Paul Dixon has heard enough about all the footballers who have left Dundee United, and the impact selling them has had on the ailing football club.
The experienced defender is more concerned that the players who are still at Tannadice start seizing the day for themselves.
Back in the team for the first time since his hernia operation, Dixon saw up close again the problems that have been dragging United down all season.
And harking back to when the likes of Stuart Armstrong, Gary Mackay-Steven and Nadir Ciftci were at the club certainly won’t serve any purpose.
“People keep speaking about all these players leaving the club but that is in the past now,” he said.
“There is nothing we can do about that. It happens in football and you have to move on.
“Boys get their chance when players leave and they have to take it.
“I was 17-years-old when Dundee got relegated and I got my chance in the First Division.
“I grabbed that chance with both hands and have made a good career for myself as did others at that stage with me.
“They have got a great opportunity playing for a great football club who have been fighting for cups over the last few years and playing in Europe.
“They have got to realise the stature of this football club and perform week in week out.
“You can’t just turn up on Saturday and believe it is going to happen.
“You have got to put the work in. It is not as simple as turning up, putting on your boots and strip you have got to work hard. You have to do the hard miles and dirty work before you can even think about passing the ball. You have got to win ugly, especially with the situation we are in.
“We need to work hard over the next few weeks and be ready to get wins under our belt after the international break.”
The word “soft” has often been used in relation to United in recent months, and the description still fits according to the Scotland defender.
Dixon was referring specifically to Aberdeen’s second goal when Peter Pawlett was afforded too much time and space before setting up Jonny Hayes to score.
But it could also have applied to the opening goal, when Adam Rooney was the hungriest to get to a loose ball in the six yard box.
“We are too soft at the moment,” he said. “You could have driven a bus through the middle of us for Aberdeen’s second goal.
“Pawlett has been able to turn in acres of space and run at us. It was a great finish from Jonny Hayes.
“Having said that, I can’t remember our goalkeeper having to make that many saves today.
“He made one in the first half but apart from that I can’t really think of any.
“We just need to pull together and make ourselves hard to beat.”
Dixon has been involved in a relegation scrap with Huddersfield, and he has passed on his memories of the ordeal to those in the Tannadice dressing room (most of them) who haven’t endured one. And he’s hoping it will have an impact.
He said: “I said to the boys after the game that I have been involved in situations like this and it is not nice. It is horrendous.
“It is the worst feeling in the world. One season it took until the 78th minute of the last game to survive. That is not fun. That is not where you want to play your football.
“It has to happen to somebody. The older boys may have experienced it before, the younger boys haven’t. We have to help them but they also have to help themselves.
“We all need to realise the situation we are in.”
Ex-United star Willo Flood had words of encouragement for his old club.
He said: “Sean Dillon’s a good mate of mine, a good captain. I think they have enough about them. The chairman needs to back Mixu and let him get a few of his own players in. “When Erskine’s there and Callum Morris comes back, it will make them a lot stronger. I think they have enough to climb the league.”
United had two great chances in the game – a Scott Fraser shot at the end of the first half and a six yard back post header from the same man just before the Dons opened the scoring.
Mixu Paatelainen reflected: “It is difficult but you have to stay patient and work with the players. There comes a time when you say, ‘okay, we need new players’, but I want to improve our existing squad.”