Former Hearts star provides transfer verdict after joining Scottish club with 'exciting' core and big ambition
The winger also counts Aberdeen, Celtic and Dundee United amongst former clubs on top of Hearts.
A former Hearts and Celtic star is hoping to boost a Premiership promotion bid after debuting at his latest club.
Gary Mackay-Steven has signed a short-term deal with Partick Thistle amid their push for the Championship title. He spent the first half of the season at fellow second tier team Ross County after leaving Kilmarnock last summer but departed Dingwall in the winter, now looking to aid former Dundee United teammate Mark Wilson’s promotion push.
He came off the bench for the first time in red and yellow in Saturday’s win over Dunfermline Athletic. Ex-Jambos and Celtic winger Mackay-Steven - who spent 2021-2023 at Tynecastle - has loved his time with Wilson’s exciting group and is keen to help out in whichever way he’s able. Thistle are comfortably in the promotion play-off spots and five points off leaders St Johnstone with three games to go.
What former Hearts player has joined Partick Thistle?
He told The Thistle: “I really enjoyed it. It was honestly great. It’s great to be part of another group that’s an exciting young group that’s doing really well. So, yeah, it was great to be out there.
“I’ve had a couple of weeks training, just getting the fitness up really, because I had a few weeks kind of not football training. So I was building up slow and I can contribute any little bit, I’ll be happy. But it’s just good being in a routine and being in a dressing room that has an exciting end to the season coming up.
“We’ve got a lot of exciting games at Partick coming up now. It’s going to be a great end to the season and there’s a lot to play for. So obviously to be part of that and seeing the boys daily at training and playing with a lot of confidence, it’s refreshing. They just need to keep doing what they’re doing. But the club’s in a great place here.
Gary Mackay Steven on Partick Thistle
“It’s refreshing. Like I say, the boys play with a lot of freedom and confidence and there’s a lot of talent in the squad, which is, for me, amazing. And just to be a part of it and to help any way I can, I’ll be happy to. “[The job he’s done] is amazing. Not just the fact that they’re where they are in the table, it’s the way they’ve done it, the football that they’ve played. I’ve seen it in training and in the games I’ve seen and played against them previously. They’re a hard team to play and they play football the way I like it.
“It’s exciting, it’s attacking and it’s free-flowing once everyone’s on the same page. They’re very well coached and that allows the boys to show their talent in the right areas of the pitch, which is great. He’s only going upwards. I find myself here too and it’s amazing, so I’m just grateful.”
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