PARTICK Thistle newcomer Conor Sammon has revealed the departure of Ian Cathro did not make him think twice about moving on from Hearts himself.

Sammon was quickly deemed surplus to requirements after Cathro arrived at Tynecastle in December last year and spent the second half of the season on loan at Kilmarnock, where he scored five goals in 15 matches.

The Irishman had his heart set on another move this summer after fellow strikers Kyle Lafferty and Cole Stockton arrived at Gorgie and that did not change when Cathro was sacked days before the season started.

Sammon signed a season-long loan deal at Firhill on Friday before making his debut in a 1-0 defeat by Celtic.

The 30-year-old, whose Tynecastle contract expires in 2019, said: “The club had made their signings in the summer and I knew where I stood.

“I didn’t want to be a bit-part player or coming on for 10-15 minutes. I want to be training hard through the week knowing that come Saturday I have a real, proper chance of playing. It was a real no-brainer.

“The manager changing didn’t change my mind in any way.

“When I went back pre-season, I knew my future lay away from Hearts. I spoke to a few managers, there were a few options, and I was delighted to get this move finalised.

“I’m at an age where I need to be playing, I want to be playing. I don’t want to look back on my career and think I wasted two or three years by sitting around and not playing.

“I’m delighted and what a great way to get stuck into life as a Partick Thistle player by playing against Celtic.

“The result didn’t go our way but on a personal note it was nice to get 90 minutes and get on the pitch with the new team-mates.”

Sammon admitted he had been impressed by manager Alan Archibald and Thistle’s sixth-placed finish last season.

And the style of football also persuaded him to choose the Jags ahead of other clubs.

“They have some really talented players and I feel I can benefit from playing alongside these lads, and that can help get the best out of me.”