Brian Graham (footballer)

{{Infobox football biography

| name = Brian Graham

| image = Brian Graham - 1.jpg

| image_size = 200

| caption = Graham playing for Greenock Morton

| alt =

| fullname = Brian Graham{{cite web |url=https://www.efl.com/siteassets/efl-documents/efl-professional-retain-list--free-transfers---2017-18.pdf |page=73|title=EFL Released and Retained List 2017-18 |publisher=English Football League |access-date=18 July 2018}}

| height = 1.93m

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1987|11|23}}{{cite web |url=https://www.11v11.com/players/brian-graham-256054/ |title=Brian Graham|website=11v11.com |publisher=AFS Enterprises |access-date=21 July 2018}}

| birth_place = Glasgow, Scotland

| currentclub = Partick Thistle

| clubnumber = 9

| position = Striker

| youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = Hillington F.C.

| years1 = 2006–2011 | clubs1 = Greenock Morton | caps1 = 65 | goals1 = 10

| years2 = 2008–2009 | clubs2 = → East Stirlingshire (loan) | caps2 = 33 | goals2 = 15

| years3 = 2011–2013 | clubs3 = Raith Rovers | caps3 = 58 | goals3 = 29

| years4 = 2013–2015 | clubs4 = Dundee United | caps4 = 31 | goals4 = 6

| years5 = 2014–2015 | clubs5 = → St Johnstone (loan) | caps5 = 24 | goals5 = 9

| years6 = 2015–2016 | clubs6 = Ross County | caps6 = 24 | goals6 = 6

| years7 = 2016–2017 | clubs7 = Hibernian | caps7 = 28 | goals7 = 4

| years8 = 2017–2018 | clubs8 = Cheltenham Town | caps8 = 27 | goals8 = 5

| years9 = 2018–2020 | clubs9 = Ross County | caps9 = 48 | goals9 = 12

| years10 = 2020– | clubs10 = Partick Thistle | caps10 = 154| goals10 = 75

| manageryears1 = 2020–

| managerclubs1 = Partick Thistle W.F.C.

| manageryears2 = 2025–

| managerclubs2 = Partick Thistle (co-interim)

| club-update = 21:59, 25 April 2025 (UTC)

}}

Brian Graham (born 23 November 1987) is a Scottish football striker and coach, who plays for, and is currently the interim manager of {{Scottish football updater|PartickT}} club Partick Thistle,{{Cite web|url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/signing-news-brian-graham-joins-the-club/|title=Signing News: Brian Graham joins the club|website=Partick Thistle FC}} and is also the manager of Partick Thistle W.F.C. in the Scottish Women's Premier League.

A striker, Graham spent five years at Greenock Morton after joining the club from Hillington. Whilst at Morton he spent a season on loan at East Stirlingshire in the Third Division. He then played for Raith Rovers, moving from there to Dundee United in 2013. After spending most of the 2014–15 season on loan to St Johnstone, he joined Ross County in June 2015. Graham was released from Ross County and signed for Hibernian in August 2016. He helped Hibernian win the 2016–17 Scottish Championship, then moved to English club Cheltenham Town in August 2017. Graham returned to Ross County in August 2018 and subsequently joined Partick Thistle in 2020, going on to become team captain and one of the club's most prolific goal-scorers.

Playing career

=Greenock Morton=

Born in Glasgow, Graham made his senior début for Greenock Morton on 29 April 2006, at Station Park, Forfar against Forfar Athletic. He replaced that season, in order to come into contention for the first team, Allan Moore ordered him and Kevin Kelbie to lose weight (despite being one of the thinnest at the club).{{cite news|url=http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/sport/ton-boss-issues-hefty-threat-to-strikers-1.1055899?localLinksEnabled=false|title=Ton boss issues hefty threat to strikers|publisher=Evening Times|date=17 September 2010|access-date=20 September 2010}}

=Raith Rovers=

After leaving Morton at the end of the 2010–11 season, he signed for Raith Rovers in May 2011.{{cite news|url=http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/brian-graham-joins-raith/|title=Brian Graham joins Raith|publisher=SPFL|date=19 May 2011|access-date=27 June 2014|archive-date=19 December 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219022606/http://spfl.co.uk/news/article/brian-graham-joins-raith/|url-status=dead}} He scored 11 goals in his first season at Stark's Park, two behind top scorer John Baird. Graham went on to 28 times in his second season at the club as they finished 6th in the First Division.

