Dundee striker Paul Heffernan is hoping his fresh start gets off to a winning start at Dens today.
The frontman joined the Dark Blues on transfer deadline day but has had to wait for his debut because he was cup-tied for the Scottish Cup loss to Celtic last Saturday.
That has made Heffernan all the more eager to kick off this new chapter of his career when Partick Thistle are the visitors in the Premiership this afternoon.
The former Hibs player admits it was frustrating to have to sit in the stand as his new teammmates took on the Hoops, particlularly as he didn’t actually play for the Easter Road club in this season’s tournament.
“I had come up to Dens to sign all the forms and it was just as I was leaving that one of the guys here said I was cup-tied for the Celtic game,” he said.
“I didn’t realise that was the case because I had only been an unused sub against Alloa in the previous round.
“I thought because I hadn’t actually played that I would have been all right.
“So it was very frustrating to have to sit that one out, especially having just come in and trained with the lads.”
Having had that false start, Heffernan is raring to go now.
“I have been fit all season and feel really good,” he added.
“I know some of the lads from being at Hibs and Kilmarnock so I am enjoying it.
“You want to prove a manager right when he signs you.
“Paul Hartley has brought me to the club and feels I can do a job for Dundee.
“Hopefully, can score goals and play well.
“At Hibs, I had three different managers in the space of six or seven months.
“I also picked up injuries and was out of the team so it wasn’t as going well as I had hoped so I looked to move on.
“When the new manager (Alan Stubbs) came in I spoke to him. I still had a year left on my contract and he told me that he wanted to keep me and that I was part of his plans.
“But the lads that were in the team were scoring goals and I didn’t get much game time.
“There is not much you can do and it is frustrating training all week and not playing. There is nothing worse than sitting on the bench and not getting a chance.
“So I am looking to get a fresh start with Dundee.”
The club’s target for the rest of the season is to challenge for a top-six spot in the Premiership.
Should they win against the Jags and St Johnstone fail to beat Celtic in the lunchtime kick-off at McDiarmid Park then the Dens men will finish the day in the upper half of the table – exactly where they want to be come the split.
Joining a side that is in the mix for the top six was an attraction for Heffernan when he was considering making the move from Edinburgh to Dundee.
He said: “It is tight in our area of the league and there are not many points separating teams.
“So it’s still all to play for and that’s great.
“The manager’s aim is to get in the top six that’s what he told me when I signed.
“I think it will be interesting to see who gets in there.”
Dundee have more than their fair share of selection problems ahead of today’s clash.
On-fire frontman Greg Stewart is suspended, making it likelier that Heffernan will start, while Gary Harkins, Iain Davidson, Luka Tankulic and Kevin Thomson are all on the casualty list.
As well as Heffernan being available, on-loan Hibee Alex Harris can play having also been cup-tied for the Celtic game.