KIERAN WRIGHT reckons that his loan spell at Firhill has been the best of his fledgling career as the goalkeeper was named Partick Thistle’s player of the month for November.

The 20-year-old shot-stopper, on loan from Rangers, has found himself unexpectedly thrust into the limelight after No. 1 Jamie Sneddon picked up an injury that would keep him sidelined for weeks.

Wright has caught the eye after a series of impressive performances of late, with the young keeper chalking up a hat-trick of clean sheets in his last three outings – including a superb display against Morton in the Betfred Cup, where he twice denied his opponent from 12 yards as the Jags triumphed in the penalty shoot-out.

It’s been a whirlwind start to life in Maryhill for Wright but it is one that he has so far taken in his stride, with the Scotland Under-21 internationalist admitting that he feels he is learning more at Thistle than he has elsewhere.

“This is the most beneficial loan move I’ve had,” said Wright, who was speaking after collecting the club's McCrea Mortgages Player of the Month award for November, voted for by supporters.

“I’ve definitely enjoyed it the most because it’s a full-time team and it’s full of experienced players. I’ve never had that before. There’s a better bond between players because you’re training four times a week and have a game on Saturday. The main thing is creating that relationship with the players.

“I’m in every day at Thistle which is good but after every session I go to [Rangers’ training ground] Auchenhowie. I can’t go near any of the first-team players because of the bubble but I can use the indoor gym. It's brilliant that I can train and drive round the corner to use the gym.”

Wright’s relationship with the staff at his parent club remains strong with regular visits to the training facility, as well as constant feedback from the development coaching team at Ibrox. The likes of assistant manager Gary McAllister, goalkeeping coach Colin Stewart and loan manager Billy Kirkwood maintain a regular dialogue to offer feedback and tips.

“Colin Stewart keeps in contact with me after every game,” Wright said. “The loan manager, Billy Kirkwood, speaks to me all the time just to see how I’m doing. He watches all my games and whenever I’m back at Auchenhowie, I’ll pass people in the corridors and speak to them. It’s good that they take notice of how I’m doing.”

Wright added that there are two seasoned operators on the books at Rangers who are happy impart their wisdom, too.

He continued: “Between Allan [McGregor] and John McLaughlin, they’ve over 1000 appearances so learning from them is massive.

“Allan has followed a similar path to myself, he grew up at Rangers before embarking on a few loan spells. I take lots of advice from him because I’m on the same pathway that he followed when he started his career.”

There are a lot of coaches and players that have aided Wright’s development but the most important one – at least until the end of the current campaign – will be Thistle’s own goalie coach, Kenny Arthur.

The 41-year-old was a long-time servant at Thistle during his playing days and remains a popular figure around Firhill, and Wright is enjoying working under him.

“He’s been really good,” Wright said. “I’d never met Kenny before coming here but everyone said he was a top goalie coach. I’ve found that from the get-go.

“He knows Thistle inside-out which also helps. I’m trying to take on board all the information that he gives me. He’s teaching me not to get caught up in everything, not to get too frustrated and to remain calm and relaxed.”

Competitive behind-closed-doors games have been a novelty that footballers all around the world have had to become accustomed to this year and Wright is no exception. But while the goalie can’t wait for the day that fans return to stadia in their droves, he points out that there have been one or two benefits to competing in eerily quiet arenas.

“It’s really disappointing not to have fans in,” he rued. “At a club the size of Partick Thistle, it would be brilliant to have that support.

“It makes it easier to talk to the back four. You don’t have to shout like a maniac for ninety minutes, you can talk to them and it’s much clearer. Constant communication throughout the game makes everybody’s life easier.”

While Wright was pleased that his impressive form of late was rewarded with November’s player of the month award – “I’m delighted. I didn’t expect it because I thought Brian [Graham] would win it because he’s scored a lot of goals recently so I’m very happy to get it” – he admits with a wry grin that there are some on the training ground who have questioned the legitimacy of his success, claiming that the online vote was hijacked by a large swathe of fans from Govan.

“I’m not sure about that,” Wright chuckled when the suggestion was put to him. “Big Brian [Graham] said that to me this morning but I don’t know.”

Partick Thistle's Player of the Month Awards for season 2020/21 are proudly sponsored by McCrea Mortgages - visit www.mcreafs.co.uk/mortgages to find out more.