Graham stands down as Partick Thistle Women boss
Partick Thistle have announced that Brian Graham is stepping down as the manager of their women's team - the morning after his men's team were beaten in the Scottish Premiership Play-off semi-final by Livingston.After Friday's second-leg defeat, Graham told BBC Scotland that, if he and interim co-manager Mark Wilson do not stay in their positions on a permanent basis, he is not sure if he can stay at the Championship club.The 37-year-old Graham was appointed boss of the Scottish Women's Premier League team in 2020 while the striker was continuing to play for the men's team - and added the men's management role when Kris Doolan left in February.Graham told Thistle's website: "I made the decision in January that this would be my last season in charge of the girls. I've loved every minute of it, but I felt it was the right time.
"I'm immensely proud of everything we have achieved as a club."Asked about his future with the men's team after Friday's 2-0 defeat in West Lothian, Graham had told BBC Scotland: "We were up for the job since day one. I knew stepping out that changing room, I couldn't go back to it."So, if I don't get the job, can I honestly be at the club? I don't know. "There's a lot of questions need to be asked. I've loved my time at the football club. I don't know what the future holds."Graham was full of praise for his players, who finished the season in fourth place but then defeated third-top Ayr United in their quarter-final play-off before losing 4-0 on aggregate to runners-up Livingston."We didn't do enough in the first leg," he said. "I thought we were probably the better side [in the second leg].The boys were a credit to the football club, the way they played."Co-manager Wilson admitted is also keen to take the manager's job at Firhill."A manager needs to be appointed and it's a big decision," he added.Graham will take charge of the women's team for the last time when they face Spartans at Ainslie Park on Sunday.During his time as manager, he has overseen promotion to the top flight and had two top-six finishes, reached the Scottish Cup semi-final and the Sky Sports Cup final.
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