IN some ways, Jack McMillan has been a victim of his own success. The defender repeatedly demonstrated his versatility at Livingston as he featured all across the back and occasionally in midfield but now that he has joined Partick Thistle, he is determined to make the right-back position his own.
The 24-year-old completed a move on a free transfer from the Tony Macaroni this summer and has previous experience of playing at Firhill, having spent the second half of the 2018/19 campaign on loan at the Jags as they battled against relegation.
The mood music around Maryhill is far more positive these days as the Jags gear up for another crack at promotion to the Premiership after finishing fourth last season. McMillan, too, has changed in that time and he is now focusing on becoming fully versed in a position by playing there on a regular basis.
He explained: “When I first came here it was a different situation. I came in the January and Partick were battling against relegation. So the biggest change I have seen is we are now looking to go for the top three and to better last year’s point tally. That’s the biggest thing.
“Since then I have played more games, although I would have liked to have played more. I feel I have matured and I have learned off playing with better players. I learned a lot from Jason Holt at my time at Livingston, older pros.
“I think I am quite mature for my age. And this time I would like nail down a position. Throughout my career I have played in numerous positions – left-back, centre mid, even over at right wing. Now it is time for me to nail down one position and kick on from there.”
McMillan’s time at Livingston was punctuated by injury but even when he was fit and available, he was not always first pick. He had an offer on the table from the Premiership club to stay and fill in as and when required, but he felt that the time had come to become a regular first-team starter.
“Right-back is where the manager sees me playing,” he said. “If I have to jump in and do a shift elsewhere I won’t knock that back, but I’d like to nail right-back down.
“I had the option to stay, there was a contract there for me on the table. But Davie Martindale was good with me and honest and said he was happy I was going on to properly start my career.
“He was gutted not to have me as a squad player, like I have been for the past few years. But the main aim for me was to go out and nail a position and get games in which I think is key for me at my age.”
McMillan expects the Championship title race to be open this season and hopes that Thistle will be there or thereabouts come the end of it all. And he knows through his own experience just how great an opportunity the promotion play-offs can be.
He said: “Dundee have come down and they will be strong, but the main aim is to do better than last year and aim for that top three.
“I have been there myself at Livingston, we came up through the play-offs, which shows you anything can happen. We had been tipped for relegation that season and we managed to, sadly, put Partick down. But if you get in that top three anything can happen.
“[Steven] Lawless signed with Livingston after that game so I have had ongoing banter with him. I stayed close with him when he went down south and at Motherwell so I have always had a good relationship with him.
“I’m looking forward to playing with him on the right because during our time at Livingston I felt I did really well when we did that.
“There are still others like Stuart Bannigan and Jamie Sneddon from my first time here and I know a good few of the boys.
“The good thing is we have games coming up thick and fast and there is no better place to learn about each other than in games. So the boys are happy and looking forward to it.”
