It won’t become reality with Dundee United but Paul Watson isn’t giving up on his top flight dream.
The 29-year-old will have to play the waiting game after being released by the Tangerines last week.
An integral part of Robbie Neilson’s 2019-20 league-winning side, Watson is sure to be a man in demand when clubs feel they are able to start recruiting again.
And if a Premiership team doesn’t come calling, he’ll set his sights on securing another Championship title to earn his shot in the Premiership.
Watson revealed that a few months ago he believed there would be a new deal on the table at Tannadice but he fully understands that managers have the right to change their mind.
“First and foremost I’m disappointed to be leaving because I really enjoyed my time at the club,” he told Courier Sport. “It’s a fantastic club.
“From the point I went back to my main position of centre-back I felt I had done well.
“Listen, it’s football. These things happen. I wish the club all the best and we’ll see what happens in the future.
“Back in December/ January we had a couple of big games coming up and I was told that after we got them out of the way we’d sort the contract out.
“It was about the time Calum Butcher and Nicky Clark’s deals were getting done.
“They said ‘we’ll get them wrapped up and then we’ll come to you’.
“It was all very positive – in my mind anyway. From thinking it was going to happen I slowly got the feeling something wasn’t right.
“Eventually I got the phone call from the manager a week or two into the lockdown to tell me they weren’t going to extend my deal.
“Like I said, I was disappointed.
“I’ve been in this league a long time and fallen short on a few occasions – losing in the play-off final with Falkirk and then on penalties with United.
“To have it confirmed that we’ve won the league was great news but being told I wasn’t being kept on was disappointing.
“I’m not the first and I won’t be the last. That’s football.”
The former Raith Rovers and Livingston defender added: “I’ve not played in the top flight but I still feel that I can get there. I still believe that I’ve got a lot to give.
“I’ll keep grinding away.
“There’s no way I’ll give up on it. I definitely think I’m good enough to play in the Premiership and I’ll keep working hard to do that.
“It’s just a case of getting the opportunity.”
At the end of the month Watson will become one of the many out-of-contract players hoping the Covid-19 cloud of uncertainty passes over Scottish football quicker than is feared.
“It’s certainly not the best time to be released,” he said. “Not knowing how long this lay-off is going to be for is a worry.
“I’ve had a few phone calls from clubs to say: ‘We don’t know what’s happening at the moment but we’d like to make you an offer’.
“Not knowing is very difficult for everybody – clubs and players.
“Say we’re not going to be back playing until October, I can’t see many clubs signing boys much before then.
“But I’ll stay positive.”
You’ll find plenty of United supporters who would choose Watson as their best centre-back of last season. It is beyond dispute that he was a key member of the side that broke the spirit of their title rivals during a nine-game winning run.
“It was great to be part of that spell,” he reflected.
“I’d found myself at right-back and I was happy to fill in there and do a job for the team. Then there were a couple of injuries and I got my chance at centre-back at Inverness.
“We won there, I did well, and we never looked back.
“The run was brilliant.
“There comes a point in the season when you know it’s going to happen (winning the league). Everyone kind of knew but nobody wants to say it. You don’t want to jinx it.
“I think beating Inverness at home (United’s last victory) was probably that moment. It was a big step.
“That was a highlight but, for me personally, scoring a double on my home debut against Partick Thistle was pretty good as well!
“It’s a great bunch of boys at United. It’s a brilliant place to play. The club’s only going one way in my opinion and that’s up.
“I just need to dust myself down and go again.”
There was satisfaction, pride and elation for the United players at becoming champions a few weeks ago but being denied their day in the Tannadice sun is the obvious regret.
“You’re delighted to win the league but doing it while you’re sitting in your living room isn’t the way you pictured it,” said Watson.
“You don’t get to celebrate with your team-mates and the fans. That group will never be together again. We haven’t had the special moment of lifting the trophy in front of the supporters.
“Hopefully something can be arranged but you can never get back the moment that we missed out on.
“The fans have been great to me, though. I’m not a big one for social media but I’ve got Twitter and I saw a lot of the Tweets coming in after the news came out of me leaving.
“It was lovely to read what was being said about me even though it’s disappointing I’ve not been able to say my goodbyes.”
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