Chris Erskine claims he still doesn’t know why he was dropped by Partick Thistle boss Gary Caldwell
The 31-year-old midfielder says he was pushed out of the club he loved but is excited about a new challenge
CHRIS ERSKINE has claimed Partick Thistle boss Gary Caldwell didn’t explain to him why he was forced out of the club he loves.
The Jags legend was freed by the Championship side after eight years and three spells at the club.
Premiership new boys Livingston, who relegated Thistle in the play-off final last season, moved quickly to land the playmaker on an 18-month deal.
Erskine said in a goodbye message to the Jags faithful how he felt he had to move on, now the 31-year-old said Caldwell never gave him a reason for being frozen out.
He said: “I am ready to go - I have been for 12 weeks, ever since the manager came in at Thistle.
“I have been training hard every single day waiting for my chance but I never got it.
“It was hard to sit and watch the team struggling. In all my years there, even when things haven’t been going well, I have always been the guy who was looked to to make something happen.
“This year was completely different and it was so frustrating for me. As a footballer you want to be playing games, especially when your team isn’t winning and you think you can make a difference.
“The manager at Thistle didn’t really explain why I wasn’t playing. I had my head down working hard and because we weren’t winning I hoped to be recalled.
“The boys in my position were doing okay but we weren’t getting that win. I felt I was always going to get on but it didn’t happen for some reason.
“It got to the point where Livingston were interested and I had to make the decision to go.
“I always felt loved at Thistle and it will always be my club. I will support them when I finish playing and it is nice to hear the fans saying nice things about me.
“In one way it made it harder for me to leave but it was a footballing decision for me.
“I had to go and hopefully I can get more game time here and show what I can do. This club have done better than some people imagined they would and hopefully I can help them push on.”
Erskine sees the move as a fresh start, which could begin against Hearts in the Scottish Cup today.
Not many players go from the bottom of the Championship to a side fighting for a top six spot in the Premiership.
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Erskine got the inside track about Gary Holt’s side from former Jags team-mate Steven Lawless and he says that discussion convinced him to make the move.
He added: “I am looking forward to it because it has been a few weeks when things were up in the air and I didn’t know what was happening.
“It is a strange route I have taken and people might be a bit surprised to see I have moved from the bottom team in the Championship to a team in the Premiership, but I feel I still have a lot to give.
“I feel I am good enough to play at this level but it is up to me to prove that. What this club have done over the last few seasons is great.
"They made it up through the play-offs by beating Partick and the chance for me to come back to the Premiership was a massive thing.
“I know Steven from Partick, so I spoke to him and he told me we are a close knit squad and I can see that.
“You ask people who you know what it is like and he raved about the place.
“In the few days I have been here the club is so well run and the boys are really looked after and they are a great bunch of lads."
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