Latest news with #Doolan
The Herald Scotland
13-06-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
The unholy mess affecting Partick Thistle's 2025/26 preparations
Having mistakenly scheduled a much-needed Ikea trip during the second leg in the Highlands, it was a relief to see Aidan Fitzpatrick put them 3-0 up on aggregate towards the end of the first half. With the minutes ticking away in the second period, I tore myself away from Sky Sports to have a shower and get ready. When I returned I couldn't believe my eyes: 3-0 had become 3-3 and the match was heading to extra-time. It was a rather odd situation, being that I'm a Hearts supporter, but I found myself nervously checking score updates in between looking at lamp shades as I willed on a potential outcome which seemed done and dusted less than an hour before. Unfortunately, confirmation soon came through a spotty phone signal that Ross County had won the match on penalties and Thistle were staying in the Championship. Ever since then I've hoped the Jags would make up for this disappointment and get back to the top-flight for the first time since their 2018 relegation, but it hasn't happened. With costs going through the roof and many of the 2022/23 squad getting attention from elsewhere, too many key players left during the following summer to give the 2023/24 iteration much of a chance, though they did well to overachieve and reach the semi-finals of the play-offs again. There they suffered another heartbreaking penalty shoot-out loss, this time to Raith Rovers. Then last season's team, despite sacking manager and club legend Kris Doolan, managed to get to the same stage of competition before bowing out to eventual promotion-winners Livingston. You could say they're knocking on the door, but the dream and shot at redemption seems to be getting further away with each term. Promotion is certainly not at the forefront of many Thistle fans' minds at this juncture. Because a pre-season that already wasn't going so well somehow managed to descend even further earlier this week. The fanbase were already impatient. Despite jettisoning Doolan in February, and taking two weeks after the play-off defeat to hire prospective candidates, Thistle landed on Mark Wilson as their next permanent head coach. It was an underwhelming choice. Wilson has only had two previous stints in management, with Airdrie and Brechin City, and he struggled badly in both. He did help in rescuing Thistle's season as they looked set to drop out of the play-offs in the last days of Doolan's reign, but he did so as part of a double-act with Brian Graham. The Championship's leading scorer had withdrawn himself from consideration – the rest of this column may help to explain why – yet remains contracted through 2025/26. It's a messy situation with Graham saying prior to the interview process he didn't fancy the idea of going back to being just a player within the Firhill dressing room. Wilson had played a part in steadying the ship, and he's spoken about learning from past mistakes, so there was the usual acceptance: he may not have been first choice, but he's in the door now so fans may as well get behind him. But every manager needs good players and there was still no indication as to how and when Thistle were going to start rebuilding. That's because the budget still hadn't (and still hasn't) been set for the new campaign. Considering it's June 13th, that's absolutely bonkers. The season starts four weeks tomorrow with the opening matches of the Premier Sports Cup. How Partick Thistle could find themselves in such disarray was on display for everyone to see this past Monday. The day before, representatives of The Jags Foundation (TJF), the largest membership body for the fan-owned club, sent around an email to give their members an update. They would be meeting with the board and wanted to reassure supporters that their concerns would be brought up during the meeting; the budget delay and general lack of communication among the key topics. Bewilderingly, the club responded by bringing out a statement for everyone (Jags and opposition fans alike) to feast upon. The board were unhappy that TJF had aired those concerns before the meeting and wanted it known that they weren't interested in entering into a public slagging match – a position which they stated while entering into a public slagging match. Another statement soon followed where it said that a director had decided to stand down early due to the actions of the TJF, despite being their representative on the board, citing a conflict of interest. By the close of play on Monday a third statement had arrived. This one was a joint-effort by the board and the TJF saying that they'd had a "constructive meeting" and more details would follow – which they did the next day with *another* statement. This edition admitted that tempers had flared, but also concerns had been raised and understood, while promising to get the budget sorted in the coming days as they look ahead to next season. Then things somehow went from bad to worse. There was no bad governance at fault here, just a cruel twist of fate which couldn't have happened at a worse time for Thistle. As the club board revealed on Tuesday, new sporting director Ian Baraclough fractured his neck and spine while on holiday and would face a gruelling period of rehabilitation before being able to return to his duties. So let's recap everything: you've got a board who haven't set a budget yet for next season; a board who are seemingly at odds with what is essentially the owners of the football club; no new signings have been made; a new manager with a subpar track record has been hired; his former partner in management is still part of the dressing room but may have to leave (at which point they'd also lose their best player), and he's now expected to build a team without the input and assistance from the man hired above him. Oh, and the new kits haven't been unveiled yet despite them being part of Thistle's 150th anniversary celebrations. Unless things dramatically improve in the very near future, it's going to be a mighty challenge for Thistle and Wilson to have this team seriously challenging for promotion once again. In fact, for a club who is no stranger to dipping into the third tier of Scottish football for a season or three, not getting into the top four again is the least of their worries at this point in time.
