Fear of job cuts plays on Edwards’ mind in relegation dogfight
In keeping with the characteristics regularly ascribed to his fellow Australians, Partick Thistle midfielder Ryan Edwards is a laid back guy. The 24-year-old feels that he copes with pressure “quite well”. But even he concedes the perilous position in which the Maryhill club find themselves gets to him.
Edwards admits the threat of relegation that is hanging over the club makes him painfully aware of the responsibilities that will be resting on him and his team-mates when they go into their final league game that takes them to Dundee on Saturday.
Alan Archibald’s men require to match the result achieved by Ross County at St Johnstone to avoid dropping out of the top flight for the first time in five years – Thistle one of only five clubs ever-present in the Premiership since it came into being for the 2013-14 season.
Thistle hold a crucial twopoint advantage over the Highland club as the pair face a shoot-out to set up a relegation play-off final against either Livingston or Dundee United next week. Even if that means they could lose to Dundee and still avoid dropping down on Saturday, it is no cushion when Edwards considers the hardships thatdemotiontothechampionship could mean for so many connected with the Firhill side.
“In the back of your mind you know you are playing for all of the staff,” he said. “You are playing for a future at the club, for the fans, for the youth teams, everyone. That plays on your mind, but we strongly believe we have enough in our dressing room to finish strongly.”
Yet, playing on Thistle minds must be their inability to convert chances. It was their downfall again on Tuesday night as they lost 1-0 at home to Motherwell. Another duck-egg in their ‘goals for’ column made for a sixth such blank in their past nine games, and a 16th in the 37 league encounters they have contested across this torturous season. The lowest scorers in the entire set-up with only 30 goals, the shortcoming that has dragged them down isn’t exactly difficult to identify.
Against Motherwell Edwards was one of the culprits after he had the goal to aim at with an early header and only succeeded in aiming the ball straight at Trevor Carson.
“I was gutted not to score with my header as it was a great chance,” he said. “It was a great ball in from Kris Doolan and I managed to head it down but either side of the keeper and it would probably have gone in.
“If I’d tried to direct it I may have completely missed. There was Conor [Sammon’s] header and my own in the first half as well as a couple of chances at the end through Miles Storey so it’s disappointing none of them ended up in the back of the net.”
Edwards accepts a confidence issue might be coming into play for Thistle but is convinced they have the mentality to turn that around. “When you are confident these things go for you and it all seems to click but at the moment it’s not,” he said. “We are fighting for every ball, every tackle. Since the split we have done well without getting the win but we still have the belief to get out of the position we are in.”