Chris Erskine admits he was taken aback by the news he is to be inducted into Partick Thistle’s Hall of Fame next month, and can’t believe he will now be in the same company of legendary figures like John Lambie and Bertie Auld.
The Jags hero, who hails from East Kilbride, made almost 300 appearances for the Maryhill side during three spells and netted 56 goals, many of them outstanding finishes. He also led the club to the First Division title in 2013 and played regularly in the top flight.
And the club has now announced Erskine will become the latest inductee at a special dinner on Friday, April 22 at Firhill.
Erskine revealed club legend Gerry Britton delivered the news to him and he was left speechless as the accolade sunk in.
The 35-year-old, who also played for his hometown team East Kilbride and Dundee United during his career, which is currently on hold as he undergoes a training course to join the fire service, said: “I’m absolutely delighted with it.
“Gerry phoned me about it and I must have seemed really ungrateful at first because I was a bit taken aback by it and didn’t really say anything.
“I was a wee bit shocked but I’m over the moon with it.
“For me, that’s the greatest recognition you can get as a player so it’s great.
“When you look at who is there already, John Lambie, Chic Charnley, Bertie Auld and guys like that, it’s unbelievable.
“I’ve always thought the Hall of Fame is about guys who are part of the fabric of the club, so to be recognised alongside guys like that and guys who have got stands named after them at Firhill and things like that, it’s just amazing to be in their company.”
Erskine made a brief return to Partick last season on loan from East Kilbride when the Lowland League season was called early amid the pandemic.
However, that was short-lived as a hamstring injury after two games ended his season. And Erskine, who returned to EK and played there until the fire service came calling at Christmas last year, says that the Hall of Fame night will allow him to go down in history with the club he loves.
He added: “It was good I got to go back there last season because the way I left the club when Gary Caldwell was in charge a few years ago wasn’t the way I wanted to leave Thistle.
“So I was looking forward to going back there and finishing on a positive note, but then I ruptured my hamstring and that was a bad end to my association with the club.
“I guess after all that, the Hall of Fame means my association with the club will never end.”
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