Thistle have taken the next step towards the building of a fourth and final stand at Firhill by signing an agreement with developers Regency Homes to sell the South Terracing. The club have also received a deposit from the developers, which will allow them to go ahead with work to upgrade the PA and CCTV systems in the stadium, and build a new police control room etc.
However, as Chairman Brown McMaster explains, they will have to wait for Regency Homes to get detailed planning permission before they receive the full amount and consequently work on the new stand can go ahead, which could still be some way off.
He said: "We have concluded missives for the sale of the South Terracing to Regency Homes, and they have paid us a substantial non-refundable deposit, which will allow us to fund the entire cost of moving the Police Control Room to the north end of the JH Stand, along with new Fire Control and St. Andrew's Ambulance Control points.
"A new external Police Room will also be built at the North End of the JH Stand, while the Sound and CCTV Systems will also be upgraded and we will now put this work in hand as soon as possible. This means when the developers get planning permission they will be able to start their works right away.
"The deal is however, still dependent in Regency Homes receiving detailed planning consents, although outline consents are already in place and there shouldn't really be any problems getting full approvals. This is very good news but it may be some months before we receive the balance of our payment."
The prospect of the deal going through will be a boost to the club, as despite shedding a number of players to cut costs, McMaster admits they expect to make a loss by remaining full time next season.
He added: "We will have a full time squad of 18 as well as the young players in our Under 19 team. We have budgeted for a loss of £300,000 during the season, but although we are intent on winning promotion, the big problem with being in the Second Division is that it is at least two years away from the Premier League."
The selling of the Terracing means an end to terracing in Proffesional Football in Glasgow