Alex Rae has been appointed assistant head coach at Scottish Championship side Partick Thistle
Partick Thistle have confirmed the appointment of Alex Rae as their new assistant head coach, with the former Sunderland midfielder joining the coaching staff under newly appointed boss Mark Wilson.
Rae, now 55, brings a wealth of experience both on and off the pitch, having enjoyed a long playing career with clubs including Falkirk, Millwall, Sunderland, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Rangers before moving into coaching and management.
The former Black Cats favourite made league 114 appearances and scored 12 goals for Sunderland between 1996 and 2001, after signing from Millwall in a £1million deal. He helped the club achieve promotion to the Premier League in 1998–99, establishing himself as a combative, crowd-pleasing midfielder on Wearside.
Reflecting on his new role, Rae said: “I am really pleased to have this position at Partick Thistle. I watched a few of the club’s games last season so I have a very good idea of what the team are capable of. I actually know my way around The Wyre Stadium at Firhill already as I trained here for a while back in 1996/97 when I was a Sunderland player. Murdo MacLeod was in charge at that time and my friend David Farrell, who played for Thistle back then, helped organise that.”
Rae’s post-playing career has been just as varied, with spells as manager at Dundee and St Mirren, and as a coach alongside Paul Ince at Milton Keynes Dons, Notts County, Blackpool, and more recently Reading. He also spent time working with Alex McLeish at Belgian side KRC Genk, and had an 18-month spell as first-team coach at Rangers, which ended earlier this year.
Head coach Mark Wilson welcomed Rae’s arrival, describing him as a valuable addition to the setup at Firhill. “Alex is not only an experienced coach, but he is also a first-class coach that has worked in football for a long time, he said. “I have known him for years and he is someone that has learned at different styles of clubs and clubs with different cultures. It is good news for Partick Thistle that we have that experience and education in our coaching team.”
Rae, who battled through personal struggles during his playing career and later became a patron for the Sporting Chance Clinic, now returns to Scottish football with the aim of helping Partick Thistle push forward in the Championship next season. He joins the club with immediate effect and will officially begin his duties on July 1.
Ben Crompton also makes Scotland switch
The 20-year-old, who was one of eight players confirmed to be leaving the Black Cats in the club’s recently published retained list, joins the Staggies on a pre-contract agreement after his release by Academy of Light bosses earlier this season.
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Crompton, who can play at both centre-back and right-back, spent the second half of last season on loan at Tamworth in the National League, where he made 25 appearances and impressed with his maturity and physical presence. “We are really happy Ben has chosen to join us,” said Ross County boss Don Cowie. “He had a really productive loan spell with Tamworth last season. He offers strong ability on the ball as well as an imposing physical presence.”
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