McCall led Partick Thistle to second place in the First Division last season

Ian McCall has signed a three-year deal to extend his stay as manager of First Division club Partick Thistle.

The move follows reports linking him with vacancies at Scottish Premier League outfits Falkirk and Motherwell.

McCall told the club website: "I've not signed this contract on the strength of recent press speculation.

"I have a burning desire to do well here and make Thistle successful. I hope that the Thistle supporters can show a commitment to the club as well."

And McCall, whose playing career included spells at Rangers, Dundee and Thistle, added: "One thing that I am really keen to stress is that I have not signed an extension as manager of Partick Thistle because I live in the west end of Glasgow and it is cushy number for me.

"I would like to help rid Partick Thistle of the 'cuddly toy' tag that we have been labelled with and the only way to do that is by performances on the park and by creating a strong club with a decent infrastructure.

"When you finish second in the league, there is a natural rise in the level of expectation and the feeling that you should go one better the following season.

"We want to get back to the SPL - but not as a yo-yo club. We want to establish Partick Thistle as a permanent feature of the SPL."

McCall's stock as a manager is high again after rejuvenating the fortunes of the Glasgow club.

The fact that Ian has recently been linked with so many jobs just underlines how highly rated Ian is as a manager. Partick Thistle chairman Allan Cowan

Once considered one of Scotland's bright young managers after relative success at cash-strapped Clydebank and Airdrieonians, and a spell in charge of Falkirk when the state of Brockville Stadium prevented their promotion, McCall was snapped up by Dundee United in February 2003.

When his stint at Tannadice ended on a sour note with his sacking by Eddie Thompson in March 2005, he took the managerial hot-seat at Queen of the South in November of that year.

But the glory of guiding the team to their best run in over 20 years was tarnished by a wretched stretch of form and he left his hometown club at the end of season 2006/07 after narrowly escaping relegation.

His experiences at Thistle, however, have been positive and chairman Allan Cowan is pleased to have secured McCall's services for the immediate future.

"I don't think that there has ever been a summer with so much managerial speculation and we are delighted that, with Ian McCall signing a three-year extension to his contract, much of that speculation surrounding our manager has been removed," said Cowan.

"The deal was actually concluded last night in my kitchen.

"In signing a new three-year deal, it allows Ian to continue to progress the good work that he has already started in the last two years both on the first-team front and with the youth teams.

"The fact that Ian has recently been linked with so many jobs just underlines how highly rated Ian is as a manager.

"We hope that our supporters see this as evidence of the ambition we have for Partick Thistle and that is reflected in season ticket sales."

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