Partick Thistle's Alan Archibald 'should be manager of year based on budgets'

Alan Archibald has led Partick Thistle to a top six finish in the Premiership

Partick Thistle's Alan Archibald should be Scotland's manager of the year instead of Celtic's Brendan Rodgers, Thistle's general manager has claimed.

Rodgers has won the Scottish League Cup and Premiership title in his first season in charge and his side are also in the Scottish Cup semi-finals.

But Archibald's less expensive side have secured a top-six finish.

"Based on resources, he's done arguably better," said Thistle general manager Ian Maxwell.

A 1-0 win over Motherwell on Saturday ensured the Glasgow side's first top-six finish since the top-flight league split was introduced and their highest finish in 26 years.

They could even match their 1977 feat of finishing fifth if they can overhaul Hearts' three-point lead in the six games before the end of the season.

All that has been made possible despite having the top-flight's second smallest budget.

"I think there's absolutely no doubt that Archie is a legitimate candidate for manager of the year," said former Thistle defender Maxwell.

"Obviously Brendan Rodgers has the chance to win a treble with Celtic, which would be a great achievement.

Brendan Rodgers (right) is favourite for the manager of the year award, but the Celtic manager has expressed admiration for Archibald

"But, if you look at things in perspective, for Archie to get us where we now are and the way it happened - with us being bottom of the league in December but then go on the run we've been on - then I think we can definitely say we've got our money's worth out of our manager.

"I think you could even make the argument he's a stronger candidate than Brendan."

The PFA Scotland manager of the year award went to Mark Warburton, who won the Championship with Rangers, instead of Celtic's Scottish title winning Ronnie Deila in 2016.

Gordon Strachan was the last Celtic manager to win the award, in 2009, despite the Glasgow outfit having now won six titles in a row.

"Celtic, with the best will in the world, are in a position where they should be winning the league," added Maxwell.

"Obviously, winning the treble would be a fantastic achievement and I'd never take anything away from that.

"But, for Alan to keep doing what he's been doing year in, year out, with what we give him, then you have to say he's done incredibly well."