Go-karting brawl & SAS kidnap – when football team bonding goes wrong

Gary Caldwell’s version of team bonding when Partick Thistle boss in 2018 was a little bit more extreme than some cold water therapy in a beautiful loch.

The team were second bottom of the Scottish Championship and their grim start to the season had ended Alan Archibald’s tenure.

He was replaced by Caldwell, who had failed to win any of his first five matches – so he called in some help from the SAS.

Former Thistle striker Kris Doolan said “guys with masks rag-dolled” the players and had them “bouncing off walls in total darkness”.

One player ran off into the hills and was dragged back by four soldiers. Another broke down in tears.

Thistle ended the season safe in sixth place in the second tier. Perhaps it was a success?

Neilson’s tale seems quite vanilla in comparison.

As a player, the ex-Hearts defender recalls a scrap with goalkeeper Gordon after some foul play at go-karting.

“I cut him up to be honest with you, I put him into the barriers,” says Neilson. “He got out and I saw him coming towards me, and as we know he’s a big lad.

“He took his helmet off, threw it at me and I thought I’ve got to do something here. So I threw a punch, he threw a punch and it was a kind of ruckus from there.

“Then it died down, but it was a good laugh at the end of it.”