Stuart Bannigan has expressed his delight after putting a summer of uncertainty behind him and committing his immediate future to Partick Thistle.

The midfielder had been expected to move elsewhere after his contract expired in June despite a serious knee injury that still sees him training on his own.

After signing a two-year deal to remain at Firhill yesterday though, he told SportTimes that his love for Thistle had been a major factor in changing his mind and deciding to stay at the club.

“I’m delighted,” Bannigan said. “It’s been a wee bit frustrating not really knowing what was going to be happening over the summer, but I was always in contact with the manager and keeping him updated about what was going on.

“I said at the start when all this happened that I didn’t really want to go somewhere else when I wasn’t ready and I couldn’t go and push on, so I’m grateful that the manager has allowed me to stay at the club, I’m really thankful to him for that, and I’m happy to get everything sorted.

“I love it here, it’s my club, and everyone is great with me. It’s a perfect setting for me to get back fit and get back to enjoying my football again.

“I was disappointed with the injury not to play the last couple of the months, firstly because at the time I thought I might be leaving and obviously with the push towards the top six.

“It’s a fresh start for me and it’s two years, which I feel is good for myself and the club. It allows me to get back and playing like I was last season. I felt like it was probably my best in a Thistle shirt, and I was getting near my best form.

“Now I need to get back and prove myself again, because we’ve got a lot of great midfielders and a lot of boys who can play in behind the striker as well.

“It’s not as if I’m going to come back and walk straight into the team, I know I’ll need to prove myself again and I’m happy to do that.”

Bannigan is keen to stress to the Thistle support that he hasn’t come back to the club simply because the injury he sustained at Tynecastle left him with nowhere else to go.

He revealed that he did still have offers from other clubs, but genuinely wanted to stay with the Jags.

He said: “People might think that I’m just coming back as a last resort, but I can assure those people that there were a couple of offers there and I had a chance to go other places, and the manager knew that as well.

“So it was my choice to come back here. I love it here and in football terms, it’s my home.

“I knew these guys would help me through whatever length of time I’m out. I know them really well and I can be myself round about them. The boys have been great with me and they’ll continue to be.

“The physios have also been great with me, they worked with me all summer even when I wasn’t signed up, and I’m really grateful to them and the manager for that.”

Bannigan is excited about the season ahead for Thistle, believing the squad to be in excellent shape ahead of the new campaign.

He is desperate to make his own contribution to the cause as quickly as he can, but knows he will have to be cautious to ensure he doesn’t suffer any recurrence of his injury.

“I’m not sure how long I’ll be out to be honest,” he said. “I’m out on the training pitch every day now, although not involved with the boys.

“At least I’m active and doing some running to keep my fitness up, but it’s just twisting and turning that is proving difficult, and obviously that is fundamental in football.

“Fingers crossed it won’t be too long, but I don’t think it will be in the coming weeks anyway."