‘He knows exactly what this club is all about’ - Partick legend Kris Doolan joins Thistle Weir Youth Academy after Ryan McCann departure

Partick Thistle have confirmed that club legend Kris Doolan has been appointed as the Thistle Weir Academy’s new Head of Youth Phase - replacing Ryan McCann who departed to take up a new career opportunity.

The Jags ‘Hall of Fame’ striker will take up his post immediately and will oversee the development of players in the Under-18 squad, helping to transition them towards manager Ian McCall’s first-team squad at Firhill.

The 36-year-old - a UEFA A licence holder - needs little introduction to Thistle fans after spending ten years at the club, working under four different managers and setting numerous club records throughout his 401 appearances, scoring 121 goals.

Since leaving Thistle in the summer of 2019, Doolan had spells at Ayr United and Arbroath before retiring from professional football to start his own coaching academy in Ayrshire. He has also spent time coaching in the SFA Elite Performance School , delivering sessions to some of the country’s top young talent within youth football.

Doolan is re-united with academy director Paul McDonald, who worked alongside the former number nine during his first steps into coaching almost 20 years ago at Kilmarnock.

Commenting on his appointment, Doolan said: “When the opportunity to return home to Firhill presented itself, it was one that I jumped at. Partick Thistle gave me countless happy memories as a player and I’m now looking to use the experiences I’ve had in red and yellow to help develop players within the Academy to become first team players for the Club. There is a proven player pathway at the Club which makes it a really enticing environment to work within.

“I’m incredibly excited to get started with the new role and to work with Paul McDonald again who gave me my first taste of coaching when I was a teenager in the Kilmarnock community department at Rugby Park. This role is one that has my full focus and as a result I will be scaling back my own Academy but it is a challenge I am really looking forward to.”

Academy Director, McDonald added: “When the Head of Youth Phase role became available, Kris was the first person I thought to bring to the Academy. As a Club Hall of Famer, he knows exactly what Partick Thistle is all about and his experience and skills will be a great asset to our Academy.

“Kris’ appointment is an exciting one for the Academy as we look to continue driving the club’s youth player development set-up. We’ll be celebrating a decade of the Thistle Weir Youth Academy later this year and Kris’ appointment adds to a fantastic group of coaches we have within the Academy as we go from strength to strength.”

The news comes just 24 hours after McCann left the role after a decade of service to the Thistle Weir Academy as a coach, administrator, Head of Professional Phase Coach and Head of Youth Phase. He played an important part in graduates Ben Stanway, Zander MacKenzie and Ji Stevenson’s transition to first-team football after the trio all signed modern apprenticeships in the last 12 months.

McCann told the club’s website: “I’ve really enjoyed every minute of my time at the Thistle Weir Youth Academy since joining in 2013. I leave the Academy with an incredibly heavy heart but a new career opportunity was offered to me and I felt it was time for a new challenge.

“During my time within the Academy I have played my small part in helping to develop players for the first team here at Firhill, alongside many other talented coaches who work within the Academy, including Head of Children’s Phase, Craig Mair, who I’ve shared an office, and many laughs with, over the course of my time at Firhill. I have also worked under three brilliant Academy Directors in Gerry Britton, Scott Allison and Paul McDonald who have all invested in me as a coach and I leave the Academy as a better coach than when I arrived in 2013.

McDonald, stated: “Ryan leaves with my deepest thanks for the hard work he has done since I arrived at the Club and I wish him well in his new opportunity which is an exciting one for Ryan. There is a very clear and established pathway for young players at this club.”