Paul McGowan was taken aback by his first taste of the Dundee derbies.
Thousands of fans of both clubs packed into Dens last Sunday and Tannadice on Wednesday for the double header between the famous old rivals.
McGowan confessed he and a few of the other players in the Dark Blues squad were surprised by the intensity and atmosphere.
Of course, Dundee ultimately lost both games and McGowan says the players are determined to get back to winning ways in the league against winless Ross County today.
McGowan said: “It’s sad because it’s two big defeats to our derby rivals. But I didn’t realise how big a game the Dundee derby is.
“I’ve come through from Glasgow, which is famous for Celtic v Rangers matches, but both sets of fans here were unbelievable in both games. It just shows you how big a game this is and what it means to the fans.
“I think the first match took a few players by surprise. It was the pace of things and Jim McAlister was saying that’s what it’s like and all credit to both sets of fans for making it such a great spectacle.
“It was live on Sky and a superb advert for Scottish football with the Old Firm derby not there just now.”
McGowan added: “Now we need to get back to winning ways after these two defeats.
“Ross County will be scrapping for everything. They’ve no points so I think it will be a tough game.
“We just need to battle the way we did at Tannadice the other night and show our qualities.”
McGowan shares a car to training from the west with James McPake and says he has rarely known such a “driven” individual.
McPake performed heroically against United on Wednesday night despite being seriously hampered by injury. That brave display came as no great surprise to McGowan.
He said: “For me, James has been outstanding. He just puts his body in where it hurts. He tackles every ball and he’s just great to have in your team. He would tackle a brick wall.
“I actually turned round when he was struggling and said you ‘better not go off here’. He’s so important to the team by holding the back four together.
“His talking is great and for me he’s been the best player since signing here.”
Dundee will be without the suspended Thomas Konrad as well as the injured Willie Dyer and Kevin Thomson, while Phil Roberts is a doubt because of illness.