Dundee’s Gary Irvine has admitted there was plenty of good-natured banter flying back and forth between him and pal Sean Higgins this week.
However, their friendship will be put to one side for 90 minutes at Dens Park as they line up against one another in the quarter-final of the Ramsdens Cup.
Higgins, who was a hero for the Dark Blues during the 2010-11 administration season, now plies his trade with Stenhousemuir, and while the Warriors are in the division below Dundee, Irvine insists no one will be taking anything for granted.
The 28-year-old full-back said: “When you are a professional, you want to win competitions and this one is no different.
“There is a cup at the end of it and you want to win as many trophies as you can in your career, so that’s the way we are looking at it.
“However, we will be taking nothing for granted against Stenhousemuir.
“It is always a tough game against them we have lost the last couple of times we have played them down there.
“They beat Forfar last weekend, so they will be coming into the game with confidence as well. One of my good pals, Sean Higgins, plays for Stenny and he scored in that game.
“He is someone we will have to look out for. He was a good player when he was here and I am sure he will be a great addition for them as well.
“There will be a wee bit of banter and texts flying back and forth before the game, but I am really looking forward to playing against Sean.”
When asked if he was surprised Higgins was now playing in League One, Irvine said: “Scottish football is really tight at the moment.
“Squads are much smaller and the money seems to be drying up at a lot of places. So it just shows you as Sean has real quality.
“All the Dundee fans will remember just how good he was in our administration season.
“He did really well for us, so yes, it does surprise me, but you hear it all over now in Scottish football, boys out of contract struggling to get clubs and you can’t believe it.”
Most sides are having this weekend off because of the international break but Irvine admitted he is more than happy to be playing rather than sitting with his feet up.
Dundee go into today’s game on the back of a five-match unbeaten run in all competitions, and the Dark Blues players are determined to keep that sequence going.
Irvine said: “It has been a tough couple of weeks with a lot of minutes played in hard-fought matches.
“So it was great to come out of them on top, finishing with last Friday’s game with another win against Livingston.”
He continued: “It is great that we have another match this weekend, unlike a lot of other sides, as when you have a wee bit of momentum, you want to keep going and build on it.”
Dundee will be without the injured Iain Davidson and Stephen O’Donnell, while Jamie Reid faces a late fitness test.