Daily Record
11-05-2025
- Sport
- Daily Record
Kris Doolan keeps Partick Thistle sacking in perspective as he admits it doesn't come close to hardest night of his life
Doolan was axed by the Jags three months ago but playoff second leg against Queen's Park was way tougher for devastating reason Positivity is oozing out of Kris Doolan. Speaking to him, you wouldn't know that just 11 weeks ago, with Partick Thistle sitting pretty in a play-off position, he was ruthlessly axed. It would be easy to be bitter and twisted about it. To feel aggrieved at losing his first manager's job, at a club he's synonymous with, in such brutal circumstances. But Doolan refuses to be downbeat. He can only look forward. Sometimes, what has happened in the past can shape your future. When MailSport caught up with the Jags legend, he was driving back home after visiting his father Lawrence's gravestone. That day would have been his dad's 73rd birthday. Two years ago he died on the eve of Thistle's Championship promotion play-off second-leg against Queen's Park. Just 24 hours after his passing, Doolan decided to take the team and led them to a thumping 4-0 victory at Ochilview. At the time he was probably still in a daze or state of shock. When Doolan looks back, there are no regrets. None whatsoever. He knows Lawrence wouldn't have expected anything less from his son. But now, with time on his hands to reflect, he admits the game against the Spiders was the hardest night of his life. And his dad's death has given him a perspective and outlook that make him optimistic about what lies ahead. Getting fired suddenly doesn't feel as critical. So rather than get down about unemployment, he's philosophical and excited about his next challenge. As Doolan cast his mind back to May 2023, he said: 'That was probably the toughest thing I've ever had to do, manage the team a day after dad passed away. 'You go through hard times in football. But ultimately it's a game. It's a job. Having to do that so soon was the hardest thing I've had to do. 'It was the night before the Queen's Park game and my dad would have been there. 'So I was actually hell-bent on getting there and leading the team. I'm glad I did it. We played well and got through the game. But it was probably the most difficult night of my life. 'I don't have any regrets about it. My dad was as big a Partick Thistle fan as you'll get. He followed me everywhere when I played, all over the country at every ground. 'He then followed me as a manager. Even when he was unwell in hospital, he was still watching us on TV. 'I'd leave training and go there to sit with him. Or after a game I'd go up and we'd talk about how it had gone. 'He wanted me there that night so I don't regret it at all. You have to go with your heart in a situation like that. You know what your own father would want. 'You know what type of person he is. I had discussions with him after the Queen's Park home game a few days before. 'So I knew everything he was thinking. Your dad is your dad and he always wants you to do well. Of course, things like that put everything in perspective. 'People say losing the play-off final that year to Ross County on penalties was a sliding doors moment for me. But it wasn't. Losing my dad was. 'Because for me, if you can deal with that and not let it affect you, you can deal with anything.' Doolan's humility is one of his biggest qualities. But it's no surprise given his journey into professional football. At the age of 23 he was still playing for Junior outfit Auchinleck Talbot. A decade later he'd secured legendary status at Firhill as one of their all-time top scorers. Being relieved of his duties was hard to take but he refuses to let it define his time at the club. He said: 'It's strange being out of the game because I've been immersed in it for so long. But when you look at the route I took, it was a hard one – a tough way to do it. 'That has stood me in good stead for my playing career and now managing. 'You need a work ethic. To fight your way out of Junior football to the top six in the Premiership, you have to work for it. 'In management every day you need to be on it. I've got that work ethic and I'll never lose it. 'So I won't get too down about it (being axed by Jags). It'll happen to far better managers than me. 'It's not personal. I did a good job – we were in the play-off positions. We were good in the time we had. But a board makes a decision and you must move on. 'It affects people in different ways but I'm positive. It's not a nice thing and I've now experienced it for the first time. 'But in this game you have to be resilient. Football evolves all the time and you move with it. It will never stop for me. 