Manager Dick Campebll is delighted to announce the signing of Ricky Gillies for the Club. Ricky is 28 years of age and has spent nearly all his career with St Mirren bar for a three season spell with Aberdeen.Ricky admits that a change was required:
"I had a bad season and I am pretty sure that a move is good for me at this stage of my career. Thistle are certainly a good club to move to and I am excited about the prospect of playing here. I haven't played with too many players who are here at the moment but I am sure we will all fit in pretty well.
I had a lot of happy times at St Mirren but there does come a time when you have to try something new and I can't wait to get started with Thistle when we return for pre-season at the end of the month."
Campbell is more than pleased at this important signing, bolstering the squad with more attacking options:
"He is well respected in the Scottish game and in Glasgow. I am very happy to confirm that he will be in a Thistle jersey. He gives us so many options on the field of play, whether it be up front, wide or in the middle. What interested me after speaking to him was his real enthusiasm to come to Thistle. He certainly is a model professional, he is experienced at 28 years old, he is hungry for success and he could have gone elsewhere which does not surprise me, and at a higher level at that. Jimmy Bone was the St Mirren manager when he made his debut at just 16 and he is looking forward to working with him, as well as myself, and I am sure that every Partick Thistle fan will enjoy and encourage these special talents that the player has.
Overall, it is a testimony to Partick Thistle that players of the quality of Gibson, Rowe, Smyth and Gillies have shown a hunger in wanting to come here when better offers were open to them. They are certainly here for the battle of getting us back into the higher echelons of Scottish football.
Finally, I am very excited about the forthcoming season but talk is cheap and I'll let the players do the talking on the park. Hopefully there will be an additional one or two in the next couple of weeks to add to the jigsaw."