Alan Archibald pays tribute to 'heart and soul' of Partick Thistle Ricky Roughan

Partick Thistle manager Alan Archibald admitted it had been difficult to focus on football after kitman Ricky Roughan died on the morning of their 3-3 draw with Dundee United.

The 65-year-old passed away after a short illness, leaving a major void at Firhill after his 25 years of service.

Archibald said: "It's been a difficult couple of days. He has been a close, close friend to me as well as an employee of the club. He's not just a kitman, he's more than that.

"He does everything around the club, he helps all the lads, when the place is down he picks them up and when they get too big for their boots he soon brings them down. Guys like that are a massive loss to the game.

"I've known him for 20 years and he is the heart and soul of the club."

Thistle looked like giving Roughan a winning send-off after goals from Freddie Frans, Kris Doolan and Ryan Edwards had them 3-1 up with four minutes left at Tannadice, but Edward Ofere and substitute Justin Johnson netted to earn United a point.

Archibald said: "We had the game won with five minutes to go and we didn't see it out. You can't take anything for granted in football, you need to keep working hard."

United caretaker boss Gordon Young handed John Rankin the captaincy on his final Tannadice appearance in tangerine and also gave youngsters Matthew Smith and Harry Souttar their debuts.

Young, whose own future is uncertain as United wait on an answer from managerial target Ray McKinnon, said: "My message to them was, some might be at their first game at Tannadice, some might be at their last game, so leave some form of legacy, whether it's the young ones that give the fans some hope, or the more experienced ones to go out with something to talk about. So that was pleasing."

Young also took Rankin off just before Johnson's stoppage-time leveller to afford him a send-off.

"I just always think you should be respectful to people that have achieved a lot in the game and it doesn't need to be 10 European Cup medals, just people who have been over the course," said Young.

"He had an interview last week where he was questioning whether people thought he was a failure. I was quick to shoot that down because he's a terrific guy and a hard-working.

"And if there was something I could show in a respectful nature it was to give him the captain's armband and bring him off to get adulation at the end."