RYAN STEVENSON believes the return of Sean Welsh is like making a major signing as Thistle set their sights on the Premiership top six.

Welsh has been plagued by injuries over the past two seasons – playing just three times in the last campaign - and was only offered a three-month deal in order to prove his fitness.

But Stevenson believes the midfield playmaker has put all of his problems behind him and can be a hugely influential figure as Thistle aim to improve upon their eighth position last season.

Stevenson said: “Sean is like a new signing for us. Hopefully we can keep him fit now and if he does that he will be a big player for us.

“To have him coming back is a massive plus for us.

“He was the skipper not that long ago and now he has only signed a three-month contract, but that’s the way things can go in football.

“Two years out is a long time in football. There are a lot of good players who are finding themselves without a club.

“Sean knows he’s at a good club and it says a lot for what the manager thinks of him by helping him try to get back as well.

“Hopefully he can stay injury free and he can be a big player for us.”

Stevenson is also on the comeback trail after a knee injury at the end of last season and knows Jags need to improve as they get set to face Wigan tomorrow night after a dour goal-less draw at Falkirk.

The Bairns had more chances, but Thistle came closest to scoring when a Stevie Lawless shot was cleared off the line by former Firhill defender Aaron Muirhead four minutes from time.

He felt sorry for former Cheltenham and Plymouth Argyle full-back Durrell Berry, who played as a trialist and could also feature against Gary Caldwell’s side.

He said: “It’s always difficult to play as a trialist – I know I wouldn’t like to do it

“He had all the travelling, he had to play on Astro and he doesn’t know the boys so these were all difficult factors

“But from what we have seen of him in training he has done really well.

"He seems a nice boy too so putting everything aside I think he did well.

“We want to continue improving, I think last season was the highest finish Thistle have had so we want to try to better that and make the top six.”

There were more positives from the match for Falkirk manager Peter Houston, especially the way former Motherwell striker Bob McHugh is settling in.

He said: “There were a lot of pleasing aspects and I feel the striking partnership of John Baird and Bob McHugh is developing.

“Once the midfield players learn how to play with him I think there are goals in this pair.

“We lost a very good player in Rory Loy to Dundee but what the supporters have to remember is that we have to work within our budget.

“Bob comes in as a young player. He made 87 appearances for Motherwell but only 14 starts so he’s hungry,

“He is a bit like Rory in the sense that when he came here he had not had that many first team appearances and he developed into a fans’ favourite.

“Hopefully Bob can do the same.”