PARTICK THISTLE have appointed Glasgow businessman Ajay Chopra as a director of the Firhill club.

Chopra joins chairman David Beattie and his directors Billy Allan, Greg Brown and Ian Dodd in the Jags boardroom, with his place on the board confirmed during a meeting yesterday.

The move comes after Grant Bannerman and Ronnie Gilfillan both stepped down from their respective positions last month, leaving just four men in control of the club with the start of the new Irn-Bru First Division campaign looming large.

In an interview with SportTimes last week, Beattie admitted he was keen to bring fresh faces on board at Firhill to fill the gaps left by Bannerman and Gilfillan's resignations and help drive the club forward both on and off the field.

Chopra is an important figure in Scottish business, working closely with some of the biggest retailers in the country in the grey market industry, selling and sourcing grocery goods to many of the country's leading supermarket chains.

He brings a wealth of business knowledge, experience and contacts to the table at Thistle.

His position as a director was ratified when the Jags hierarchy met yesterday and chairman Beattie is confident the latest addition to the Jags boardroom will be a positive move for the First Division club.

He told SportTimes: "I am delighted to be able to welcome Ajay on board as a director of Partick Thistle FC.

"He likes what Thistle are trying to do and recognises our ambitions in regards to youth development and helping to expand our presence in the community, as well as striving for success on the pitch next season.

"He believes in the ethos of the club and everything that we stand for. He is Thistle-minded, which is very important, and will be an active, hard-working member of the board.

"Ajay brings with him a wealth of business contacts and a great enthusiasm about football and about Thistle. I am sure he will be an excellent addition to the board and I look forward to working with him."

The announcement comes days after Firhill gaffer Jackie McNamara completed the signing of midfielder Sean Welsh.

He joins the club along with ex-Motherwell man Steven Lawless, Aaron Muirhead and Hugh Murray.