Osman Sow made the move across Sandeman Street to sign for Dundee from Dundee United to prove he could still cut it.
The Swede had been training with United last summer as he completed his rehab from a serious Achilles tendon injury.
Out-of-contract, though, he was in need of a new club.
Before that Achilles problem, a succession of injuries had blighted the striker since his return from China in 2017.
His struggles saw him find the net just four times across three seasons at MK Dons and Tannadice.
This, combined with him having been out for action for eight months, meant Sow didn’t exactly have clubs queuing up to sign him.
Dundee manager James McPake, though, took a chance on a player he’d come up against in his playing days.
And it paid off handsomely, with Sow finishing the season as top scorer on 10 goals and helping the Dark Blues to promotion from the Championship.
With that job done and Sow back among the goals, the striker’s short-term deal came to an end.
Now he is heading off to start a new footballing chapter in Thailand.
But he won’t forget his time at Dens Park in a hurry.
Speaking exclusively to The Courier, he said: “I really enjoyed my time at Dundee and I’m happy we managed to get promoted.
“That was the target all year and it felt great to achieve it.
“It’s no secret I ruptured my Achilles tendon when I was at United so when the opportunity came to sign at Dundee I just tried to grab it with two hands.
“I knew I had to make the most of the opportunity.
“And I’m really thankful the manager took a chance on me. Some clubs wouldn’t have taken that chance.
“Even seven or eight months after a complete rupture of the Achilles, it takes time to get up to speed.
“Dundee took a real chance on me and I hope I repaid their faith.”
Relief when first goal went in
Sow scored just once in 16 appearances for Dundee United over one-and-a-half seasons, with fitness eluding him for much of his time at Tannadice.
A £1 million striker when leaving Hearts in 2016, Dundee took the chance that his ability could outshine his injury issues.
And Sow was adamant he could do it.
After signing last October, he said: “I want to prove a point to myself, I know what I can do and I just need to play football and do it now.”
For his first five appearances in dark blue, there didn’t seem to be any difference to the player released by rivals United.
However, that all changed in the Highlands with a fine lay-off for Jordan McGhee to earn a 2-2 draw in December.
That was followed up by his first goal in 582 days, against Dunfermline, a week later.
Then came a flurry of strikes as he knocked in eight goals in seven matches before he broke into double figures with a final Dundee goal in the play-off win at Raith Rovers.
“First of all, I just wanted to help the club get promoted but as a striker you want goals,” Sow added.
“I’m happy with how the year went because just two years ago it was very different.
“It was a tough time being injured but last season was a really positive one.
“The injury was hard because lockdown came in and I was chatting to physios on Facetime and stuff like that.
“It was a relief to see the first one go in. Not only because I scored but because I had been feeling better and better and after a couple of months began to feel sharp again.
“It was just a good feeling to be able to help the team again.
“There’s no shortcut to recovery from injury like that. It takes games to get up to speed and to get that match sharpness back. There’s no other way to get it.
“But that’s all in the past now and I’m really happy with how my time at Dundee went.
“I’m really thankful to the club, to the manager, all the staff, the players and the fans.
“I wish them the very best in an exciting Premiership season coming up and I will be following how they get on every week.”
New shores
Sow has already plied his trade in Scotland, England, China, Sweden, Moldova and the United Arab Emirates.
Now he will be adding Thailand to the list of countries as he jets off to the Far East with his family this summer.
“Me and my family are looking forward to it,” he said.
“It will be a really good experience. It’s a new chance for me.
“It’s an exciting move, we see it as an adventure so we had to go for it.
“It will be sad to leave; I spent a lot of years in Scotland and have really enjoyed it.
“I have some great memories here – the fans especially; there is real passion in Scotland and that’s what the game is all about.”
Promotion party? ‘No comment!’
After moving on, Sow does say he will miss the banter in the Dens Park dressing room.
He added: “It was good fun and there are a lot of characters there.
“I really enjoyed my time with the boys, it was great fun and it was a really good way to finish the season.”
Asked how the promotion party celebrations went after defeating Kilmarnock in the play-off final, Sow replied: “No comment!”