=Dundee United=

Graham was unveiled as a Dundee United player before the SPL club's last game of the 2012–13 season against Celtic at Tannadice, signing a two-year deal as Jon Daly made an exit.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22587622|title=Dundee United: Brian Graham signs as Jon Daly exits|date=19 May 2013|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=7 November 2013}} Graham was mainly used as a substitute in his first season, with 23 of his 36 appearances coming from the bench. He scored his first goal for the club in a 4–1 win over Partick Thistle,{{cite web|last=Crawford |first=Kenny |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/24968827 |title=Dundee United 4-1 Partick Thistle |publisher=BBC Sport |date=2013-11-23 |access-date=2016-03-29}} and went on to finish the season with seven goals in total.

=St Johnstone (loan)=

In August 2014, Graham was loaned to St Johnstone for the rest of the 2014–15 season.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28961063 Brian Graham: St Johnstone sign Dundee United striker on loan], BBC Sport He scored the winning goal on his St Johnstone debut on 30 August 2014 in a 1–0 win away to Motherwell, in the 86th minute, having come on as a substitute.{{cite web|title=Motherwell 0-1 St Johnstone|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/28906717|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Barnes|first=John|date=30 August 2014|access-date=30 August 2014}} On 20 December 2014, Graham scored from the penalty spot to give St Johnstone a 1–0 win over Inverness Caledonian Thistle, with the penalty being awarded after he appeared to be fouled by Inverness goalkeeper Dean Brill;{{cite web|title=St Johnstone 1-0 Inverness CT|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30459742|publisher=BBC Sport|last=Wilson|first=Richard|date=20 December 2014|access-date=3 January 2015}} however, in the days following the match, he was offered a two-match suspension by the Scottish Football Association's compliance officer after it had been alleged he had dived to win the penalty. St Johnstone accepted the two-match suspension.{{cite web|title=St Johnstone accept two-match ban offered to Brian Graham for diving|url=http://sport.stv.tv/football/clubs/st-johnstone/304683-st-johnstone-accept-two-match-ban-offered-to-brian-graham-for-diving/|publisher=STV |work=STV Sport|date=24 December 2014|access-date=3 January 2015}}

=Ross County (first spell)=

In April 2015, Dundee United announced Graham would be released when his contract expires at the end of the season.{{cite web|title=Dundee United to release trio at the end of the season|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32541731|access-date=30 April 2015|work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=30 April 2015}} It was announced by Ross County in May 2015 that Graham would be joining the club on a two-year contract.{{cite news|title=Ross County: New signing Brian Graham impressed by Jim McIntyre|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/32626400|access-date=7 May 2015|work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=7 May 2015}} He scored 11 goals in his first season at the club and started the 2016 Scottish League Cup Final victory over Hibernian, which gave County their first ever piece of silverware.{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/35738631|title=Scottish League Cup final: Hibernian 1-2 Ross County|last=Wilson|first=Richard|publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport |access-date=29 August 2016}}

Graham began the 2016–17 season in fine form, scoring in all four of Ross County's group stage matches in the reformatted League Cup. He scored the winner in a 1–0 win against Montrose, followed by a 75th-minute penalty against his former club, Raith Rovers to rescue a 1–1 draw the following week. He also netted in a 3–2 to Alloa, and despite scoring a hat-trick as County thrashed Cove Rangers 7–0 on 30 July, it proved to be not enough as the club finished third in their group and thus failed to qualify for the knockout round. A 3–1 defeat to Dundee on the opening day of the Scottish Premiership season proved to be Graham's last match for Ross County as he was released by the club on 19 August 2016, despite having a year left on his contract.{{cite news|url=http://www.theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2016/08/brian-graham-poised-to-join-hibs-after-leaving-ross-county/|title=Brian Graham poised to join Hibs after leaving Ross County|last=Hislop|first=John|date=20 August 2016|work=The Edinburgh Reporter|access-date=29 August 2016}}

=Hibernian=

He signed for Hibernian the next day on a free transfer, although County later received a fee as Hibs gained promotion to the Premiership.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/37142210|title=Brian Graham: Hibs sign striker after Ross County exit|last=Dowden|first=Martin|date=20 August 2016|publisher=BBC |work=BBC Sport|access-date=29 August 2016}}

