BAILY CARGILL, the Partick Thistle defender on loan from Bournemouth, has not ruled out making Scotland his permanent home.

And he's enjoying life at Firhill so much that don't be surprised if he signs a permanent deal at the club - providing the Jags stay up.

The 22-year-old’s contract with his English Premier League club runs out in the summer and then he will be on the look-out for a new team.

He said: "I’ve really enjoyed myself. I’ve been here two months now and feel pretty settled.

"I’ve been impressed with the standard. I feel I’m starting to find my form and starting to get back to my best because I came here lacking a little bit of confidence.

“I would consider a move up to Scotland. Having been here and got to know the league a bit better, the standard is a lot better than people assume.

“The main aim for me was to come and play games. I just want to play every week, every footballer wants that, and I do feel really comfortable at Thistle.

“You get a lot of coverage here, a lot of games on TV and the media coverage is bigger than League One or League Two in England.

“Scotland would definitely be an option.

“It’s a great group of lads and the gaffer has been brilliant with me. I feel that’s how I play my best, I work off him as he’s so easy going, he just lets me go and play my football and doesn’t put pressure on me to do certain things other managers might have done.

“Hopefully I can carry on staying in the side and playing well.

“I was in and out of the team at Fleetwood, where I was on loan, so wasn’t playing as much as I’d have liked. I’ve come here and played every minute of every game since I’ve joined.

“That’s probably the first time in my career I’ve had a consistent run. It’s been a good start for me."

Thistle are at Hearts today, another team struggling for form, although their home record is good.

Alan Archibald's men at least travel to Tynecastle on the back of positive result having secured a home draw with Aberdeen last weekend.

Cargill said: "It was a great result for us. We hadn’t kept a clean sheet since I joined, so it was a massive positive for me to get my first one as Aberdeen are a good side.

“But we need to start picking up points and wins, so the more clean sheets we get the better chance we have of that.

"Last week's draw was well deserved and it was good to get a point but we need to start winning games now."

That much is true.

Thistle are in the play-off spot and a run of wins would be timely given that the league is so tight that a good couple of weeks could life them up the table.

Cargill said: "First and foremost my job is to get the clean sheet but I think we are a good side, we play good football and the goals will come when we need them.

"We have got a few big games coming up against Hearts and Hibs, two massive games, and if we can get a win in either of those then we will be buzzing.

"We need to turn those draws or losses into wins and pick up as many points as we can."

The Jags are currently four points clear of bottom club Ross County with four games to go before the split.

They face a tough run in, with top-six sides Hearts, Hibs and Kilmarnock all to play, but Cargill is staying positive.

He said: "We have four big games coming up before the split, three are against the top teams and then we have the Ross County game.

"We just need to pick up as many points as we can before the split and then we will give ourselves the best chance against the teams near us."