Ryan pleads for the Jags fans not to give up hope
Ryan Edwards is adamant that Partick Thistle fans shouldn’t give up on their team.
The Jags appear to be fighting a losing battle after a dismal performance and a 2-1 defeat by Livingston in the first leg of the Premiership play-off clash.
Thistle will be relegated if they can’t beat the West Lothian club at Firhill this afternoon.
Edwards acknowledges these are desperate times, but believes that brings out the best in the Maryhill men.
He said: “It seems to be the Thistle way that we make it difficult for ourselves.
“We don’t keep clean sheets, and we are leaving it until the last possible moment to see what our fate is.
“I think this situation brings the best out in us.
“It hasn’t been a good season, we know that. But whenever we have needed a result, we have got it.
“Hopefully, that can be the same against Livingston at Firhill.
“We can rectify this – it’s still in our hands.
“We’ve played better at home this season. We haven’t done so well away. “We know we need to win and score at least one to go to extra-time.
“We’re more than capable of doing that – even scoring two to make sure we stay in the Premiership next season.
“It’s the biggest game of my career. The biggest game for everyone.”
The Aussie hit a vital winner against Hamilton Accies last month to move Thistle off the foot of the table.
Another strike, against St Johnstone, was voted as Goal of the Season by the Thistle fans. He really doesn’t care who scores today, as long as it’s for the home side.
“I have scored five goals this season, but they have all come at important moments,” said Edwards.
“In my other two seasons here, my goals tended to be important.
“But I’m a team player, so I don’t care if it is me who scores, as long as we win.” Edwards, 24, knows the fans are worried, and he’s not surprised they found Friday night’s game at Livingston hard to take.
All the players can do now is rise to the challenge to produce an altogether better performance. He said: “We watched it back and saw where we went wrong. It was painful viewing.
“There were a very small number of positives from that performance, but a lot of negatives.
“You want to be playing in the Premiership every season.
“I think the squad we have is good enough to do that.
“I don’t want to play in the Championship, so I will be doing all I can to make sure I do that next season.”