Adam Barton says it is a matter of time before another club lures manager Alan Archibald away from Firhill, but he just hopes that the Jags can hold on to him for at least another season.

Thistle’s impressive campaign was bound to draw admiring glances from clubs looking to fill managerial vacancies, and Swindon Town are the latest to be credited with an interest in Archibald’s services.

Barton fully understands why other clubs would be looking at his boss, and he accepts that there is only so far that any manager can take a club of Thistle’s size.

But he is crossing his fingers that his gaffer still feels that there is more to be achieved at Firhill before he moves on to bigger things.

“We are all desperate for the manager to stay here,” Barton said. “I have been hugely impressed by him since I came in and he’s right up there with any manager that I’ve worked under.

“I mean absolutely no disrespect to the club when I say though that I’d be surprised if he isn’t tempted away eventually by a bigger club, whether that is up here or down south or wherever.

“I know he loves it here and he is such a legend at the club from his time as a player as well as in the dugout, but there will come a time when he will feel he has achieved all he can do here.

“Money is such a big thing in football in terms of what having it allows you to accomplish, and with the greatest will in the world, there is only so far that Thistle can go.

“He is never going to win the league here with the obvious financial disparity between ourselves and the likes of Celtic, and it is hugely difficult for us to compete with clubs even a step below them like Aberdeen and Hearts.

“I just hope that he hangs around for at least another year or two though to see how far he can take this team before it hits that glass ceiling, if you like.

“There are still things I feel we can achieve, whether that’s in the cups or pushing for European qualification through the league or whatever.

“I know it would have to be the right club for him as well though, because he has such a supportive board here and everything off the field is moving in the right direction too, what with the training ground coming as well.

“Whenever it does come time for him to leave, he will leave a great legacy behind him. I just hope we can hold on to him for a bit yet.”

Barton’s first season north of the border since his arrival from Portsmouth could hardly have gone better, with the big midfielder winning his club’s player of the year award.

“It has been absolutely great,” he said. “It has probably been one of the best seasons I’ve ever had.

“Me and my Mrs are settled in the area and we have a house and all that, and that is so important for a footballer as well.

“The supporters have been absolutely brilliant too. They were patient with me when I first came in, and hopefully I’ve been able to repay them with my performances since.”

Playing his part in a win over Celtic this evening would be quite the icing on the cake, and while Barton respects Thistle’s all-conquering opponents, he is taking heart from some positive performances against the Hoops earlier in the season.

“It’s going to be a tough evening,” he said. “But we have run them pretty close already a couple of times this year.

“We know that we will have to work hard, stay together and be disciplined to get anything, and hopefully we can nick something at the other end.

“If we can get back to the sorts of performance levels we showed against Hearts and Rangers, then we will have a chance.”