Tony Watt has criticised his treatment at Dundee United under former manager Liam Fox.
Watt, on loan until the end of the season with St Mirren, contends he was unfairly benched during Fox’s six-month reign.
Watt admits he’s in the dark on his future Tannadice prospects with United now under Jim Goodwin’s guidance but their Premiership status still in peril.
The 29-year-old, under contract at United until 2025, says he’s relishing life with Stephen Robinson in Paisley as Saints compete for a European place.
In contrast, the nomadic striker claims his quality was under-valued by Fox’s regime.
Following Watt’s red against Motherwell at the end of October, he started only one game for Fox – scoring a late winner against St Johnstone – before being loaned to St Mirren.
Watt said: “ I just want to be happy and I wasn’t happy at United under the last regime.
“The management didn’t want me there but, since I left, nothing has really changed.
“Obviously it’s proved I wasn’t the reason they weren’t doing so well.
“I scored against St Johnstone at New Year then sat on the bench every other game.
“Before that, I’d scored a few goals but ended up back on the bench for some reason.
“I was sent off against Motherwell, it got rescinded and it was still used as an excuse for killing the team.
“It’s not my fault they got it wrong. Look, some people have opinions in football, that’s fine. I don’t hold that against anyone.
“But my point is I don’t want to go somewhere I’m not appreciated. Dundee United is a brilliant club, there are brilliant people there.
“I was signed by Tony Asghar and he’s not there anymore. He and Tam Courts put their belief in me and backed me.
“I think it was just a case of I wasn’t the manager Liam Fox’s cup of tea in style.
“I don’t hold that against anybody. I was made out to be the one who wasn’t performing. I was maybe made out to be not good enough.
“But I think I can show I am good enough. There are no hard feelings.
“He’s got a job at Aberdeen now and good luck to him. He’s probably deserving of that because he’s a good coach.”
In his eighth outing for St Mirren, against Livingston last Saturday, Watt netted his first goal for the Paisley club.
Robinson’s side have defied pre-season expectations and are only four points off Hearts, who they play on Saturday afternoon at Tynecastle.
A permanent move to Paisley, he suggests, is appealing.
But he hasn’t ruled out mending relations at Tannadice now Goodwin is at the helm.
Watt said: “It’s been a breath of fresh air. The manager has me running around till I’m red in the face!
“He knows what buttons to push and I think, when I’m under his guidance, I’m successful.
“Hopefully that continues. I love it. We’ve had disagreements and some shouting matches but he always wins them in terms of the message he puts across.
‘Maybe things change’
“If I don’t do it then I don’t play, that’s it. End of. I love it at St Mirren and I’d love to come back.
“It might be difficult based on finances, we’ll have to wait and see. I need to be successful first before I expect anyone to push the boat out for me.
“Come the summer I don’t know what’s going to happen with my parent club either.
“Obviously I don’t want to go back if I’m treated the same way as before.
“But there’s a new manager, a guy I know of well and I’ve played against. So maybe things change if Jim Goodwin gets the job.
“By all accounts I’ve heard he’s done a really good job.
“I know the results haven’t been going in his favour but everyone I speak to speaks very positively of him.”
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