In terms of inspiring oratory, it’s easy to fall back on the soaring statements of Churchill during his rousing wartime defiance.
Partick Thistle, meanwhile, could probably find comfort in Dad’s Army. “Don’t panic” was often trotted out by good old Clive Dunn and in these backs-to-the-wall times in the Ladbrokes Premiership, the Jags may just be heeding that advice.
Marooned at the bottom of the table, and four points adrift of Ross County, Kilmarnock and Dundee, it could be easy to get worked into a fevered fankle but Thistle have been here before.
This time last season, they were in a similarly perilous position but a festive flurry helped spark a resurgence and they ended up in the top six. Alan Archibald, the Thistle manager, would prefer to be in those upper echelons instead of propping up the rest but he hopes recent history can repeat itself.
“We hope so but it’s not just going to happen,” he warned ahead of the proverbial six-pointer against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park this weekend. “We need to work ever so hard and this will be a tough game against Kilmarnock who are one of the form teams in the league.
“It definitely helps having been in this position before but it also helps as it brings a realism. It doesn’t mean we are going to sit back and say we are going to be okay because we have done it before. Football doesn’t work like that. The league has become harder, there is no doubt it is tougher this season more than any other.
“Kilmarnock’s form has really picked up so we know how tough it’s going to be. It’s a really crucial time in the season and we know that. It’s a busy time and the next three games are against teams which are around about us. We want to close that gap and it’s in our own hands to do that at the weekend.”
Despite an upturn in fortunes under new manager, Steve Clark, Kilmarnock’s home form remains fairly dire and Archibald is well aware of that particular chink in the armour.
“We hope we can exploit that but we need to do that ourselves as we can only control our own performance,” he added. “We can’t worry about Kilmarnock who were very good against Hibs when I watched them even though they lost the game 3-0 which was surprising.
“They have definitely picked up. There were a lot of things we liked on Saturday about our own performance and there were things that were lacking.”
One thing Archibald insists is not lacking in his players is the stomach for the fight ahead.
“We haven’t lost that grit,” he declared. “I don’t believe one of the reasons we are at the bottom of the league is a lack of grit. It’s not something we are concerned about. It’s more been down to being vulnerable and losing poor goals, that’s probably the biggest thing. We have missed having that solidity but that comes with playing the same people every week and getting results which you can go and build on.
“Some of these players we won’t get back until January and February. We need to concentrate on the guys who are fit and getting the best out of the ones we have on the pitch and available for selection.
“It is fine margins and most managers could write a page long list of things which have cost them winning a game or gaining a point. We need to make sure those close margins go for us and the next three or four games are vital.”
Given all the chatter surrounding Derek McInnes and his move to Rangers, Archibald offered his own view on his old friend.
“Derek’s record speaks for itself,” he said. “He took over Aberdeen at a similar time to me arriving at Partick and he’s taken the club so far. He’s probably been their best manager in recent times. He’s the ultimate professional.”
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