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Alan Galindo

Ian McCall on Partick Thistle transfer plans, pre-season and Scottish Championship targets

Ian McCall admits Partick Thistle will still be very busy in the transfer market.

The Jags have already bolstered their squad for the new season with the likes of Harry Milne, Anton Dowds and Steven Lawless.

But the Thistle gaffer admits he is still eyeing up a number of key positions ahead of the big kick-off.

McCall has two midfielders and a goalkeeper lined-up and has outlined a number of other positions he is keen to add bodies to in the coming weeks.

Speaking exclusively to Glasgow Live Sport , he said: "Yeah. We are still well light. I think I've got two midfielders and a goalkeeper kind of lined up. When that will happen I don't know.

"If we can manage to get them in we will still be looking for a striker, a centre-back and a wide player.

"We are getting there but it is still very early.

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"Albeit, I am not using the Premier Sports Cup game as friendlies as we really want to progress.

"We did some good early work but we've got quite a lot to do."

Asked if a return for Lewis Mayo from Rangers was one bit of business he was hoping to complete he conceded: "I think Lewis will have options in the Premiership because he did so well with us. I think it would be doubtful. I wouldn't give up on anybody.

"If he doesn't stay with Rangers he might be in the Premiership but we will see, time will tell on that."

One player who impressed last season was Scott Tiffoney, and McCall has high hopes for him this coming campaign while he also touched on a number of other players, he added: "Scott Tiffoney is a Partick Thistle player. We've had no offers. Nobody has even phoned.

"He is training very well and it is a big season for him as that was his first full season as a regular.

"He did very well for the first three quarters of the season and it is a big year for him to kick on again.

"I really enjoy watching him and I hope our supporters do, and I am sure they do.

READ MORE: Queen's Park and Partick Thistle fixtures in full as Scottish Championship 2022/23 schedule revealed

"I've got high hopes for Anton [Dowds]. He's a very different type of player to Zak Rudden. He did very well and even when he went back to Falkirk he scored seven goals. He's also quick.

"I don't think anybody should be writing off Brian Graham because of his age. He scored 18 goals last season and didn't score in his last ten to 12 games. There were reasons for that, he took a bit of illness and took a while to recover from that so I would suggest anyone writing off Brian Graham do that at their peril.

"I think in the wide areas, the next player we will sign will be a bit younger and less experienced. Obviously with Harry Milne, Anton Dowds and Jack McMillan - who I am delighted with - I wouldn't say they are inexperienced but they want to become regulars at a high level.

"We did try to get the age down, which we have done, but we did need experience in certain areas. Bear in mind Steven [Lawless] is only 31 and in his second year he will be 32 and that should be his prime.

"He has never been reliant on pace, it has been skill, guile and passing ability and I'm really looking forward to seeing him back in red and yellow."

Thistle are back in pre-season training with a number of friendlies lined up ahead of the Premier Sports Cup campaign.

The Jags will come up against Stenhousemuir, Kilmarnock, Fraserburgh and Montrose in their section with McCall admitting he will take the group stages seriously.

They face a number of games before the July 9 start as the 57-year-old opened up on the reasons behind the decision.

"I wouldn't usually have as many pre-season games as that. We have Darren Brownlie who missed all of last season and we feel is as good as anyone in the Championship said McCall, speaking on the day Thistle unveiled their new 2022/23 away kit, available now at Greaves Sports.

"We need to get him right again. He's doing all the training and looking great but needs games and he will certainly play for a half on Tuesday night.

"No player will play more than a half then there is a game Friday, Tuesday and Saturday so he will get plenty of game time and that was the reason for so many pre-season friendlies.

"I think even in those four league cup games everybody will be pushing to start at Dens Park in the first league game of the season.

"We want to do very well in the cup but everybody will want to get into the starting XI for Dundee."

Harry Milne, Steven Lawless and Jack McMillan model Thistle's new away kit (Partick Thistle FC)

Queen's Park and Cove Rangers joined the Scottish Championship following promotions from League One last season.

The duo will both have eyes on mixing it at the top of the table alongside the likes of Dundee, Thistle, Inverness and last season's surprise package Arbroath.

All ten teams in the league will be dreaming of finishing in the top four with McCall admitting that is what makes Scotland's second tier so competitive.

Owen Coyle is a good friend of the Jags boss - who has now passed 1000 days in the Firhill hot seat in his current spell - and while he conceded he wanted him to do very well in his new role on a personal level, professionally it was a different story.

He said: "The Queen's Park one was very funny for me.

"The manager is a good friend of mine and I was desperate for him to do well.

"Sandy [Stewart] the assistant has worked with me before, but with my professional head on I didn't want them to come up as they will probably be bidding for the same players as us and maybe be able to bid a little bit more.

"It is a club close to my heart. It is where I started out.

"Cove are a terrifically well run club. When we went up there a couple of seasons ago in League One we were treated very well. They will be two good additions.

"They are there on merit and I am sure they will want to do very well. I think all ten teams will want to finish in the top four and that's what makes it so competitive.

"I think at our club because we finished fourth we have got to do better than that.

"So the target is first, second or third. We've got to try and finish in the top three as you've got to try and improve year on year.

"It is a tough start but I don't think it would have mattered who you played. It is the same as usual in the Championship. Every game will be very, very difficult.

"A great example is Arbroath. Maybe a few years ago you'd be looking at Arbroath as points and now they are one of the favourites as they were fantastic last season.

"It's a very tough league and start but I am looking forward to it."

Partick Thistle FC season tickets are now available, including free season tickets for under-16s. Visit ptfc.co.uk for more info

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