BRING IT ON
Saunders all set for relegation fight with Jags
Rutherglen footballer Steven Saunders is ready for a relegation battle with Partick Thistle.
The defender signed for the Jags last weekend, and made an immediate debut as the Firhill men drew 1-1 with Dundee United.
The former Stonelaw High pupil moved on from Livingston after just six months at the club, and is hopeful his Partick move can get his career back in gear.
He told the Reformer: “It was all about getting first team football.
“I spoke to the gaffer (Gary Caldwell) last week and he was very complimentary about me, and talked about the club and what he wants to achieve here.
“He spoke so passionately about what he thinks we can do and the way he wants to play football, it was a no brainer to sign here.
“He wants to play good football and win games, and when you’re speaking to someone with that amount of experience it becomes an easy sell.”
The 27-year-old admitted he was frustrated that his experience at Almondvale never really got started, as he made only five appearances at the Premiership side. He added: “It was disappointing. “I’d started pre-season well and Kenny Miller had brought me in, and then he left and Gary Holt arrived and it went a bit sour. They were on such a good run of form that it was really hard to get into the team, and I just want to be playing football.”
Relegated from the Premiership last season, the Jags have endured a miserable campaign, and sit at the foot of the table.
However the defender, who played 76 minutes at the weekend, is confident that they can turn their fortunes around, beginning on Saturday with the visit of Falkirk to Firhill.
The Bairns are just one place above Partick in the table, and Steven feels the game has massive implications.
He added: “After half an hour of training with the lads I could see there was a lot of quality here.
“It’s about getting the confidence back – we’ll work at getting clean sheets and going from there.
“Falkirk already feels like a six pointer, but on Saturday we showed against Dundee United that we can play well.
“We need to do it for a whole game now.”