Aidan Fitzpatrick confident Partick Thistle can remain in Championship title mix - but win over Cove Rangers a must

Aidan Fitzpatrick insists Partick Thistle still have their eyes on finishing the season with silverware as they look to close the gap in the Championship title race with a win over strugglers Cove Rangers today.

The Jags, who currently occupy the final play-off spot in fourth position in the table, slipped 10 points behind league leaders Queen’s Park after their 2-0 victory over fellow promotion hopefuls Ayr United on Friday night.

A shock 1-0 home defeat to basement boys Hamilton Accies last weekend proved a significant setback in the Firhill club’s aim to finish the season in top spot and former Norwich City winger Fitzpatrick is expecting a positive reaction from his team-mates.

“We’re desperate to get back on track,” he said, after Thistle fans voted the 21-year-old as their McCrea Financial Services Player of the Month for January, his first such monthly award at Firhill.

“Last week’s result wasn’t what we wanted or expected. I don’t think we played badly to be fair, but after a game and a result like that you just want to put things right quickly. We’ve got a chance to do that against Cove.

“I honestly think the squad we had, albeit with injuries, was still good enough to go and win that game. I don’t know what happened. We’ve got a full squad almost to choose from on Saturday so we are looking forward to the game.

“I think the target is to still go on and win the league. I know it might not look likely from the outside, but from the inside we all know the quality we have at the club. We have a confidence from the gaffer that runs throughout the team and we’re confident we can go on and win the league.

“The play-offs are the least we expect. Listen, we’re capable of going on a run. In this league especially if you win two or three games in a row you are right back in there. It’s up to us to go on that run, we’ve done it before so I don’t see why we can’t do it again.”

Fitzpatrick, who returned to Thistle on a two-year-deal from Queen of the South last summer, admits the decision to come back to the club he first shot to prominance at was a no-brainer.

He added: “It’s nice to get some recognition from the fans. It’s the first one I have won, hopefully it’s not the last. It tells you you are doing something right and the hard work is paying off.

“I have enjoyed being back at the club, I knew it would be easy coming back. It’s a place I know well so I knew I would enjoy it. I’ve managed to get some game time and I feel I’m more grown up now. Off the park, moving away by myself helped me a lot. It helped me become more individual and grow as a person.

“Also, the training down there was really good, it helped me technically. But moving away from my mum, having to do my own washing and cooking, definitely helped me a lot.”

*Partick Thistle’s Player of the Month Awards are sponsored by McCrea Financial Services, visit www.mccreafs.co.uk to find out more.