=Cheltenham Town=

Graham signed for EFL League Two club Cheltenham Town in August 2017.{{cite web |url=http://www.hibernianfc.co.uk/news/7772 |title=GRAHAM JOINS CHELTENHAM TOWN |publisher=Hibernian FC |date=10 August 2017 |access-date=10 August 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/40892464 |title=Brian Graham: Cheltenham Town sign Hibernian striker on two-year deal |work=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=10 August 2017 |access-date=10 August 2017}}

=Ross County return=

Graham rejoined Ross County on 2 August 2018 after leaving Cheltenham at the end of the 2017–18 season.{{Cite web |url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/45044703 |title= Ross County: Brian Graham returns for second spell |work= BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |date=2 August 2018 |access-date= 2 August 2018}}

=Partick Thistle=

Graham signed for Scottish Championship club Partick Thistle on a {{frac|2|1|2}}-year deal, knocking back offers from Premiership sides, Motherwell, Kilmarnock and St. Johnstone. Graham scored on his debut in a 2–1 defeat away to Arbroath.{{Cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51159022 |title=Arbroath 2-1 Partick Thistle: Visitors slip to bottom spot - BBC Sport |access-date=25 January 2020 |archive-date=25 January 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125231454/https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/51159022 |url-status=dead }}

Scottish football was stopped in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, at which time Thistle were in last place in the Championship (two points behind 9th place Queen of the South, although Thistle had a game in hand).{{cite news |title=Partick Thistle: Championship side 'will not accept' relegation |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52219587 |website=Bbc.co.uk/sport |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=28 June 2020}}{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/52297066 |title=Dundee Utd, Raith & Cove win titles and reconstruction talks start after Dundee vote |website=BBC Sport |publisher=BBC |access-date=28 June 2020 |date=15 April 2020}} A vote was subsequently taken to curtail the Championship, League One and League Two seasons, which meant that Thistle were relegated to League One.

Graham remained at the club, ahead of the 2020–21 season in League One.

After winning League One with Thistle and finishing as the club's top scorer with 11 goals, Graham signed a new contract adding an extra year to his deal, extending it until 2023.{{Cite web|url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/brian-graham-signs-one-year-contract-extension/|title=Brian Graham signs one-year contract extension|website=Partick Thistle FC}}

Graham scored his first hat-trick for Thistle in a 3–3 draw away to Inverness on 9 February 2022.{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/59715734|title=Inverness & Partick share six goals|work=BBC Sport}}

After finishing the 2021–22 season with 18 goals, Graham signed a further one year extension to his contract in summer 2022, with his deal extended to the end of the 2023–2024 season{{cite web | url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/brian-graham-signs-contract-extension-until-2024/ | title=Brian Graham signs contract extension until 2024 }}

The following season Graham scored 22 goals in all competitions for Thistle, becoming the first Thistle striker to hit 20 goals in all competitions since Mark Roberts. Graham was part of the Thistle squad that reached the Scottish Premiership promotion play off final. Following this Graham added an extra year to his Thistle deal until summer 2025.{{cite web | url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/brian-graham-signs-contract-extension-until-2025/ | title=Brian Graham signs contract extension until 2025 }}

After another successful start to the 2023–24 season Graham once again extended his Thistle contract, adding an additional year until summer 2026.{{cite web | url=https://ptfc.co.uk/ptfc-news/brian-graham-signs-contract-extension-until-2026/#:~:text=Partick%20Thistle%20are%20pleased%20to,subject%20to%20Scottish%20FA%20approval. | title=Brian Graham signs contract extension until 2026 }}

In the 2023–24 season Brian Graham won the PFA Scottish Championship player of the year, after finishing top scorer in the Scottish Championship with 20 league goals.https://www.skysports.com/watch/video/sports/football/13130276/partick-thistles-brian-graham-immensely-proud-to-win-scottish-championship-player-of-the-year-award#:~:text=This%20season's%20Scottish%20Championship%20top,player%20of%20the%20year%20award. Graham ended the 2023–24 season on 26 goals in all competitions, the second highest return of his career in a single season.

