Mention the word ‘yo-yo’ to any child, and their face will probably light up with a smile. Mention the term to Partick Thistle midfielder Stevie Lawless, and the effect will be somewhat different.

That’s because the yo-yo test has become a tortuous ritual for the Thistle players on their first day back in pre-season training, where the players have to run between two points continuously against the beep until, in effect, they keel over.

Lawless in particular has struggled with the yo-yo test over the years, and he admits that his showing this summer was one of the worst on record.

That doesn’t mean he hasn’t been looking after himself over the break, with his running stats right up there with anyone in the squad.

But while he would be the first to admit that he doesn’t enjoy the stresses and strains that this time of year places on his body, he knows that it is money in the bank going into another gruelling campaign.

“We didn’t have a lot of time off his year, so the plus to that is that you don’t lose too much fitness,” Lawless said. “Then again, it didn’t make the yo-yo test any easier!

“Compared to last year I really struggled with the yo-yo test, I don’t know what it is with that. It’s on the astro and I think that’s what takes it out me. That’s the reason I’m sticking to anyway.

“When it came to the running I was one of the top players fitness-wise, so I just think there’s something in my head about that yo-yo test, I just can’t do it.

“Abdul Osman is the opposite. He is one of the fittest in the yo-yo and then when it comes to the running he’s terrible. I’m not surprised he only spoke about the yo-yo when he was speaking to the press last week.

“We get a lot of ballwork now, but it’s really just disguised running. You just have to get through it. Any player that tells you he enjoys pre-season, they’re lying.

“But we know it’s there for a reason, it gives you your fitness back, and it stands you in good stead for when the season starts and towards the end.

“But I’d be lying if I told you I was enjoying pre-season, I dread it every year. But it’s worth it in the end.”

It certainly was worth it last season, as the Jags recovered from a horror start to go on a great run from just before the Christmas period and secure a place in the top six.

While they tailed off towards the end of the season, Lawless puts that down more to mental fatigue than physical tiredness, with the Thistle side among the fittest in the league.

And he knows that all aspects of their game will have to be firing if they are to repeat the feat of a top-half finish next season, with the competition for places intensifying even further.

“We felt really strong all season and that’s because of the work we do at this time of the year,” Lawless said.

“We would love to have a better start this year, because we know we come on really strong later in the season, and who knows where that could take us?

“But we are under no illusions about how tough it will be to get into the top six. For me, it would be an even better feat than when we did it last season.

“Going on budgets, we should be nowhere near it, but football doesn’t always go like that, and I reckon we are one of seven or eight teams who realistically have a shot at it.

“There’s no reason why we can’t do it again with the talent we have here.”