DURING the years Gerry Britton juggled being a coach at Partick Thistle with his law training he always insisted that a busy life was a happy one.
He put forward this argument once at a press briefing when he revealed his favourite television programme as a youth, tellingly, was Petroceli who was someone Firhill’s finest (only) defence lawyer felt was a kindred spirit.
As Britton said: “I’d be there, one brick at a time.” For those who watched the show in the 1970s, you will get the reference.
Back then, his life was planned out. After football, he would become a star in court. This was always his ambition and he got there.
However, it's not easy to forget a first love and he returned to Thistle, firstly as head of the youth academy and now, following Ian Maxwell’s promotion to the SFA, the King of Spain, as he is known to the supporters, is running the show at Firhill as chief executive along with new chairman – her choice of word – Jacqui Low.
“The type of person I am is never to do things by half,” said Britton. “When the opportunity came up to move into this role, I had to think long and hard about it given the passion I have for the academy.
“After considering everything, I felt this was the right thing both for me, for the club and for the academy as well. I also know we have someone in there running the academy in Scott Allison who has put in the hours and will be great.
“I will still have an involvement which will be more a personal than a personal involvement.
“That is just the way the club is functioning. A big part of this club going forward is about youth development. Every director and staff member at this club takes an interest in the academy and that won’t change."
Ask anyone who played with Britton and they will tell you he is the funniest team-mate they ever had. Also, that he was daft but without question the brains of every dressing room; hence those years doing a proper job.
“They would be very surprised to see me in this role,” the man himself admitted. “Throughout my career, when I became a manager and when I became a lawyer and even into the academy, there would have been people surprised who knew me 35 years ago.
“Leading up the academy is the only job I would have left law for. I had been offered a number of roles to come back into football and I wasn’t interested. But the challenge to set up the academy is something I’ve loved. This is a club which pulls you in.
“Everyone who gets involved with it will say the same. People have planned to stay for one year and ten years later they are still here.
“I think it was 1993 when I first signed and it’s been a long journey, but getting this opportunity makes every morning like Christmas morning for me. I have been fortunate that every role I have had has never felt like work.”
Britton was “thrilled” when Low accepted the offer to become chairman and the two have struck up a close relationship which can only be a good thing for Maryhill’s finest.
Britton said: “I was really keen to come out of my comfort zone. I gave it a lot of consideration, I love this club and I have had every role going.
“So, to get the opportunity to take up this role really excited me especially given the starting point of this season where the challenge is to take the club back into the Premiership in one go.
"We have the best person at the helm of the football department to do that."
Thistle in fact have the best people.
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