Chris Erskine is determined to ensure that Partick Thistle’s season doesn’t meander to an uneventful climax just weeks after the Jags experienced the joy of six.

The Firhill side take on a wounded Rangers this weekend looking to claim all three points and end a successful campaign on a high.

Thistle had already confirmed their first ever top-six finish in the Scottish Premiership before they faced Rangers recently and went down to a fairly limp 2-0 defeat at Ibrox.

Alan Archibald’s men bounced back with a hard-earned draw with Hearts last week and, with Rangers still smarting from the 5-1 trouncing they suffered against old foes Celtic, Erskine is hoping the Jags can capitalise in their own backyard.

Erskine, 30, said: “Once you achieve your main objective there’s always a danger the season can peter out. You put so much into getting into the top six.

“But our manager is the kind of man who will not let that happen. Our last game against Rangers was very lack lustre and was one of the worst in recent games. He wasn’t happy with that and said that we had to make sure the season doesn’t just fizzle away and we made up for that with a good showing against Hearts.

“We’ve earned that right to play against the best teams in the league and you want to put on a good show. There are points to be earned and the fans are still paying good money. You certainly don’t want to be going just to make up the numbers.

“Rangers have had a couple of rough results recently. You’re wary of a backlash but at the same time you’re hoping to get in there early, rattle them and see how it develops. Celtic are so far ahead of everybody else and you could look at that game between them and say Celtic were so good as opposed to Rangers being so bad. I’d like to think we have the quality to test them.”

Erskine and the rest of the Thistle squad enjoyed a Player of the Year bash on Sunday night and the Jags midfielder enjoyed savouring a collective effort which has generated a real feel good factor down Maryhill Road.

He added: “The whole club was there, from the under-11s right through to the first team. It was a celebration that we had achieved our main objective of the top six. We got there with a game to go and we were well worth it. We always had the feeling we could do it.

“I came back to the club after a spell away and walking back in I felt this was the strongest squad they’d put together for a while. Even though we didn’t start well, we were playing some good stuff. We always felt we had a chance of getting there and we finally kicked on in the new year.

“As a club we have been taking the right steps over the last couple of years and this was the big one. There’s a feel good factor right through the club. It’s a good time to be a Thistle fan. Some clubs are quick to change things when things are not going well but the board stuck by Alan and it’s paid off. Everyone goes through hard times but I’m sure other teams could take a leaf out of Thistle’s book given what we’ve done this year.

“We can now look at teams like St Johnstone, who have proved what can be done. They grind out a top six each year. This season has to be the benchmark for where we have to be and we’ve got to keep looking upwards.”