'Whatever happens next, wherever I end up, I'll be ready to commit to that just as much as I did at Thistle. 'I've now seen every level of the game. So I'll dust myself down and not take it personally. 'I want to be a manager but I'd take a job as a coach or an assistant if it was right for me. I don't have an ego. 'I'm not someone who says I need to do this or that. If it was the right job at the right club with the right people at the helm, that's the most important part. 'As I say, I don't have a big ego. But I think we did a good job at Thistle. I know what I'm doing as a manager, I think I've shown that.' For now, Doolan is taking a well-earned break. Not just to analyse and assess the work he did at Thistle – but to recharge his batteries so he can go full throttle in his next job. He said: 'I've never done this amount of housework in my life! 'Every manager tells you the same thing. Whenever you leave a job it's important to rest, assess things – and make sure you're ready to go for the next one. 'I went to Portugal for a week and I enjoyed the Easter holidays with my kids. 'We've done a lot more things as a family at home – and I needed that. Because when you're in the job, it's really all-consuming, 100mph and 24/7. 'You have to re-energise and that's exactly what I'm doing.' Tune in to Hotline Live every Sunday to Thursday and have your say on the biggest issues in Scottish football and listen to Record Sport's newest podcast, Game On, every Friday for your sporting fix, all in bitesize chunks.
BBC News
04-05-2025
- Health
- BBC News
Jersey student leads project to recreate fatty liver disease
A Jersey student aims to better understand fatty liver disease by re-creating it in a dish. Millie-Rose Doolan, who grew up in St Brelade, has plans to use patient-donated liver samples to develop 3D tissue cultures that are derived from stem, progenitor or induced pluripotent cells. Fatty liver disease, also known as Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD), is a chronic liver condition that is initiated by having too much fat in the liver. Ms Doolan, who is studying for her PhD at the University of Southampton, said: "By creating 3D organoids using patient tissue we can delve deeper into how the disease progresses and identify potential targets for treatment." Global health problem MASLD is significantly associated with central obesity, as well as conditions such as type 2 diabetes and heart and circulatory disease. It is estimated to affect up to one in five people in the UK, but rates are increasing with rising levels of metabolic diseases such as Doolan said: "Fatty liver disease is a global health problem – latest figures suggest that up to 30% of the global adult population will be affected."The underlying biology of MASLD progression is unclear, and not all patients progress at the same rate or develop severe disease." Currently, MASLD research is limited by a lack of experimental systems that replicate what happens in different humans. Some laboratory tests can recapitulate aspects of MASLD progression but there are significant differences to what happens in the human body or a given individual.
BBC News
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Family devastated after death of 'loving' teenager from Marlow
The family of an 18-year-old man who died in a car crash have described him as "a polite, kind, caring, funny, loving and hardworking young man".Drew Doolan, from Marlow, died following a collision with a tree on the A40 in Stokenchurch, Buckinghamshire, on 26 Valley Police said the HGV mechanic was pronounced dead at the scene.A statement from his parents said: "He was taken too soon at the age of 18, left a huge hole in our hearts, and has left our world shattered and our family incomplete." One of his three sisters described him as "the best brother I could have ever wished for". Two other males, aged 17 and 20, were taken to hospital with minor force said it was continuing to make inquiries on behalf of the tribute from Mr Doolan's parents continued: "He had a cheeky smile and an infectious laugh, he loved life and always had a positive outlook on life and took each day as it come."Drew was someone you could always rely on and was there when you needed him."I don't think he realised how well liked and loved he was as he wasn't good with receiving compliments due to him having ADHD and just took everything in his stride." Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
New York Times
25-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
They Walked 50 Blocks on Their First Date
