Calum Butcher has revealed that even Dundee United’s defenders will be forward thinking this season.
The summer recruit is relishing the prospect of the big kick-off on Friday night against Partick Thistle after joining from Hayes and Yeading.
When the serious stuff does start, Butcher believes United will be a frightening prospect as they get at teams from every area of the pitch.
He said: “I don’t think there’s a team like us just, now the way we play.
“You should see us in training.
“We are always focusing on attacking football and there’s loads of talent to go with it.
“I’m sure there’s going to be loads of goals in us this season. I think everyone is going to be scared of us.
“It’s such an exciting prospect.
“I like to play it out from the back as do the other guys so we won’t just be launching it up the field.
“We’ve obviously got to keep things tight at the back but we will be going forward a lot.”
There is a bit of needle expected in the Thistle game given manager Jackie McNamara’s history there but for Butcher the main focus will be on getting off to a winning start.
“I don’t know that much about them but it’s the gaffer’s old team so it’s a good one for us to get the season started with,” he said.
“Everyone wants to impress and catch the manager’s eye.
“We would never take Thistle lightly.
“We know it’s going to be a hard game but we just want to go there and win.
“We go there after a great result away to Wigan.
“They had a full-strength team out so it was a brilliant effort from our lads.
“We were a bit under the cosh to begin with but once we got into the game our confidence grew and the gaffer just told us to go out in the second half and show how good we are.”
Butcher had one of the toughest tasks at the DW Stadium keeping an eye on Wigan’s giant centre forward Grant Holt.
He did well, though, and is settling in juts nicely.
“It was a good test for me to come up against someone like Holt,” added Butcher.
“He’s a big, strong guy so I was pleased with how I fared against him.
“And I’m pleased with how I’ve settled in so far.
“The boys have been really good to me.
“We’ve got a great spirit here. We all get on very well in the dressing room.
“We were away for those two weeks in Germany and Spain and you could feel the camaraderie growing. All you see was you new team-mates and you got to know them.
“I’ve got to know how the likes of Sean Dillon and Gavin Gunning play at the back.
“I try to read the game as much as possible so it’s all going pretty well.”
iroache@thecourier.co.uk