Cerny: New deal helps me focus on future with Partick

Partick Thistle goalkeeper Tomas Cerny feels the stability provided by his new contract can help both him and the club continue their progress.

The Czech last week extended his deal until the summer of 2018, days after forward Kris Doolan signed a long-term agreement.

Cerny is delighted to lay down roots in Maryhill after playing for CSKA Sofia, Greek side Ergotellis and Hibernian in the three years after leaving Hamilton in 2012.

He had previously played for just two clubs, Sigma Olomouc and Accies, during the first decade of his career, and he is happy to focus on helping Thistle climb the Premiership table rather than being sidetracked by his future plans.

"I feel good here, the fans and people at the club have been great with me," he said.

"I am 30 and if you are offered a bit of stability, it's a good thing. It means I can focus and don't have to be looking for a new club for the next four months.

"Plus the club are signing other players on longer-term deals, so they have a vision for the next few years and I want to be part of that.

"I prefer to stay in one place for longer rather than moving clubs every year. It's not my mentality to always look for different clubs.

"Last year there were a lot of changes in the summer in terms of personnel, and that obviously affected the start of the season and we are still kind of trying to catch up from that really bad run at the start of the season.

"But if you have more players already committed for next season we can build around that, have a strong pre-season and start the season well, which gives you a much better chance to finish higher up the table."

Cerny admits his new contract is an added incentive to move Thistle away from relegation danger and victory over bottom club Dundee United could allow them to look at a top-six challenge.

"We're aware of both ends of the table," said Cenry, who was promoting Thistle's latest mass art giveaway, which will see fans given yellow cards designed by artist Jonathan Monk.

"Of course we are aiming to climb up and try to get closer to the top six and then fight from there, but at the same time there's just a point between so many teams and nobody wants to finish 11th and play in the play-off.

"This is as important as any other game. There's three points at stake. If Dundee United start picking up points it makes the league more interesting."