Kris Doolan believes Partick Thistle are already Premiership quality as they stand within potentially 90 minutes of a top flight return.
The Jags have had do things the hard way as they go into their SIXTH play-off match in their bid to land promotion to the big time. It all started with an 8-3 aggregate win over Queen's Park in the quarter-final before they hammered Ayr United 8-0 over two-legs in the semi-final to earn this shootout with Ross County.
The two sides met on Thursday night at Firhill with the Scottish Championship side taking a two-goal lead to Dingwall later today thanks to goals from Aidan Fitzpatrick and Brian Graham. Thistle have netted a stunning 18 goals across five games so far. Doolan stepped up to take over the top job from Ian McCall in February - initially on an interim basis - and he has credited the former gaffer for building a 'fantastic squad' as they look to finish the job against Malky Mackay's men this afternoon.
The Jags boss said: "Ian McCall built this squad and he deserves a lot of credit for that because it is a fantastic squad.
"To me it is a Premiership squad and we have managed to find a shape and a style of play that suits us.
"We play to our strengths but ultimately there are guys in there who have played hundreds of games at Premiership level.
"It is not as if we are a young side who are wet behind the ears, we don't understand what the games are all about. They know how to get through games.
"You look in their eyes, they are desperate to be in the Premiership.
"They have a one-track mind and that is what we have tried to instil. We have tried to instil a winning mentality, a winning environment and winning breeds winning.
"I say that all the time but it becomes a habit and it is a habit that is hard to break but likewise if you are losing games, it is a hard habit to break that as well.
"I have been on the flip side of it coming out the Premiership, I know what it is like in these play-off games, when there is so much at stake it is difficult to stop a team with momentum coming into the last game especially, even though you might be at home. It is still a difficult thing to stop.
"We have had five games under real pressure in the play-offs but the players play as if there is no pressure. We have nothing to lose. We have everything to gain.
"Ross County are the team who could potentially come out of the Premiership. But for us, we will go up there with the mentality to win and hopefully get the job done."
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