Shaun Byrne already has one Premiership play-off win to his name with Livingston in 2018.
And he is desperate to relive the highlight of his career so far by picking up another one in a Dundee shirt in 2021.
Byrne was an integral part of the Livi side that stormed through League One and the Championship to reach the top flight.
However, he says the current Dark Blues side is a stronger one than he played in at Livingston – now they have to prove it.
“The play-off win with Livingston gave me the best moments in my career by far,” the midfielder said.
“Everything about it from the build-up to the game, to the match themselves were great.
“Unfortunately this time there will be no fans because the atmosphere in those games was amazing.
“The twists and turns were incredible. One minute you look down and out and the next you are on top of the world.
“It is the best feeling ever when you get promoted so I would love to do it again.”
‘We have top class players here’
That Livingston side had the likes of Declan Gallagher, Craig Halkett, Josh Mullin, Scott Pittman and Scott Robinson in it, players that have gone on to flourish in the top flight.
And in ex-Dundee man Gallagher’s case, play for Scotland.
Byrne, though, reckons there is more ability in the squad at Dens Park this season.
However, he has warned his team-mates that doesn’t guarantee anything.
He said: “To be honest I think there is more quality in this Dundee team than we had at Livi at that time.
“We have top class players here but that doesn’t win you games.
“It is all about the togetherness and the attitude and we have to make sure we are bang at it.
“Hopefully, if we are we can have a successful end to the season.
“The job is nowhere near done yet. We have completed the first bit of getting into the play-offs and finishing second.
“Hopefully we will have four massive games to get us back into the Premiership where everyone here wants to be.
“On paper we are a Premiership team but that doesn’t win you games at the end of the day.
“It has been proved this year that we have slipped up in games when we shouldn’t have.
“We have good players but we have to make sure we produce the goods.
“I joined this club to try and help them get back into the top flight.
“We are a Premiership club and there’s no doubting that but we know we have some big games coming up to get us back there.
“The odds are stacked against the teams in the Championship in terms of the games they have to play.
“But we are confident going into the play-offs because of the good run of form we are on and, hopefully, it takes us where we want to go.”
Second place is ‘vital’
After pipping Raith Rovers to the runners-up spot on the final day, Dundee afforded themselves a week’s breather before getting stuck into the play-off action.
They’ll find out the winner of the Dunfermline v Raith quarter-final this weekend before facing that opponent in the first leg on Wednesday, May 12.
And Byrne says being able to sit back while those two battle it out over two legs this week could be crucial for the Dark Blues.
“In the play-offs we have to be bang at it from the first minute of the semi-final and then, hopefully, we can get to the final and then we will see what happens,” he added.
“It was massive to get to second and have that break.
“When I was at Livingston we finished in the same position and that extra rest was vital.
“The other teams will be playing and taking a lot out of each other in the quarter-final games.
“I think second is huge and we can get boys like Liam Fontaine and Jordan Marshall back involved before the semi.
“The play-off games are massive but we are going into them with confidence.
“When you feel confident you feel a lot better and it is hard to play against when you are like that.
“It can only help us in the play-off.”
Perfect time to hit form
That confidence is borne from an unbeaten league run that stretches back seven weeks with five wins and three draws picked up during that period.
They have also beaten both Raith and Dunfermline in that time and kept four clean sheets in those eight games, conceding just once away from home.
Consistency has been the downfall for Dundee since they dropped into the second tier.
And Byrne says they couldn’t have timed it better to hit their best run of form this season.
He added: “After Hearts won the league our aim was to finish in second place.
“We know we should have been closer to Hearts as we have shown in spells that we are a really good team.
“But we have been really inconsistent at times and that cost us.
“It is good to get second and look forward to the play-offs.
“To go eight games unbeaten is great and it is probably the best run we have been on since I have been at the club.
“We have had good spells for two or three games and then we would go on a bad run.
“This is the perfect time to go on a good run and hopefully we can carry that on in the play-offs.”