PARTICK THISTLE manager Ian McCall said he was delighted to have completed a deal for Ross County striker Brian Graham and hailed the 32-year-old's experience in the Championship as a crucial factor in the decision to bring him to Firhill.

McCall said that the Jags had beaten three Premiership clubs in the race for Graham's signature and, with the forward signing a contract that runs until the summer of 2022, believes he is building a squad for the future.

After completing the signing of Zak Rudden from Rangers last week, the Thistle boss believes his new strikers will form a formidable partnership and propel the Jags up the league table.

"I’m delighted to get Brian in and over the line," he said. "He will be a big player for us. He has scored goals at the Premiership and he is the type of striker we need. He has won the Championship twice so knows this level.

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"To get him on a two-and-a-half-year deal is great. We need short term work but we feel as if we have been doing that for a few years. We have to look long term and that’s why Brian and Zak Rudden have long term deals. He could be a great foil for Zak.

"Bringing Brian and Zak in doesn’t mean we will definitely win games but hopefully it will give us a better chance. I thought we didn’t have enough leaders in the dressing room but Brian is that. He will fall out with people but that’s because he wants to win and as a manager you don’t mind that if it helps the team.

"I am a bit surprised we got him. I knew Ross County wanted to bring someone in and the emergence of Ross Stewart made it easier. A few Premiership clubs were in for Brian but we offered him a longer deal and his family stays in the Glasgow area so it was a win for everyone."

Graham is the club's fifth signing of what has been a busy month for the Jags after Rudden and Darian MacKinnon were recruited from Rangers and Hamilton respectively, while Celtic's Lee O'Connor and Ibrox midfielder Jamie Barjonas have been brought in on loan for the remainder of the campaign.

And while McCall admits that the loan signings are something of a short-term fix, he is confident that they will be able to leave their mark at Thistle - even if they may find it difficult to nail down a spot in the starting line-up.

"Lee O’Connor and Jamie Barjonas are short term signings. Barjonas is someone I can relate to. I don’t think he did well on his loan spells before but he looks like a boy where the penny has dropped. There is no doubting his ability and I have had a number of players in my career where you get the mat the right time.

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"I have high hopes for him but he needs to work hard to get into the team as the midfield is doing well.

"Lee has a great pedigree and he wants to do well. There was interest from down south but Lenny wanted him close to keep tabs on him.

"Jamie will be in the squad [for tomorrow's game against Arbroath] and it will be up to him to make the team. I don’t see many people dislodging Stuart Bannigan, though. Reece Cole has to keep his standards up and we have brought in Darian MacKinnon, and Shea Gordon is coming back so the competition in there will be hot."

McCall has work to do to embed his new players but he is hopeful of adding a few more faces to his squad before the transfer window closes at the end of the month. Thistle had attempted to bring Inverness defender Jamie McCart to Maryhill but that deal is now dead in the water after the former Celtic defender signed a pre-contract agreement with St Johnstone.

"We were in for Jamie and he is a great boy," McCall admitted. "I spoke to him after he agreed to join St Johnstone and I wished him well.

"I think we still need a few in as there should be one or two others leaving within the next few weeks. We can’t cram everything into one window though, especially this one."

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Thistle make the journey north to face Arbroath tomorrow afternoon and McCall will be up against a former Thistle manager in the form of Dick Campbell. Last season's League One champions have been strengthened after Craig Wighton joined on loan for the rest of the season and while McCall is hopeful of three points, he knows it will be a tough test for his players.

"Dick has done a great job," he added. "The year Ayr won the title, I thought Arbroath were great and would win the title the year after.

"They are solid and they have a centre-back who could play in the Premiership. Craig Wighton is a good player as well and could be a big signing. Players are great on paper but they have to do it on the park."