Partick Thistle’s Liam Lindsay is dreaming of pulling on the dark blue of Scotland, after his inclusion in the PFA Scotland team of the year sent the online campaign for him to receive a call-up into overdrive.

The big defender was over the moon to be the only player not currently playing with Celtic or Aberdeen to be voted into this season’s best eleven by his peers.

Inevitably, his phone sparked into life as fans called for Lindsay to be brought into the national set-up on the back of the news, but Lindsay isn’t downhearted that he has yet to receive a call from Gordon Strachan.

Remarkably, he was never even capped at under-21 level, but having only turned 21 earlier this season, he knows that time is on his side if he is to fulfil his dream of representing his country.

"It's not a disappointment that I haven't been involved,” Lindsay said. “I just see it as a compliment that people think I should be in the Scotland squad.

"I know that getting in the team of the year means that I will get more Twitter tags about it. As soon it got announced, it went a bit mad with fans talking about it.

"Of course, I'd love to be in it though. It's a dream to play for Scotland.

"I never got a call up for the younger age groups. I don't know why. Was it down to playing with a smaller club? Maybe. We didn't really get recognition but we should now.

"The team has been brilliant and that has really helped me. We have put in some really good performances and I'm loving my football.

“I was delighted to be named in the team of the year and it's the biggest compliment I can get, as it's voted for by the players you face every week.

"I honestly didn't expect it. I thought the whole team would be made up of Celtic and Aberdeen players, so it was a brilliant surprise."

Lindsay’s manager, Alan Archibald, thinks that it is just a matter of time before the young defender is included in national squads, as long as he keeps improving as he has been.

“I think he will get a cap one day,” Archibald said. “It’s hard for Gordon Strachan with the pressure he is under in his job, and I know what it is like as a manager.

“My only criticism would be that I think he should have been in the under-21s last year. Other guys were getting in who weren’t playing in the Premiership and he was, and he still wasn’t able to get a call-up.

“Even if he wasn’t going to be playing in a qualifier, get him in and have a look at him.

“I think he can go to the top, I really do. He has all the attributes and he keeps getting better.

“It’s fantastic that he’s in the team of the year and it’s great recognition for the club and everybody at the youth academy.”

Archibald himself has been nominated for the manager of the year award after leading Thistle to their first top six finish since 1981.

But there are still some targets for the Jags boss to meet before the season is out, not least of which is to avoid being the only team not to take points from Rangers this season by beating them at Firhill tomorrow.

“We’re crying out for a point or three against Rangers,” he said.

“We know we should have had that at Firhill earlier this season before we let ourselves down badly at the end.

“We should have had three points, but if not, at least one, so I think the players are hurting from that as well.”

* Liam Lindsay and Alan Archibald were speaking at official Partick Thistle car sponsor, Macklin Motors Nissan Glasgow Central’s new £5 million Port Dundas Road dealership.