When Adam Barton was at Preston, his manager Phil Brown described him as the team's “orchestra leader”, who got on the ball and dictated the way that his side would play.

While the modest Barton expressed his surprise yesterday after picking up the Ladbrokes Premiership player of the month award for October, he admits he is enjoying now playing that role for Partick Thistle.

Since coming into the side, mainly at the centre of a back three but also in central midfield, he has added a calmness to Thistle’s play and has showcased an impressive range of passing.

And although he isn’t sure if he can live up to the billing given to him by his former boss at Deepdale, he hopes to continue to inspire the Jags to play their easy-on-the-eye style of football.

“I’ve never heard that quote before but I’ll take it,” Barton said.

“I like to take responsibility. A lot of people have told me I play in a very relaxed way. It’s just the way I am. I don’t intend to go out and try to stroll through games because it can look bad.

“A lot of players and fans might think I’m not trying but it’s just my body shape and what I do. I think it’s very important – especially when teams are struggling and near the bottom of the league – not to panic in a lot of situations on the pitch.

“I’m glad I’ve got this way about me that I can put my foot on the ball and calm things down. I keep saying to Danny [Devine] that he should just take a touch and relax. I think he’s done that a bit more.

“When I came here, because of the way results were going, they maybe thought ‘we just have to keep a clean sheet, let’s just get the ball away from the goal.’

“That doesn’t mean to say they were playing badly, because I thought they were doing well, but when things are going that way and you are conceding goals it’s only natural to think you have to get the ball away.

“Maybe sometimes though you have to put your foot on the ball, keep possession. I thought against Aberdeen that every time we got the ball we were giving them it straight back.

“I don’t know if you could see but I was getting so frustrated because there were times when people could turn around, go back and start again. You don’t always have to go forward.

“But I think the team are doing well at the moment, we’re clicking a lot more now, and hopefully the way I play brings that sort of relaxed feel.

“If I do get on the ball and play a pass, then maybe that will allow people to calm themselves down a bit, and hopefully that is helping.”

Ironically, Barton’s biggest strength has also been viewed as his biggest weakness by some, as his languid style has often mistakenly been interpreted for laziness.

The 25-year-old believes that perception has held him back in his career, but he now feels at home under a manager who believes in him.

“I think my style has held me back a lot,” he said. “I’ve had managers who want more ‘energy’ to get about the pitch. If you put me in a running session I’m okay. I’m not lazy in any way.

“You get two different kinds of manager – one will love my style of play and the other will hate it. I’ve had both in my career.

“I’m just fortunate now to be at a team where the manager does like it, even though I know the manager was a proper centre-back. I’m surprised he likes me to play as I do. I’ve been told I’m more like his assistant, Scott Paterson.”