When Dr. Jesse Heechan Yoon arrived at the Mermaid Inn on the Upper West Side of Manhattan on April 11, 2022, still in scrubs after a long shift, he wasn't expecting more than a quick happy-hour date. He was in the middle of his dermatology residency at Mount Sinai and had matched on Hinge with Yuri William Doolan, who holds a Ph.D., had just moved to New York for a research sabbatical. 'I was still unpacking boxes,' Dr. Doolan said. 'I wasn't sure I was ready to date, but something told me to go. When I saw his profile, I remember thinking, 'I like this one.'' Over oysters, they exchanged stories about their upbringings and their shared Korean heritage. Dr. Yoon's parents immigrated to the United States before he was born, while Dr. Doolan moved to Korea with his family after his birth, returning to the United States when he was 3. They both didn't want the date to end. They picked up dessert at Milk Bar on the Upper West Side and continued the deep conversation with a 50-block walk across the city to Dr. Doolan's apartment in West Harlem. There, Dr. Yoon met Kiyoshi, Dr. Doolan's Shiba Inu. 'He's usually suspicious of strangers,' Dr. Doolan said. 'But he immediately liked Jesse — as if he already knew.' Dr. Yoon, 32, is a double board-certified dermatologist at the Dermatology Specialists in New York. Originally from Cupertino, Calif., he graduated from Brown and earned a medical degree from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. He completed an internal medicine residency at Washington University in St. Louis and a dermatology residency at the Mount Sinai Hospital. Dr. Doolan, 36, is an assistant professor of history and Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Brandeis, where he also serves as the inaugural chair of Asian American and Pacific Islander Studies. Originally from Euclid, Ohio, he earned a bachelor's degree from Ohio State University and received both a master's degree and Ph.D. in history from Northwestern. A second date followed, and soon, they began seeing each other nearly every day. Their lives blended effortlessly, with commutes across Central Park with Kiyoshi. They shared routines together like going to the dog park and cooking meals, and in May 2023, Dr. Yoon moved into Dr. Doolan's West Harlem apartment. They now live in Hudson Yards. [Click here to binge read this week's featured couples.] On June 29, 2022, Dr. Yoon underwent a cardiac ablation procedure to treat a lifelong arrhythmia. 'It was his 12th procedure,' Dr. Doolan said. 'The others had failed, but this one worked. I didn't let him know how scared I was. But in that moment, I knew I couldn't imagine life without him.' Later, Dr. Doolan teased, 'You started dating me, and your heart was healed. I fixed your heart.' Dr. Yoon proposed on Nov. 18, 2023, after a day filled with subtle references to highlights from their relationship: oysters at brunch, a Korean art exhibit, and a Broadway show. When they returned home, Dr. Doolan noticed something strange — Kiyoshi was wearing his collar indoors. 'I thought we had been robbed!' he said, noting that he never leaves Kiyoshi with a collar on indoors. Then he spotted a diamond and platinum engagement ring clipped to the collar, and as he turned around, Dr. Yoon was already on one knee. The couple wed on April 12 at the Ace Hotel Brooklyn. Dr. David Lin, Dr. Yoon's close friend from medical school who received a one-day ordination from the New York City Marriage Bureau, officiated before 134 guests. The celebration centered around a reimagined Korean paebaek, a traditional post-wedding ceremony typically reserved for family. 'We queered the format,' Dr. Yoon said. 'We wore custom hanboks in nontraditional colors and invited our guests to participate.' Dr. Doolan's close friends, including two Korean friends, helped reset cushions and present symbolic elements, creating a bridge between cultural preservation and chosen family. The couple also honored the Korean chestnut and jujube tossing tradition, symbolizing future fertility. 'Both our parents threw them at once, and we caught all of them,' Dr. Yoon said. 'We're having 17 children, supposedly.' Later that evening, a choreographed Bollywood-style dance took place on the dance floor. The newlyweds performed alongside Dr. Doolan's former Northwestern dance team, Anubhav, where he was a co-captain of the dance team for two years. 'It was a room full of love,' Dr. Yoon said. 'Our guests told us it was the most emotional and joyful wedding they'd ever been to. I have to give Yuri so much credit for that — he made it magic.' Dr. Doolan added, 'I just can't say more about how affirming it was for my identity as a Korean American, for myself as a queer Korean man, for my relationship with my mom, with Jesse and his parents. It really felt like we were being accepted fully and completely for who we were — gay, Korean American — and that made the wedding so special.'
