PARTICK THISTLE gaffer Ian McCall is closing in on the signing of an experienced SPL defender.

With Jags skipper Alan Archibald having undergone cruciate ligament surgery, he will be out until at least October.

So the Jags boss has made extra central defensive cover his top priority as he looks to build on a promising debut season at the Thistle helm.

After completing the signing of Queen's Park right-back Paul Paton, as we revealed on Saturday, it had been thought that McCall may have been left frustrated in his bid to strengthen this summer, with transfer funds thought to be limited for any further close-season horse trading.

But with Archibald's injury robbing Jags of their most influential defender, and skipper, McCall has been allowed to re-enter the market- place and is believed to have high hopes of nailing down the signing of the versatile and rugged stopper within the next 24 hours.

But today a tight lipped McCall said: "Although Archie is making good progress after his cruciate operation, we have to make sure we are not short of cover in a vital area at the back. I hope we will be able to do something about that shortly."

The need to find further central cover at the back was made glaringly obvious during the defeats suffered against both Rangers and Greenock Morton at the end of the campaign.

In both games, the Thistle central defensive pairing of Willie Kinniburgh and John Robertson were dominated aerially by Kris Boyd and Brian Wake respectively.

The news of an impending move will come as a relief to the Firhill faithful after it emerged that the Jags' boss had lost out in attempts to bring uncompromising St Johnstone centre-back Allan McManus and former Thistle midfield stalwart Martin Hardie to Thistle.

The Jags' boss is also understood to be desperate to snap up at least one striker, but McCall is not lining up a swoop for Clyde wing-back Michael McGowan.

The Firhill gaffer said: "Michael is a promising young defender, but we are well covered on the left flank with Marc Twaddle and Michael is not a target for us."

Meanwhile, it is believed that powerful Albion Rovers hit man John Gemmell has slapped in a transfer request at Cliftonhill.

After an impressive 13-goal basement campaign, the former Queen's Park and Jags striker will not be short of suitors.

There was heartbreak for Derek Ferguson, manager at Stranraer.

They trailed Arbroath by two goals from the first leg of the Division Two play-off final.

Despite winning the return fixture thanks to a goal from French midfielder Tade, it was too little, too late.