THE away dressing room at Firhill on Saturday was not a pleasant place to be.

St Mirren had just lost 5-0 to Partick Thistle – they were lucky to get nil – having been outplayed in every aspect it is possible to be in a football match.

Sure, Thistle are in the league above and therefore it stands to reason they will have better players. However, the gap should not be this gargantuan. This was as one-sided a game as you will ever see.

The home side played well in fairness and we shall get to Alan Archibald’s men in a moment but given what St Mirren captain Stephen McGinn had to say after the game, and how he said it, his passionate words must be given priority.

“It was one of the worst days of my career,” he said. “It was really, really tough. It was far too easy for Thistle. It was men against boys at times. We have asked questions of each other in the dressing room. That's not acceptable, it will never be acceptable.

“I think that's been coming. We haven't been good enough in pre-season and in the cup games. To be fair to Thistle they really punished us.

"We are missing a few key players. We've not lost that many from last year but we can't afford to have injuries to our best players.

"The basics of winning tackles, matching runs and winning headers...we were a million miles away from it.

“I've played with better players at this club who haven't done well. Some of the boys here better get a fright or they won't be here long."

McGinn gets full marks for honesty at least. St Mirren should be challenging for a play-off place this season. On the evidence of the summer, they will do well to stay up and that’s no exaggeration.

Jack Ross is a good manager and the job he did last time out was incredible. But there is something deeply wrong at the moment which quickly needs to be fixed.

“It could have been more,” admitted McGinn. “I apologise to the St Mirren fans who came. Some of them clapped us at the end, I don't know how, but fair play to the ones that stayed and did that.

"If we play like that, we will definitely be in another relegation battle like last season and the season before. It can't happen again. There are good teams who will beat you if you are not at it."

And Partick Thistle just so happen to be a good team.

They have lost big players, Liam Lindsay, for one and so far, have only brought in Blair Spittal, who scored twice, and yet anyone who witnessed them at the weekend would have thought this was the best Thistle team in years.

Kris Doolan, Chris Erskine and Stevie Lawless were excellent in the attacking areas. The first touch football at times, to quote Archibald, was exquisite.

Lawless may be knee high to a grasshopper but he’s a terrific player and when asked whether this could be the best side he’s played with at the club, said: “On potential, I think so. The gaffer knows we have some positions we need to bulk up on.

“It worked out that way last year in we got our highest finish. There’s room for improvement. We had a terrible start last season so. Hopefully we can have a better start and see where it takes us.

“As for Europe? I don’t see why not. The league is more difficult with Hibs in and putting money into their squad. On paper, the money they’re putting about means they’d be one of the favourites to make the top six.”

Thistle are more than good enough to finish top six and get far in a cup. This win means they will probably qualify out of their Betfred Cup group which is led by Livingston.

They could do with three, maybe four, more players but right now they look well set. Spittal will be a good addition, his goal from a free-kick was superb.

They could do with three, maybe four, more players but right now they look well set. Spittal will be a good addition, his goal from a free-kick was superb, and Lawless believes that if everyone can chip in then this team will take some beating,

“Spreading the goals out can help,” said Lawless. “By the end I was shooting from 40 yards with no legs left “We’ve not had someone like Blair over a set-piece. Every time we had a chance he brushed me off it but I couldn’t complain because he’d put one in the top corner.

“He’s got the killer touch which can only help us.”

Maryhill's finest are in good shape on and off the pitch. As for their pals from Paisley, something need to change.