THE summer months are normally about arrivals for teams across the country but, for Partick Thistle, a departure threatened to cast a cloud over the club.

The announcement that the Glasgow Warriors were to end their tenancy agreement for the use of Firhill and move to Scotstoun Stadium this month shocked Jags bosses, and presented them with a major financial headache.

With their accounts stable yet hardly flush with cash, the loss of the £100,000-per-year rent the Rabo-Direct Pro12 outfit paid for the use of their home could hardly have come at a worse time.

Fears over Thistle's short-term future have shown to be unfounded, however, with the Jags board finding a solution to what could have been a stark problem.

They have once again cut their cloth accordingly, allowing manager Jackie McNamara to enter into the transfer market to recruit Hugh Murray, Steven Lawless, Aaron Muirhead and Sean Welsh thus far and keeping the club on an acceptable financial footing.

"We have our budgets done for next year," chairman David Beattie told SportTimes.

"We have a break-even budget for next year, which does not include rental income from the Warriors.

"I think our financial team have done a fantastic job in shoring that up. It was a big loss.

"We are still full-time next season. We have got a good handle on the finances.

"Who knows what will happen? But, where we are today, I am okay with. We could always do with more money.

"We have generated more income streams and changed the cost base of the business. We haven't had to hugely slash the playing budget.

"We made a small profit this year, which will carry into next year. We will utilise some of the profits to offset the losses for next year.

"We have got a much, much better handle on the finances of the club than we did in previous years. We know where we are."

With their budgets in place for the coming months, the focus will soon turn to matters on the park once more as McNamara looks to improve on a sixth-place finish in his maiden season in the dugout and turn the Jags into Irn- Bru First Division title contenders.

Improving on their performances in the three knock-out competitions will also be of paramount importance, with early exits in the William Hill Scottish Cup, the Scottish Communities League Cup and Ramsdens Cup last year not helping their financial cause.

The Firhill crowd have played their part, too, with the two end-of-season events raising more than £35,000 for the club. Beattie hopes supporters will continue to have a crucial role in the club's success.

He said: "We had the end-of-season ball, which made a lot of money and was great for the youth department and we had the Firhill Cup day.

"It is fantastic that the fans are doing stuff like that. It generated around £5,000, which was great. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't that great.

"It is really important to have the fans involved in the club. One Thistle allows supporters to be involved and to drive the club forward.

"The directors will put the building blocks in place and the One Thistle team can drive ideas forward."

The most obvious way for Thistle to increase revenue streams is, of course, to win promotion to the Scottish Premier League, with the Jags gaffer gearing his side up for a shot at title glory in the coming months.

With just one promotion place up for grabs, the competition for a berth in our top flight will be fierce next season.

Talks over a restructuring of Scotland's league system have once again fallen by the wayside, and Firhill supremo Beattie admits frustrations are growing.

He said: "It is something, to me, that is an absolute no- brainer.

"It doesn't happen, though. I am frustrated with it all. I will keep beating the drum and going to the meetings but we need some action. The days of talking are gone.

"The Rangers situation has clouded the league reconstruction issue, the focus has shifted.

"The SFL are not the problem, it is the SPL, with the 11-1 voting structure in place. The difference in money is the main issue.

"The play-offs are a no-brainer. They would generate money. Two come down then two go up. We need change."