Managerial career

In September 2020 Graham was appointed manager of Partick Thistle W.F.C. in the second tier of the Scottish Women's Premier League, heading a coaching team comprising three players from the club's men's team.{{cite news |title=Thistle striker named women's boss |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/54154998 |access-date=22 March 2021 |work=BBC Sport}} At the end of their first season Thistle were promoted to the Premier Division, and finished their first stint in the SWPL in the Top 6. The following season, Thistle again finished in the Top 6 and reached the final of the Sky Sports Cup, losing 4-1 to Rangers.^{[https://www.skysports.com/football/news/26806/13098014/rangers-women-4-1-partick-thistle-women-jo-potters-side-retain-sky-sports-cup-with-comfortable-win-at-tynecastle [29]]}

Following Partick Thistle mens first team manager Kris Doolan leaving the club in February 2025, Graham alongside Partick Thistle youth coach Mark Wilson, took over as co-interim managers of Partick Thistle.https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/articles/c9dee6xnq8qo

Career statistics

=Club=

rowspan="2"\|Club !rowspan="2"\|Season !colspan="3"\|League !colspan="2"\|National cup{{efn\|Includes Scottish Cup, FA Cup}} !colspan="2"\|League cup{{efn\|Includes Scottish League Cup, EFL Cup}} !colspan="2"\|Other !colspan="2"\|Total
class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" \|+Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Division	Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals !Apps	Goals
rowspan="7"\|Greenock Morton \|2005–06{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2005\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish Second Division \|1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
2006–07{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2006\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish Second Division \|1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0
2007–08{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2007\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish First Division \|13	1	1	0	1	0	3{{efn\|name=SCC\|Appearance(s) in Scottish Challenge Cup}}	2	18	3
2008–09{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2008\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish First Division \|0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2009–10{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2009\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish First Division \|22	2	1	0	2	0	1{{efn\|name=SCC}}	0	26	2
2010–11{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2010\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish First Division \|28	7	3	2	0	0	0	0	31	9
colspan="2"\|Total !65	10	5	2	3	0	4	2	77	14
East Stirling (loan) \|2008–09 \|Scottish Third Division \|33	15	2	1	1	1	3{{efn\|One appearance in Scottish Challenge Cup, two appearances in Scottish Second Division play-offs}}	1	39	18
rowspan="3"\|Raith Rovers \|2011–12{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2011\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish First Division \|24	11	0	0	2	0	1{{efn\|name=SCC}}	0	27	11
2012–13{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2012\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish First Division \|34	18	2	2	3	4	2{{efn\|name=SCC}}	3	41	27
colspan="2"\|Total !58	29	2	2	5	4	3	3	68	38
rowspan="3"\|Dundee United \|2013–14{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2013\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish Premiership \|30	6	3	1	3	0	colspan=2\|–	36	7
2014–15{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2014\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish Premiership \|1	0	0	0	0	0	colspan=2\|–	1	0
colspan="2"\|Total !31	6	3	1	3	0	0	0	37	7
St Johnstone (loan) \|2014–15 \|Scottish Premiership \|24	9	2	0	2	1	colspan=2\|–	28	10
rowspan="3"\|Ross County \|2015–16{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2015\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish Premiership \|23	6	4	4	4	1	colspan=2\|–	31	11
2016–17{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2016\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish Premiership \|1	0	0	0	4	6	colspan=2\|–	5	6
colspan="2"\|Total !24	6	4	4	8	7	0	0	36	17
rowspan="3"\|Hibernian \|2016–17 \|Scottish Championship \|28	4	4	0	0	0	1{{efn\|name=SCC}}	1	33	5
2017–18{{soccerbase season\|43743\|2017\|access-date=13 September 2017}} \|Scottish Premiership \|0	0	0	0	2	1	colspan=2\|–	2	1
colspan="2"\|Total !28	4	4	0	2	1	1	1	35	6
Cheltenham Town \|2017–18 \|League Two \|27	5	1	0	1	0	2{{efn\|Appearances in EFL Trophy}}	1	31	6
rowspan=3\|Ross County \|2018–19{{Soccerbase season\|43743\|2018\|access-date=5 May 2019}} \|Scottish Championship \|30	8	3	2	1	0	4{{efn\|name=SCC}}	4	38	14
2019–20{{Soccerbase season\|43743\|2019\|access-date=14 July 2019}} \|Scottish Premiership \|18	4	1	0	4	2	colspan=2\|–	23	6
colspan="2"\|Total !48	12	4	2	5	2	4	4	61	20
rowspan=7\|Partick Thistle \|2019–20 \|Scottish Championship \|6	3	colspan=4\|—	1{{efn\|name=SCC}}	0	7	3
2020–21{{Soccerbase season\|43743\|2020\|access-date=9 October 2020}} \|Scottish League One \|19	11	2	0	3	0	colspan="2"\|—	24	11
2021–22{{Soccerbase season\|43743\|2021\|access-date=20 July 2021}} \|Scottish Championship \|32	13	2	1	4	4	4{{efn\|Two appearances in Scottish Challenge Cup, two appearances in Scottish Premiership play-offs}}	0	42	18
2022–23{{Soccerbase season\|43743\|2022\|access-date=27 March 2025}} \|Scottish Championship \|31	14	2	1	6	2	6{{efn\|Appearances in Scottish Premiership play-offs}}	5	45	22
2023–24{{Soccerbase season\|43743\|2023\|access-date=27 March 2025}} \|Scottish Championship \|33	20	3	1	5	3	5{{efn\|One appearance in Scottish Challenge Cup, four appearances and two goals in Scottish Premiership play-offs}}	2	46	26
2024–25{{Soccerbase season\|43743\|2024\|access-date=27 March 2025}} \|Scottish Championship \|27	13	1	0	4	3	1{{efn\|name=SCC}}	1	33	17
colspan=2\|Total !148	74	10	3	22	12	17	8	197	97
colspan="3"\|Career total !486	170	37	15	52	28	34	20	609	233

