Scott Paterson says that Partick Thistle couldn’t stand in Liam Lindsay’s way as the defender travelled south to hold talks with Oxford United, but he hopes the player will stay at the club for one more season.

Thistle agreed a deal with the English League One side yesterday for Lindsay, believed to be worth £350,000 up front as well as having substantial add-ons and a selling-on clause.

The Jags’ assistant manager is pleased for the 21-year-old that he is attracting the interest that his fine form over the last 12 months has merited, but he thinks he could benefit from staying at Firhill just a little longer.

“We would never hold a player back if he wanted to move on, we’re not that type of club,” Paterson said.

“Then it all comes down to the player and if it is the right move for him, so whatever Liam does, it will be down to Liam.

“If he goes, then we wish him all the best, and if he doesn’t go then even better for us.

“I still think that it would be great for him to have another season with us, but he’s done great and he’s getting the attention that he deserves.

“It comes down to the player, but as a club, we’d never stand in a player’s way of progressing.

“I definitely think he has all the attributes to go down there and be a success, if that is what he decides to do.

“He’s still young and he’s learning, but he’s played a lot of games for someone of his age. The most important thing for Liam is that he doesn’t go down south just to sit on the bench. That’s what he has to weigh up.

“He’s got a lot of games behind him and good experience, but he has to make sure that he goes somewhere where he will play.”

While Paterson would be disappointed if Lindsay does decide to move on this summer, he concedes that the move would provide inspiration to other youngsters at the club.

“It gives everyone a lift to see someone coming through like that, and youngsters will look at Liam and think that it could happen to them,” he said.

“It will push them on to work harder and hopefully achieve that too, coming through the first-team at Thistle and then moving on.

“It’s not just Thistle, the majority of clubs in Scotland are selling clubs, and it’s great when you see it happen. If it does happen, of course!”

Thistle’s own summer recruitment plans are pressing on too, and contingency plans are in place should Lindsay leave a huge hole at the heart of the Jags defence.

Niall Keown has already left a considerable void in that area too, but Paterson hasn’t given up hope that he could be tempted back up the road from Reading.

“If Liam does go, then it will be done early enough that we have time to get our own targets in,” he said.

“That’s football, it happens, and we’d rather it happened now than right at the end of the window.

“We’ll wait and see, but if it does go through then we will get cracking on getting a replacement in.

“Hopefully getting Niall back too is something that’s still a possibility. He was great for us and we would welcome him back with open arms.

“He’s still contracted to Reading, but it’s something we will seriously look at, because he did really well for us.

“He enjoyed his football up here and he was playing, which is a major thing for him.

“We’ll wait and see what happens with Niall. He’s a player we enjoyed working with, and he enjoyed being here as well, so hopefully we can do something there.

“He’s still contracted to Reading though, and we’re not too sure what is happening down there, so that could be a waiting game and we’ll just have to see what happens.”