This article first appeared in the Thistle matchday-programme on Saturday 22nd November
In the days before we had undersoil heating, “Firhill in the Snow” used to spell disaster for Jags fans hoping to make it along to a festive fixture.
Now, it’s the name of a beautiful illustration by local architectural artist Ian Tyldesley that features on the front of The Jags Foundation’s beautiful new Christmas cards (available to buy in packs of five or ten from the TJF members’ shop).
From his home studio in Bishopbriggs, we caught up with Ian to hear how the project came about.
What was the inspiration for the design?
Eagle-eyed Thistle fans will spot that it’s not completely new. It’s an adaptation of a drawing I made of the front of Firhill Stadium towards the end of 2022.
I had always thought there would be potential for it to raise money to support the Club – in fact The Jags Foundation sold quite a few copies of it and did just that. Now that Christmas is just around the corner I’ve given it a bit of a makeover and it’s got a new lease of life as a festive fund-raiser.
Your original drawing featured a big red and yellow sun shining over Firhill.
How did you adapt it to capture the chilly excitement of a winter's night?
I’d been thinking for some time about adapting the design so I could turn it into a Christmas card. And then out of the blue I got a call from TJF, who’d had the exact same idea. They explained that part of their mission is to regularly have ideas in the pipeline that raise funds for Thistle – in fact they said they had recently passed the half a million pounds mark. Impressive!
We chatted about the creative changes I could make to the image. Adding dollops of snow and a jolly wreath to the front door were obvious tweaks. But the new design really started to come alive when I swapped out the original red and yellow sun for a midnight blue sky, full of twinkling stars and even a little Santa.
What's in his sack?
Ha ha! I don’t know. Promotion to the Premiership maybe? Or even just an away win at Stark’s Park.
Good knowledge! So you follow Thistle then?
I do, yes, although I lived in Manchester for many years… Man City were and still are the first team whose results I look for, and I go and see them whenever I can.
I’ve followed them from the good old days at Maine Road to the glory days at the Etihad.
Firhill vs The Etihad! How do they compare?
Well obviously The Etihad is a remarkable stadium that embodies the grandeur and ambition of modern football, to say nothing of the vast sums of money sloshing around in the game nowadays. But there is something wonderfully evocative about Firhill Stadium. It has an elegance about it. Faded in parts, perhaps, but nonetheless rather special.
As a venue it has touched hundreds of thousands of Thistle fans over the years and I hope I don’t come across as daft when I say I could almost feel those vibes as I was drawing it. The hopes and dreams of bygone fans, and today’s, and tomorrow’s, guiding my pen.
How to get your Firhill in the Snow cards
Jags Foundation members can buy “Firhill In The Snow” by visiting the online shop. They’re priced at £10 for five or £15 for ten, so the more you buy the more you save!
Stock up now in the knowledge that you’ll be raising funds for Thistle this festive season!
Not yet a member? Sign-up today and be part of our Red and Yellow Army!