COURTESY PARTICK THISTLE FOOTBALL CLUB
Tomorrow, 2,000 lucky fans of Glasgow, Scotland’s Partick Thistle football club will receive a yellow foam thumb designed by artist David Shrigley to use while cheering on their beloved Jags against Dundee United. They are being given out on a first-come, first-served basis.
“The ‘thumbs up’ gesture is universally understood as meaning something is good so I thought what better way to show our support,” Shrigley, who is a Glaswegian, said in a statement. “The foam thumb also allows fans to get a bit interactive during the match and really feel like part of the game by giving a thumbs up when the guys are playing well.” Sounds like fun.
The foam thumb is a replica of a much larger bronze sculpture by the artist that will be displayed later this year on a plinth in the northwest corner of London’s Trafalgar Square.
Shrigley is also responsible for the club’s mascot: a dour-looking, unibrowed sun named Kingsley. That rather malevolent character has earned mixed reviews from locals.