Dundee United captain Jon Daly is hoping life begins at 50 after hitting a half-century of goals for the Tangerines.
The Irishman opened the scoring for the Tannadice men against Aberdeen on Monday to reach that landmark, although the Dons went on to spoil his day by netting twice to grab an unlikely victory.
Statistics are not always a footballer’s friend but they certainly are in Daly’s case. His goals tally has been achieved in only 103 starts for United, as well as 37 substitute appearances.
When you factor in the serious injuries knee (twice) and ankle being the pick of the worst he has had to overcome and the fact he has often been used by United as a central defender, the big man deserves serious recognition for his achievement.
Having already bagged 14 goals so far, this season could turn out to be his best yet and United fans may be putting their hands up in celebration several more times before the end of the campaign.
”It is a good return for me,” said Daly, who turns 29 at the weekend. ”I would imagine it is the best form I have been in since coming to the club. I have had a lot of injuries since I have been at United and, all things considering, I am definitely happy with that total.
”Hopefully it is the first 50 and I can go on and score a lot more. I have 18 months left on my contract and I am happy here. I have settled here and we will just have to wait and see what happens in the future.
”I am happy with the way I am playing and as a centre forward it is great to keep picking up goals.
”I hope to keep climbing up the scoring charts. But I also have to credit the likes of Johnny Russell, Paul Dixon and Gary Mackay-Steven because I know that, with these guys around, I am always going to get chances.
”I stuck another one away against Aberdeen but it didn’t mean anything because we lost the game. I am happy with my form but if my goals could help us pick up points that would be all the better.”
His scoring streak has seen his name linked to English Premiership sides Wigan and West Bromwich Albion. However, in typically modest style Daly will not be getting too excited about those reports.
”I just laughed it off,” he said. ”The boys had a bit of banter with me about it. It is just speculation and I have been in the game long enough to bother too much about stuff like that.
”However, it is nice to be linked to clubs like that and I suppose I must be doing something right if it’s happening.”
Daly and the rest of the United team will have to pick themselves up off the ground after a desperately disappointing not to say frustrating loss to the Dons.
After the skipper had opened the scoring they were denied a stonewall penalty when Johnny Russell was fouled by defender Andrew Considine when poised to score, then had a throw-in given against them in the lead-up to the visitors’ equaliser.
They will have a welcome move away from league business on Saturday when they kick off their Scottish Cup campaign.
”It was a tough one to take but we just have to get on with it and try to bounce back when we go to Airdrie United,” said Daly. ”Everyone in the stadium saw it (the spot-kick incident) apart from the people that needed to see it. If they can’t see it then they can’t give it and that’s unfortunate for us.
”If he had given the penalty he (referee Steven McLean) would have had to send the boy off because it was denying a goalscoring opportunity. Even if we had gone on to miss the penalty they would have been down to 10 men and it would have been tough for them to come back from that.
”So it’s disappointing that we didn’t get that one and then in the build-up to their first goal it was a throw-in to us but the linesman gave it the other way.”