volley but the home side pummelled us for the rest of the half, scoring once through Johnny Hayes. We lost Marc McAusland and David Weatherston (whose hamstring went again 20 minutes into his comeback) to injury before substitute Willie McLaren turned the game on its head. The home defence couldn't cope with McLaren's skilful running and eventually cracked twice. It was Holmes who did the damage on both occasions, scoring the "perfect" hat-trick as he added a header and left foot shot to his earlier right footed effort.
In midweek Queens moved to address the problem of Ludovic Roy's long-term absence by signing up Mark McGeown on an amateur basis for the rest of the season. In fact he ultimately departed in January having received an offer to play elsewhere without ever getting on the field for us.
On Saturday we failed to score in a League game for the first time all season when Raith Rovers defeated us 1-0 at Starks Park. It was a poor game, which probably deserved to be a draw, but Johnny Russell broke clear to score a little against the run of play and drop us down to 5th after a week at the top.
Back at Palmerston Airdrie United were the next visitors and ultimately brushed aside fairly easily by 3-0. Gerry McLaughlan was a surprising starter ahead of McAusland and had a 'Man of the Match' performance as goals from Lilley, Kean and Wyness clinched the points and moved us back to 3rd behind leaders Dundee.
Captain Lilley celebrates his strike
A week later however we took over at the top again as Dundee were held by Dunfermline whilst we beat Ross County 2-0 at Palmerston. It was a cracking game in which County's keeper Michael McGovern was the busiest man on the pitch but he was beaten by Paul Burns and Stewart Kean.
Keano celebrates his goal as the ball hits the back of the net
We finished the month top of the table, ahead of Dundee on goal difference and two points clear of Raith Rovers and Ross County.
27.06.10
New website coming soon
With a failure of the present website hosting companies servers we have been forced into an early launch of our newly designed official website. Thanks to the efforts of Andy Cowan we will have a much more comprehensive website than before with the added advantage of being written and produced by fans for the fans.
There may be some teething trouble as we undertake this early launch but unfortunately we have been given little option but to press ahead and develop features on a live basis.
25.06.10
Mike Barker dies
A sad passing of a dedicated player
We're sad to report that former Queens' defender Mike Barker has passed away. He was 69.
Mike made his Queens' debut in September 1967 amd made 143 first team appearances. He spent five years at Palmerston and his final match was on February 1972.
His last visit to the ground was on March 2009 for the club's 90th anniversary celebrations.
Both Allan Ball and Billy Collings made the trip south for his funeral and also there were two other ex-Queens' stalwarts, George Siddle and Billy Roughley.
