Willo Flood got used to Dundee United fighting it out at the top end of the table during his first spell with Dundee United and wants to sample the same second time around.
The Irish midfielder joined the Tangerines on loan from Cardiff City in July 2007, and left for Celtic during the transfer window in January 2009. The period in between was an enjoyable one for Flood as United looked up the table rather than down.
He returned to Tannadice last summer and, after some doubts and difficulties, United now look a sound bet to finish well again. They leapfrogged Hearts into fifth place by beating them at Tynecastle on Saturday to ensure they will make it through February unbeaten.
”We are coming good at the right time,” said Flood. ”Beating Kilmarnock 4-0 and then going to Tynecastle and winning 2-0 will have grabbed people’s attention. They will have noticed that.
”I think, though, that we need to go for the top-six finish, and only once we are guaranteed that can we look at making it to third, fourth or fifth.
”If you are in good form after the split then you can take advantage because everyone will be dropping points. Win three or four games after the split and you are right up there.
”That’s what we are hoping to do, and I think we can achieve it because we have a good squad of players here at United.
”When I came back here I did think top six was a possibility. Every season I have been at the club we have been a top-six side and I don’t want that to change.
”Now it is up to us to keep going. We have Inverness at home next on the Monday night and that will be a tough game. We need to play well again, but there is no reason why we can’t do so.”
A major reason for Flood’s optimism for the weeks ahead is the performance of the United defence, which has conceded just one goal in the club’s last five games, with 13 being scored at the other end.
”The boys at the back have been keeping clean sheets and they all played really well,” he said. ”Gavin Gunning and Sean Dillon have struck up a good central defensive partnership and we have options because big Garry Kenneth is available too.
”We seem to have a lot of strength in depth and that is good for competition. It keeps the boys on their toes.
”Remember we still have Danny Swanson to come back in, while Richie Ryan hasn’t really played much and he is good.”
Flood is happy to be back in Peter Houston’s line-up, starting the last two matches against Killie and Hearts.
”It had been a while and it was getting a bit frustrating at times,” he admitted. ”I thought I was playing well in the reserve matches and the manager told me he was going to put me back in.
”Now I have been back in for the last two matches and those have been decent results and we have played well too.”