Bannigan Never Lost Confidence In Partick Thistle

Stuart Bannigan felt Partick Thistle were always going to hit form this season - and he tried to instil the same confidence in his new team-mates.

Thistle failed to win any of their first 10 games of the season after losing key players such as Scott Fox, Stephen O'Donnell, Conrad Balatoni, Kallum Higginbotham and Lyle Taylor.

They sat bottom of the Premiership with three points after nine games but moved up to ninth after their 5-2 win at Kilmarnock on Saturday.

And Bannigan feels their turnaround in form, which has seen them lose just once in seven matches, is purely down to having the time to knit together as a squad.

"There was a big exodus of players who had been mainstays in the team last year and new players are going to take time to gel," the 23-year-old said.

"They weren't just starters every week, they were real, big characters in the dressing room as well. The dynamics changed a wee bit and it takes time to get used to what people like and don't like.

"I was always confident. Partick Thistle have had a lot of downs in the past two or three years, last minute goals against us and some poor results. You never panic, you always look to the next game.

"The manager never panicked and it didn't spread around the players.

"Myself, Kris Doolan and Steven Lawless have been here for all the years Partick Thistle have been in the premier league so we know what we need to do and that we can't change our football ways, we need to pass the ball and do what we do best. The three of us try to lead by example."

Thistle play the bottom two in consecutive weeks, hosting Motherwell on Saturday before travelling to face Dundee United.

"Saturday was obviously a good performance but we are just coming together," Bannigan said.

"These past results have only put us back in the pack. Motherwell are only two points behind us so if they were to come here and win then we are back in trouble."

Thistle will give away 2,000 scarves designed by Pittsburgh-based artist Jon Rubin ahead of Saturday's Firhill clash.

The scarves have "You Don't Know Who You Are" written on one side and "We Are Thistle" on the other.