Ex-Northern Ireland boss takes up landmark role with Scottish club
Partick Thistle have appointed former Motherwell and Northern Ireland manager Ian Baraclough as their first sporting director.
Baraclough will begin work immediately as Thistle bid to make the William Hill Premiership play-offs for a third consecutive season.
The club last week confirmed that the interim management team of Brian Graham and Mark Wilson would remain in position until the end of the season. Thistle revealed that Baraclough had emerged from a field of more than 100 applicants.
The 54-year-old previously managed Scunthorpe and Sligo Rovers - who he led to the League of Ireland title - before a brief spell at Fir Park in 2015. The highlight was beating Rangers 6-1 on aggregate in the Premiership play-off finals but he also signed Marvin Johnson and Louis Moult in conjunction with his head scout Gary Owers, who was recruited from Thistle. Both players were sold for significant profits.
Baraclough had a spell as head coach of Northern Ireland Under-21s before stepping up to the senior role in 2020, staying in the position for just over two years. He was recently director of football with Fylde.
Thistle chairman Richard Beastall said: "We believe that the appointment of someone who has managed at an international level demonstrates our ambition and commitment to delivering our stated strategic ambition of becoming a sustainable Premiership club. Ian impressed us during the thorough process we undertook to identify someone with the skills and experience required to ensure our football operations are designed to bring long-term value to the club, whilst demonstrating that he will be a natural cultural fit.”