JOE Cardle admits that he could sense confidence was at rock bottom at Partick Thistle when he walked through the dressing room door, but he believes he and his fellow new arrivals can help to lift the Jags.

The former Dunfermline winger signed for the club yesterday after terminating his contract with AFC Fylde due to home-sickness and will go straight into the squad for today’s trip to take on Dundee United at Tannadice.

He is the third new arrival at Firhill already in the transfer window, with Steven Saunders and on-loan Celtic goalkeeper Conor Hazard also being brought in by manager Gary Caldwell, and the 31-year-old believes that the injection of fresh blood can revitalise Thistle.

“When I terminated my contract, Gary called me to ask me to come in just two days later, so I’ve been around the place a while now,” Cardle said.

“That’s been great because it’s allowed me to bed in, and I’m grateful to the lads and the manager as they have been first-class with me so far, and I’m delighted to have now won a deal.

“There is no doubt though that you could sense confidence was low with the boys when you came in.

“It startled me from afar to see Thistle in the position they are in in the Championship, and now that I have been in and seeing what the club have at their disposal in terms of the level of player here, I am even more surprised.

“Results haven’t been great though, there’s no getting away from that, and I can only put that down to a lack of confidence that has probably been around the place for a while now since the relegation.

“It is up to the likes of myself and the other boys coming in though to try and help turn that around.

“I’m an experienced player and I know the division, so I know for certain that we have enough here to drag ourselves up the table, and hopefully the new arrivals can just help inject that fresh enthusiasm required to lift everybody.

“If we can, there is absolutely no doubt at all that we can get out of this.

“We have myself, Steven and Conor in now and I know the manager is looking to bring in some more new players too, so that all bodes well for a better second half of the season.”

Cardle is desperate to make his Thistle debut in the game at Tannadice this afternoon, but he knows that each and every one of his new teammates will have to be at the top of their game if they are to come back down the road with a crucial three points.

If they manage that, Cardle believes it would be a huge statement of intent from Caldwell’s men, and may prove to be a turning point in their season.

“It would be absolutely massive to win this game,” he said.

“Of course, that is easier said than done, but I don’t see any reason why we can’t do that if we are all at best on the day.

“It will be tough, because everyone knows how good a side they are and the players they have at their disposal, but we have to remember that we have good players too.

“As for me, I am fit and available and would love to play,” he continued.

“I have been doing extra running and keeping myself ticking over as I have been short of minutes for the last couple of months obviously, but I feel I am ready to make a contribution to the team.”