TALKING THISTLE
BLAIR SPITTAL reckons his old pal Andy Robertson is proof that playing for the Old Firm isn’t the only route to stardom for Scottish players.
The Partick Thistle new boy played alongside the Liverpoolbound defender at Queen’s Park and Dundee United and said his journey to the top should be a lesson for youngsters.
“I think Andy’s the perfect example that you don’t have to be at the big clubs to succeed,” Spittal said, recalling how both he and Roberston were rejected by Celtic and Rangers as teens.
He said: “It’s not the be all and end all if you get rejected by them, it’s tough at the time but you can’t let your head go down.
“I’m absolutely delighted for him, he’s deserved every success he’s gotten so far and I think it just proves how well he’s done.”
Spittal was let go by Rangers at under 15 level while Robertson was deemed too small to make the grade at Celtic.
The two players linked up as part of the Queen’s Park youth set-up and have remained in touch ever since.
Spittal said: “We do stay in contact, my parents keep in touch with his parents and they’re quite close, I saw him a few weeks ago.
“He’s still the same guy he was at Queen’s Park, he’s a very levelheaded guy and he doesn’t let anything get to him. He was obviously already a very good player at Queen’s. He’d been in the first team for six or seven months before me and you could see nothing fazed him.
“And then when I went to Dundee United he’d been there for a year and I saw a difference in him by the time I got there – he was so far ahead of everyone else.”
ROBERTSON is expected to finalise a £10m move to Merseyside in the coming days, having initially made the switch down south to Hull City in 2014.
And now Spittal is backing his mate to make the step up and shine at one of the world’s biggest clubs.
He said: “There’s obviously top players at these clubs that he’s gone to and he’s already met that challenge head on so I’m sure he’ll do well if given the chance.
“He’s worked hard for all these opportunities, they’ve not just fallen for him and now he’s reaping the rewards for it.”
Spittal himself has been handed an opportunity by Jags boss Alan Archibald, making a return to the top-flight after a season in the Championship with Dundee United.
The 21-year-old had the option to remain at Tannadice but admitted that once Thistle came calling his head was immediately turned.
“When I found out that the manager wanted me I jumped at the opportunity, I got a good vibe when I spoke to him in the summer so I’m delighted to be here, all the boys have helped me settle in well.
“Obviously Saturday’s result was disappointing but I’m enjoying myself.”
Thistle were one of last season’s major success stories as they secured a top-six finish for the first time, and Spittal is convinced he has joined a club on the up.
However, he stressed that no one at the club was under any illusions that repeating the trick would be easy this campaign.
“It’s going to be a tough ask with the level of competition in the league this year, with the likes of Hibs coming back up it’s only going to get harder.
“There’s a lot of big clubs in the league so we’ve just got to go to all these places and try to emulate last year.”