For the first time in a long time, perhaps even since the dark days of relegation in 2016, there is strong reason for optimism at Dundee United.
The one thing that should be stressed about that immediately is it’s still early days.
Robbie Neilson’s rebuilt team is only two games in and that means there is some way to go before we can confirm things are definitely on the up at Tannadice.
And the truth is that will only come with promotion back to the Premiership.
It must also be said there have been other false dawns over the past three years.
The arrival of Ray McKinnon and then Csaba Laslo as managers brought hope and even early promise that, after the disastrous 2015/16 campaign, things were being turned around.
In fairness to McKinnon in particular, had he been handed the kind of budget that was made available to the current team boss in the January transfer window, the major problems at the club might well have been sorted and the Tangerines could have been back in the top flight already.
Unfortunately for him, those in the boardroom when he was in charge were unable to provide the kind of cash for signings new American owner Mark Ogren has.
That, incidentally, is not a criticism of the previous regimes, just an unfortunate fact.
Neilson has been lucky he’s got an owner with dollars to spend and the indications so far suggest that owner is just as fortunate that he has a manager who knows how to spend it wisely.
Ogren can also consider himself blessed his predecessor in the chairman’s seat at Tannadice, Mike Martin, found not just a good manager, but one who through being out of the game for a period, had taken the time to look at United and form a clear picture of what was needed.
Because one thing that’s obvious about the signings made is all have been part of a jigsaw in the manager’s mind.
January 1 didn’t just come round and see Neilson turn his thoughts to what was available. He’d done his homework and, equally importantly, worked out exactly where his squad needed strengthening.
That means the right players for the right positions have been found, or so it seems.
That’s produced victories over Morton and St Mirren that have lifted spirits among Arabs. Rightly so, because both outings have seen impressive work.
Of course, with most of those brought in lacking match fitness – that’s usually the major issue with January signings – the good football, has mostly come in the first hour.
Players who’ve not had a lot of game time have tired, particularly when reduced to 10 men at St Mirren. They’ve then shown their ability to manage matches.
What the manager also looks to have done well is identify those already in his squad who were good enough to be part of his plans.
For all new boys like Peter Pawlett, Mark Reynolds and Mark Connolly have deserved the praise they’ve received for their first couple of performances, attackers Pavol Safranko and Nicky Clark have shown they remain big players.
After a run of just two goals in nine games, Safranko has found his scoring touch with one in each of the last two outings and has looked the lethal striker he did when he first arrived on loan from Aalborg.
Now he’s finally got fully fit, Clark also looks dangerous and there’s no doubt both have benefited from having better players round them in the last two outings.
For Neilson and his players the trick is now to keep the good work going. The good news for United fans is, this time, that might just happen.
This article originally appeared on the Evening Telegraph website. For more information, read about our new combined website.
