PARTICK THISTLE star Mark McGuigan has picked up the season's first honours after he graduated from Abertay University yesterday.

The striker left the Jags' Catterick training base on Wednesday afternoon to head back up to Tayside for the ceremony.

He will then make the four-hour long trek south this afternoon to take part in a weekend bounce game at the army base as Thistle boss Jackie McNamara puts his squad through their paces.

The 23-year-old has graduated with an honours degree in Physical Activity and Health and insists he is happy to hit the road in the pursuit of further success.

He said: "The last four years have really flown in, but I'm glad it's finally done and dusted. I loved every minute of it, but I'm relieved that it's all over.

"All the hard work I put in has paid off and now the best bit is I have a degree which I will be putting to use in real life as I'll be helping the team out on the sports science side of things.

"With the graduation coming in the middle of our time at Catterick it means I'm driving up and down the country a bit, but I don't mind.

"Pre-season is very important."

McGuigan became an instant hit with the Firhill faithful after signing on in March.

The striker was spotted during a bounce game between the Jags and a Scottish Universities XI and went on to score twice in the end-of- season run-in.

He did enough to convince McNamara he was worthy of a deal for the new Irn-Bru First Division campaign and the former Celtic youth is now ready to repay his manager's faith.

He said: "We have got a really competitive squad with some great depth and cracking players so it is going to be tough to do that.

"As a striker, you are judged by the goals you score. I am going to be playing alongside the likes of Kris Doolan, who is a cracking striker.

"If I can score a similar amount of goals to Dools this season then I will be doing ok.

"I am looking forward to it and hopefully my performances can help Thistle get up the league and challenge.

"In the seven games I was involved in last season, inconsistency seemed to kill us a bit and I know a lot of the boys were frustrated at that.

"At the end of the day, it was a young and inexperienced squad. This year it is different.

"A lot of the boys have had a full season in the First Division and we have made a couple of good signings as well. All the players are determined to get up the league and challenge."