The loan market has been very useful for Dundee boss Tony Docherty in his year in charge at Dens Park.
Last season saw nine players come in on temporary transfers.
Largely they were very positive additions with the likes of Owen Beck putting in superb performances after arriving from Liverpool.
The likes of Aaron Donnelly, Jon McCracken and Amadou Bakayoko also played big parts in the Dark Blues finishing in the top six last term.
This campaign the plan is to reduce reliance on loan signings after effectively having to rebuild the squad over the summer with those players heading back to parent clubs.
However, there is still space in the squad for the right loan signings.
And Docherty reckons he’s got another loan star in the shape of Seb Palmer-Houlden.
‘Real hunger’
The 20-year-old has made a lightning fast start to life at Dens Park, scoring five in his last five games.
That included an equaliser at Tannadice in the Dundee derby and Saturday’s opening goal in the League Cup victory over Airdrieonians.
His powerful running and work-rate, too, have endeared the forward to the Dens Park crowd.
“He’s been excellent, he’s scored five goals in six starts and is such a brilliant boy to work with,” Docherty said.
“He’s hungry, enthusiastic and desperate to learn and improve.
“That’s exactly the type I want to fill my dressing-room with.
“He’s fitted in really well and he’s got a real hunger about him.
“We can see from his displays on the pitch how hard-working he is and he’s been a great addition to the squad.
“With the way we are playing right now with three forwards – him, Simon Murray and Scott Tiffoney – they give defenders real problems.
“They’ve got movement and creativity and then you add Curtis Main into that, he scored a brilliant goal on Saturday.
“Seb has real running power and he knows where the back of the net is – that’s what I was told about him from my colleagues down at Bristol City.
“You can see that.”
Similar to Owen Beck
Docherty spent 18 months at Bristol City as Derek McInnes’ assistant.
Fans at Ashton Gate had hoped to see Palmer-Houlden get an opportunity in their first-team this season.
However, the English Championship side decided a loan move would be best as they made further striking additions over the summer.
Palmer-Houlden is clearly enjoying life in the City of Discovery, as he told Courier Sport earlier this month.
And Docherty says Palmer-Houlden’s performances show the benefits of getting signings in early in the summer.
“It’s a bit similar to us getting Owen Beck last summer, we got him in really early and he came on the pre-season tour,” the Dundee boss added.
“Seb feels like he has been here a long time now and has fitted in really well with the boys.
“He’s one we identified very early in terms of the way he’d fit in to our team.
“The fact he’s been here for most of pre-season he’s showing the benefit of getting the right players in early.”
Palmer-Houlden limped off in the weekend win over Airdrieonians with a tight hamstring but returned to training on Monday and is in contention to keep his good form going at Hibs on Saturday.
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