LIAM BUCHANAN today predicted his first proper pre-season will help turn him into a First Division goal machine for Partick Thistle.

Unlike many who dread returning to training after the summer break, ex-Cowdenbeath hitman Buchanan has been loving every minute of it.

For the 22-year-old ace was only a part-time player with his Second Division club last season and needed to work as a plumber during the day.

And Buchanan, who still knocked in 23 goals in the 2006/07 campaign, is hoping going professional with the Jags will help him improve as a player.

He said: "It's been great getting up every morning and going into training. It's certainly not something that I have been used to before.

"Don't get me wrong, it has been hard, hard work. But if you put the effort in now, then you will get your rewards when the season gets under way.

"At Cowdenbeath, I used to work during the day and then train when I could at night.

"Training during the day, though, will allow me to rest at night.

"I am hoping that my fitness, stamina and sharpness on the ball will improve this season as a result of being a full-time player with Thistle."

Jags boss Ian McCall, who beat English League One side Port Vale and SPL club Inverness Caley Thistle to Buchanan's signature, has been raving about his new recruit.

And former Hearts kid Buchanan revealed he has been working on his fitness throughout the summer in an attempt to hit the ground running at Firhill.

He said: "I packed my job as a plumber in two weeks before I signed for Thistle. I had a few offers on the table and knew I would be going full-time.

"I wanted to get myself in shape for full-time football and have been slogging my guts out to do just that. I have been going to the gym and doing a lot of cycling.

"I had a route from my house in Edinburgh that involved going around Arthur's Seat.

"I wanted to build up the strength in my legs and feel I have done that."

Buchanan is one of several new faces McCall has brought in to Firhill since he replaced Dick Campbell as manager during the close season.

In fact, old boys such as Simon Donnelly, Jimmy Gibson and Scott Boyd are in the minority, such has been the level of transfer activity in Maryhill.

However, Buchanan revealed the new-look squad, most of whom only met each other on Monday, are already starting to gel together.

He said: "Everybody seems to be settling in quite well.

"There isn't any atmosphere at all between the new boys and the old boys. Everybody gets on."

Buchanan stressed he is particularly looking forward to working with experienced fellow striker and Thistle top scorer Mark Roberts in the coming campaign.

He recalled: "The manager hasn't really talked to us about his plans and we have only briefly been working with balls at our feet this week. It is early days.

"But I have enjoyed working with Mark. He has certainly been one of the fittest players in training this week.

"His experience should be a big help to me.

"You can only learn from older players. I would like to think I will be playing in the first team alongside Mark this season and scoring a lot of goals together.

"I scored a few for Cowdenbeath last season and, while I know this is a big step up in standard, that is my aim for the future here."