Ross County: Blair Spittal out to 'rebuild reputation' after Partick Thistle exit
- Published
Blair Spittal will attempt to "rebuild his reputation" after signing for Scottish Championship winners Ross County.
The 23-year-old midfielder has agreed a two-year contract after rejecting a new deal with Partick Thistle.
Spittal experienced relegation as a bright starlet at Dundee United and then Thistle, while narrowly avoiding another drop with the Jags last term.
"That is in the past now. I want to try and put it behind me," he said.
"I see this as a real fresh start for me, to sort of build my reputation back up again, so I am looking to hit the ground running when I come in in pre-season.
"The boys have built a bit of momentum from last season and hopefully we can take that into the campaign."
Thistle, who finished sixth in the Championship, five points above relegation, announced last week that, "following comprehensive talks", they had been unable to persuade their player of the year to extend his two-year stay at Firhill.
However, Spittal, who began his career with Queen's Park, insists it was an easy decision to leave Firhill.
"There was bit of interest from other teams and from Thistle as well," he said.
"I came up here a couple of weeks ago and met the managers and saw what was on offer in terms of facilities, so it made my mind up pretty easily.
''It was a pretty good season for myself - consistency wise, it was probably the best I have played, so I will be looking to take that sort of form in to this season.''
'He's at a hungry age'
Spittal, who played 47 times this season, scoring eight goals, including Thistle's three defeats and one draw with champions County, becomes the Dingwall club's third close-season arrival.
Goalkeeper Ross Laidlaw signed after his release from Hibernian, while midfielder Joe Chalmers has arrived from Inverness Caledonian Thistle after deciding against a new deal with County's neighbours.
County co-manager Steven Ferguson said: ''We feel we are getting a player who is still a good age, a hungry age and probably feels he has got a bit of unfinished business in the Premiership.
"The talent and the ability is definitely there. We have got a real professional and one that we feel will add to our group and we feel we will give him the platform that he wants to show everybody what he can do."