IT may not provide their long-suffering and oft-ridiculed supporters much solace, but Blair Spittal has spelled out just how embarrassed he is to be part of a Partick Thistle team that has slumped to the bottom of the Championship.
The performances of the midfielder have been one of the few slivers of light in a dark season for Thistle to date, with the Firhill men having won just four league games all season.
Spittal is fed up explaining to people that Thistle are playing well without getting their rewards, knowing that wins and points on the board is the only thing that matters in their dire predicament.
“To be honest, I’m a bit embarrassed by it all,” Spittal said. “To be in the position that we’re in is embarrassing.
“We know we need to try and do the best we can to get out of it, dig deep and work as hard as we can, but it just feels like you are repeating yourself.
“It’s difficult, but we have to believe we can get out of this position. We definitely believe we have the squad of players to do that, but when folk are asking you how the game has went and you are telling them all the time that we’ve played well but haven’t won again, they probably think you are talking rubbish.
“That’s the way it has been in the majority of games. There have been games where we’ve not played well and got what we deserved too, but we have to make sure we give our all to dig our way out of this.”
The mood around Firhill was hardly lifted by the news on Tuesday that club legend Chris Erskine was to leave for Premiership side Livingston, having been told by manager Gary Caldwell that he was surplus to requirements at the club.
Spittal doesn’t pretend that Erskine’s departure has been welcomed by the players either, but he is hoping that some further new arrivals can help compensate for his loss.
“It’s sad to see him go,” Spittal said. “I’d played with Chris before at Dundee United and he was a big factor in me coming here.
“It’s not nice to see him leaving, but it’s just one of those things in football, people come and go.
“What Chris has done for this football club has been outstanding, and this won’t take anything away from that.
“The fans obviously love him, but it’s just one of these things that happen in the game and we wish him all the best. He’s a really good player and we hope that he does well at Livingston.
“We still need a few bodies in and more so now, but while results haven’t been good, there are signs that it is coming.”
Spittal was named the McCrea Financial Services player of the month for December, and continued his fine personal form by getting his side’s goal in Saturday’s draw with Falkirk.
While appreciating the accolade, the attacking midfielder would much rather kick-start his team’s season by helping them to a Scottish Cup win against Stranraer this weekend.
“It’s so frustrating to say the same old things, but it has been good to get further up the park and get more goals at least,” he said.
“We know Stranraer is going to be tough with the run of form that we’re in, but hopefully a win builds up momentum.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here