JIM Duffy will always have a fondness for hometown team Partick Thistle — but insists there is no room for sentiment tonight as he attempts to dump them out of the League Cup.

As well as being a Maryhill native, Duffy also spent two seasons as a Jags player between 1990 and 1992.

The centre-half made 38 appearances and scored two goals as they won promotion to the top flight by finishing as runners-up to Dundee in the 1991-92 First Division campaign.

Morton host Thistle in tonight’s League Cup second round tie, and Duffy hopes his current team can continue their recent run of positive results in both the league and cup competitions.

He told the Tele: “Partick are my local team. It’s where I come from, where I played and, similar to my time at Morton, I captained them to promotion. So they’re a team I’ve got a lot of affection for.

“But anyone who puts me and sentiment together would find it an unusual combination. I get stick off my own family for not being sentimental!

“For me, it doesn’t matter if I’ve got an association with a football club or an area, it’s about the team that employs me. The loyalty I have is to Morton.

“My aim is to achieve a positive result for Morton in a game which should be a terrific. Partick Thistle, at home, is a really good draw for us.

“I think it should be a decent crowd and a really competitive match as they are a very good footballing side. One of the best footballing sides in Scotland.

“We played them in a wee closed —doors game in pre-season. I don’t think that counts for too much but nevertheless this is a match we’re looking forward to.

“It will be a big test for us but we are going into the game with a bit of confidence after recent results.” Martin Hardie has been in attendance at Cappielow in recent weeks, spying on his former side for tonight’s opponents.

He was joined by Thistle boss Alan Archibald for the 5-2 Petrofac Cup win over Berwick Rangers last midweek.

But Duffy, too, has taken the opportunity to run the rule over the opposition and was an interested spectator at their 4-0 home romp against Ross County.

He added: “We have three games in a row that are going to provide us with a real test. We had Peterhead on Saturday and then have Forfar away this weekend. In between we have Thistle. I watched them against Ross County and they were exceptional. “Their goals, composure and decision-making were all top class.

“Alan Archibald has a good footballing side with probably a bit more belief than last season. They played some great stuff at times but didn’t quite get the results they deserved.

“But they stayed up quite comfortably and look to be playing with a real freedom. They are pleasing on the eye and all credit to them.

“We have to make sure we deny them space and make it as difficult as possible for them to play their natural game.

“It’s probably the first time this season, other than the Renfrewshire Cup final, that the onus will be on the opposition to take the game to us at Cappielow.

“The reality is there are two divisions between the sides. We need to understand that and recognise we are not at that level yet or anywhere close to it.

“We know we need everybody to be at their best and for them to have an off night to have any chance of springing a cup shock and getting through to the next round.

“It promises to be a big challenge but not an occasion we are fazed by. It’s a tie we are all looking forward to.” Winger Jamie McCluskey is definitely out tonight after suffering a hamstring strain in Saturday’s win at Peterhead. With his side set to play their fourth game in 10 days, Ton boss Duffy admits he is considering further changes to keep things as fresh as possible.

He explained: “The amount of games is something we have to think about. It’s been Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, and it’s a lot of matches for a small squad.

“We then have Saturday at Forfar to think about. Therefore, we have to look at the squad and consider one or two changes to introduce some fresher legs.”