Kyle Turner admits Morton stalwart dad Tommy won’t have any split loyalties if Partick Thistle win Championship clash

Partick Thistle midfielder Kyle Turner admits his dad Tommy won’t have any split loyalties when it comes to watching his son in action as two of his former clubs prepare for battle this afternoon.

The Jags take on fellow Championship promotion hopefuls Greenock Morton at Firhill today with only goal difference keeping Dougie Imrie’s side in the play-off spots ahead of the Maryhill club having not suffered a league defeat since crashing to a heavy 5-1 loss in Glasgow’s West End back in October.

Thistle are on a recovery mission after slipping to their first defeat in their last six matches after going down 2-0 to second-placed Queen’s Park last weekend but Turner remains in good spirits and is upbeat about his team mates chances of building on their impressive home form.

His father Tommy, who was inducted into the St Mirren Hall of Fame and is also a legendary figure at the Cappielow club, will watch on from the stands and the 25-year-old reckons he will be cheering for Thistle.

“He often gets invited down to some of the games and I think all the old players are getting together next week from Morton to go out for dinner,” said Turner, after being voted Thistle’s McCrea Financial Services Player of the Month for December, his first such award in red and yellow.

“He still has contacts down there, similarly at St Mirren as well. He’s been in the Hall of Fame there at St Mirren, so it’s funny, two rival clubs - I don’t know how he’s liked at both! He just wants us to do well and me to do well in general. So long as we’re winning, I don’t think he minds who we’re beating, to be honest.

“He comes every week to my games, home and away. The only trip he doesn’t make is Inverness some times. I’ll speak to him straight after my game, he’ll tell me how the game was and how I did. He’s been there, done it and played over 700 games, so it’s good to learn off him.

“He’ll be (supporting) Partick Thistle! He wants us to do well, try to challenge up there towards the top end of the league. We know how tough it is, there are four or five teams trying to do the same thing and you just need to be performing every week and get results.

“Our form up until the last game against Queen’s Park had been really good, we had won four and drawn one. I thought we controlled a lot of the game last week but just couldn’t get that equalising goal and they go on to score from a counter attack.

“But we’ve got a good home record this season. I think we’ve scored 14 goals in our last four games at Firhill. Morton will make it tough for us, they’re well organised and are also doing well in the league.

“We beat them 5-1 here last time but they took the lead that day. We know it’s not going to be easy, Dougie (Imrie) has done really well with them and they’ve got a lot of good players.

“We’ve got a lot of boys back now and fighting for places. The bench is strong as well so it’s good to have that competition. I’ve not missed a game this season, so hopefully I can keep myself fit.”

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