Dundee may be playing away this afternoon against Rangers but for Tom Hateley it will almost be like a home game.
He “grew up” as a young kid in and around Ibrox with his dad, former England striker Mark a key player for the Glasgow side when they were in their pomp in the 90s.
Hateley Jnr admitted that his father, who also had a spell as a forwards coach for Dundee in 2003, has been the biggest influence on his career and he will be sure to offer some advice before the Dark Blues attempt to make it three wins in a row in the league.
The former Motherwell and Slask Wroclaw player said: “I used to go to Ibrox all the time for the years my dad was there.
“I sort of grew up around there if you like.
“I’ve been there a few times and played there a number of times since those days.
“I got on the pitch and around the changing-room on occasions such as when Rangers had won the title. Looking back, I was a lucky young lad.
“You don’t really think about it at the time as a kid being part of it when they were winning titles and that kind of stuff.”
Hateley added: “My dad’s probably been the biggest influence on my career.
“Growing up around football and watching my dad, it was obviously a big experience.
“Like I say, I took it for granted a bit probably. I was going to Ibrox all the time.
“Being in and around that environment, I was going to training with him and stuff like that.
“And he was a strikers coach at Dundee as well which you don’t think about really when you’re that age.
“Looking at the career my dad had when I was growing up, it was something I always wanted to do.
“I’ve been lucky enough to do what I love.
“He gives me a pep talk before and after every game.
“He’ll be my biggest fan and probably my biggest critic at the same time,
“He’s the one that will ask me, ‘What were you doing there?’.
“It’s good to have him and he’s probably the best person to get advice from.
“He goes to games all the time if he’s not working at Rangers.
“Sometimes we might agree and other times we’ll disagree – but that’s all part of the game.”
Hateley has never netted at Ibrox and he would like nothing better than to break his duck today.
He said: “I hit the bar with a free-kick once, but haven’t actually scored there.
“If it helps us win the game, then of course I would love to get on the score-sheet at Ibrox.
“If it’s 0-0 after 90 minutes, I will put my hand up and take the responsibility.
“I enjoy that side of things with set-plays.
“I practise for those moments so wouldn’t hesitate in trying to get one from that sort of situation.”
And Hateley insisted if he was lucky enough to score, his dad would not freeze him out.
Hateley said: “Of course he would still speak to me!
“He supports his son. He spoke to me after I scored the one against Rangers at Fir Park, but that might have just been because the game ended in a draw.
“Seriously, he’ll be at the game and it will be good.”
Dundee will travel to Ibrox in confident frame of mind after back-to-back wins over Hamilton and Motherwell and Hateley insists Paul Hartley’s side will have a real go against Rangers.
Hateley said: “The last time I spoke after the Partick Thistle game, I was saying we weren’t far away and that we had wins in us.
“So I’m glad we’ve managed to put together a couple on the bounce.
“We deserved the wins we’ve had so 100 per cent we go into this game full of confidence.
“It’s obviously going to be a difficult place to go. But we’re going there to look to cause them problems and play to our strengths.
“It’s very tight at the bottom of the league and we’ve got ourselves back in the mix.
“We’re not going there just to shut up shop. We’ll be going there to try to get something from the game.
“These are the big kind of games you look forward to in big stadiums.”
