CHRIS DUGGAN hopes becoming a Championship hero for Dumbarton will allow him to become a Premiership star with Partick Thistle.

The striker has dropped down from the top flight until the end of the campaign to give Sons boss Ian Murray another attacking option in his Rock squad.

After seeing a spell at Queen's Park earlier in the season disrupted by injury, Duggan has featured against Hibernian and Queen of the South so far since leaving Firhill.

Victory over Alloa this afternoon would move Dumbarton a major step closer to retaining their second tier status this term.

And Duggan hopes he can play his part and catch the eye as he bids to win a new Jags deal in the summer.

He said: "It is a good move for me and there are a lot of big games coming up, especially against the likes of Hearts and Rangers.

"The Championship is such a strong league so I am getting tested every week so it is a good opportunity for me.

"I was hoping to break through at Thistle this season but I was out for three months and that was a blow.

"I thought it was better for me to go out and play in the second half of the season and the move to Dumbarton is a great opportunity for me.

"The club's intent was to maybe finish higher than we are at just now and if we can pick up points in the big games we have coming up then hopefully we can do that.

"My contract is up in the summer. I don't know what the situation is with that, it is something we can look at when I am back at Thistle.

"Hopefully I can play well and, even if I don't get a deal at Thistle, I will have options and I can take it from there.

"These next few weeks could be crucial in terms of what happens at the end of the season."