Fraser Fyvie insists Dundee United need to show the fans they are title-winning material from day one as they seek to find a way back to the Ladbrokes Premiership at the third attempt.
United’s League Cup form in July was woeful, leaving a lot of the Tangerine faithful fearful about the campaign ahead.
But as they get set to open up against Dunfermline on Saturday, new skipper Fyvie believes United can get the fans behind them.
He said: “I don’t think we can ask the fans to be patient. We have to show them that we can win this league.
“We as players, the manager and the coaching staff need to get the fans on-side as quickly as possible because they are really important to us.
“They have backed us all the way since we have gone down, but we need to produce on the park to make sure they are with us again this season because we need them.
“We’ve not managed to do it the last couple of seasons and it probably gives them a lack of belief.
“We have been there or thereabouts but we haven’t been quite good enough, so we need to really push this year to get the first spot.
“We can’t just expect the fans to turn up. We need to give them a reason, so we have to lead from the front.
“We need to show we want to play for this club and we want to win this league.
“It’s a big statement we need to make this year. There are good teams in there – Ross County, Partick Thistle and Inverness – and we face Dunfermline on Saturday who we were really lucky to beat in the play-offs last season.
“So we need to have that drive and determination about us if we are to finish above all of them.
“We’ve had a turnaround of 12 or 13 players and there are more coming each week, so we need time for them to gel.
“However, we need to be ready on Saturday and we need to start getting results right away – it’s as simple as that.”
Fyvie is thrilled to get the armband for Csaba Laszlo’s side and he would dearly love to be holding the trophy aloft at the end of the season.
He said: “It would be a very proud moment for me if I was the captain that helped the club get back up where everyone thinks they should be.
“We need to prove we are good enough to be there.
“It’s a huge honour to be captain and I will need to learn quickly and find my own way of doing it.”
