Darren Young 150 up

"I've been out for a wee while so it's a good time to get back?get a wee chance with five or six games to go?get myself back into the team.

Darren in action in Glasgow last season

Darren Young's younger brother Derek was a Thistle player last season and he is well versed in the fortunes of the Jags who have now gone 413 league minutes without losing a goal:-

"Partick are doing well. They had a good result midweek against Dundee so they'll be up for the game. I think they're ahead of us now on goal difference. This is a chance for us to get above them again in the league and possibly catch Queen of the South as well.

"We had a pretty poor start last week against St Johnstone but we managed to grind out a draw. It wasn't our best performance but I think we showed a wee bit of fight."

Darren returned to the Pars side at Stirling after missing 16 of his team's 17 matches between 1st December and 25th March with a calf injury and then a knee injury:-

"We had a good game before that against Stirling where we went behind twice and showed good character to come back there as well. That's three or four in a row away from home so it would be nice to get a home game again, but we'll just keep playing away and hopefully get the results."

The 29 year old midfielder did not play in the last three meetings against Thistle:-

"A lot of the games this season it's been whoever scored the first goal has gone on to win. All the games against Partick have been tight. They knocked us out of the cup as well. We should have been two or three up in the first hour but if you don't take your chances you're made to pay. We're confident going into the game and hopefully we can do it.

Darren might make his 150th Dunfermline appearance at Firhill on Saturday but he is unsure how many more he might make:-

"I'm out of contract in the summer. There are a few of us out of contract. The Manager will obviously speak to us at some stage and one way or another he'll let us know. If you're not playing to stay here obviously you're playing to catch someone else's attention.

"I've been out for a wee while so it's a good time to get back?get a wee chance with five or six games to go?get myself back into the team. I was lucky enough to get in when Greg (Shields) was ill and then the next week Stephen Glass was suspended and I've managed to get in the team so for me it's just a case of trying to stay there."

The former Aberdeen captain is keen to put his injury problems behind him in what has been his worst season for injuries.

"I'm feeling a lot stronger and a little bit sharper as well compared to a few weeks ago. It's been a total nightmare to be honest. The only other time was when I did my metatarsal scoring against Livingston in the semi final and I ended up missing the final.

Darren Young played in both this season's UEFA Cup matches v BK Hacken

"Some people think, 'Oh he's faking' it but if your contract's up at the end of the season the last thing you want to be doing is sitting on the sidelines injured. It's as frustrating for yourself as it is for everybody else.

"When you're injured you're stuck in the gym, but now you're back in with the banter in the dressing room. At home you're happier and not taking it out on the wife and things like that. It's great to be back in a normal routine."

Now he just needs to make that routine a winning one.