Managerial statistics

rowspan=2\|Team !rowspan=2\|From !rowspan=2\|To !colspan=5\|Record
class=wikitable style=text-align:center \|+ Managerial record by team and tenure
{{abbr\|P\|Matches played}}	{{abbr\|W\|Matches won}}	{{abbr\|D\|Matches drawn}}	{{abbr\|L\|Matches lost}}	{{abbr\|Win %\|Win percentage}}
align=left\|Partick Thistle (interim) \|align=left\|18 February 2025 \|align=left\|Present {{WDL\|10\|4\|4\|2}}
colspan=3\|Total {{WDLtot\|10\|4\|4\|2}}

Honours

Ross County

Scottish Championship: 2018–19{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47985669|title=Ross County Secure title and promotion| publisher=BBC|date=26 April 2019|access-date=26 April 2019}}
Scottish League Cup: 2015–16
Scottish Challenge Cup: 2018–19{{cite web|title=Ross County lifted the Challenge Cup for a third time|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/47622909|publisher=BBC Sport|access-date=23 March 2019|date=23 March 2019}}

Hibernian

Scottish Championship: 2016–17{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/39536738 | title=Hibernian 3–0 Queen of the South |first=Brian |last=McLauchlin |work=BBC Sport | publisher=BBC | date=15 April 2017 | access-date=16 April 2017}}

Partick Thistle

Scottish League One: 2020–21{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/56936302|title=Partick Thistle seal League 1 title|work=BBC Sport}}

Individual

SPFL Championship Player of the Month: April 2019{{cite web |url=https://spfl.co.uk/news/April-awards-for-county |title=APRIL AWARDS FOR ROSS COUNTY |publisher=Scottish Professional Football League |date=4 May 2019 |access-date=4 May 2019}}

References

External links

{{Soccerbase}}

Category:1987 births

Category:Living people

Category:Footballers from Glasgow

Category:Scottish men's footballers

Category:Scottish Football League players

Category:Scottish Professional Football League players

Category:Greenock Morton F.C. players

Category:East Stirlingshire F.C. players

Category:Raith Rovers F.C. players

Category:Dundee United F.C. players

Category:Men's association football forwards

Category:St Johnstone F.C. players

Category:Ross County F.C. players

Category:Hibernian F.C. players

Category:Cheltenham Town F.C. players

Category:Partick Thistle F.C. players

Category:Scottish football managers

Category:Partick Thistle F.C. managers

Category:Scottish Women's Premier League managers

Category:English Football League players

Category:21st-century Scottish sportsmen

rowspan=2\|Team !rowspan=2\|From !rowspan=2\|To !colspan=5\|Record
class=wikitable style=text-align:center \|+ Managerial record by team and tenure
{{abbr\|P\|Matches played}}	{{abbr\|W\|Matches won}}	{{abbr\|D\|Matches drawn}}	{{abbr\|L\|Matches lost}}	{{abbr\|Win %\|Win percentage}}
align=left\|Partick Thistle (interim) \|align=left\|18 February 2025 \|align=left\|Present {{WDL\|10\|4\|4\|2}}
colspan=3\|Total {{WDLtot\|10\|4\|4\|2}}