Highs and lows for Erskine as Jags fear the drop

PARTICK TH V KILMARNOCK

Partick Thistle midfielder Chris Erskine noted what a difference a year makes in football as he faced up to a battle for Ladbrokes Premiership survival.

The Jags’ 4-0 defeat by Ross County in Dingwall on Tuesday night saw them leapfrogged by the Staggies to leave them bottom of the table with a home game against Kilmarnock before the split.

At the same stage last season, Alan Archibald’s side had clinched a place in the top-six with a 1-0 win over Motherwell.

“Of course it was completely different,” said 31-year-old Erskine, in his third spell with the Maryhill club.

“It was a massive high for us last year, for the whole club, to get that top-six place.

“Obviously it is a complete contrast this year. We are in a real fight to stay in the league and it is going to take our best to get out of it.

“We are obviously a bit down, there is no denying that. The fact that we went bottom and it was a massive game for us, the chance to get away from Ross County.

“It never happened for us so obviously the mood is not great. We still have six games to go so we have to look at it that way, that we still have a chance.”

Erskine first signed for Thistle from Junior club Kilbirnie Ladeside in 2009. He was promoted to the top flight with the Jags in 2013 before signing for Dundee United and does not relish the prospect of a return to the Championship.

He said: “It is not a place I want to go back to. It is massively important we stay up. I am 31 now and I think everybody wants to play in the Premiership, nobody wants to drop down the divisions.”

Partick defender Danny Devine returns from suspension, while Killie welcome defender Kirk Broadfoot back from his ban.