Dundee United new boy Richie Ryan has a personal double to aim for as the Tangerines prepare to kick off their Scottish Cup campaign.
Ryan has already lifted silverware this season as part of the Sligo Rovers team that beat Shelbourne in the final of the FAI Cup at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in November.
That was his last appearance for Sligo before agreeing to switch to United but Ryan has had to wait until the turn of the year to make his debut, coming on as a substitute against Aberdeen at Tannadice on Monday.
Ryan would love to get his first start for United on Saturday when they travel west to play Airdrie United in the fourth round of the tournament they won so memorably back in May 2010. And being at a club that savoured cup glory so recently means Ryan’s dream of success on both sides of the Irish Sea is a realistic one.
”I won the FAI Cup in Ireland back in November so have one winner’s medal already this season and, of course, I would love to get another,” said the Tipperary-born midfielder. ”That’s a long way off because this is just us starting in the tournament and Airdrie will be tough opponents.
”But I love playing in cup competitions and have a good record. I have won the FAI Cup twice and been to a few semi-finals so I would like to keep that sort of form going.
”United won the Scottish Cup a couple of seasons ago and having seen the quality we have in the squad then of course it is possible to do so again. But we won’t be the only team thinking that and there will be quite a few saying the same things.
”Cup runs are all about building momentum so we need to get through against Airdrie first.”
Not unexpectedly, given his recent arrival in Scotland, Ryan’s knowledge of the Diamonds is limited, although he was travelling with the rest of the team today to train on the artificial surface.
”I know Gary Mackay-Steven used to play for them and the manager has been doing his homework on them, so we are well prepared,” added Ryan. ”They play on a plastic pitch, which is unusual, but that is not something I have not encountered before.
”Dundalk play on one back home so I have experience of that and they are definitely much better quality than they used to be. Obviously nothing can compare to grass but it won’t be a factor.
”Hopefully, with a good week’s training under my belt I can catch the gaffer’s eye in order to get a start this weekend.”
Ryan was relieved to finally get his United career under way earlier this week after the club got international clearance, although he would obviously have preferred to have made a winning start.
”It was a relief to get the clearance because it was a bit of a sweat,” he said. ”I was speaking to my friend Eoin Doyle, who has just joined Hibs, and he was in the same boat so we were just keeping our fingers crossed. But that’s it all done now and I am able to play whenever the manager needs me.
”It has been a bit frustrating actually being at the club but not being able to play but I knew that would be the case. When you arrive from Ireland you know that you won’t be able to play until January so you just have to get your head around it.
”I was certainly counting the days down until the new year but that’s me off and running now.”