Dundee United newcomer Andrew Robertson is hoping he can continue the whirlwind start to his career.
Just 12 months ago the left-back hadn’t even played for Queen’s Park, but was a regular in the Spiders’ side last term.
Yet within six days of starting full-time football he found himself playing in Europe, making an impressive debut against 1FC Union of Berlin.
The 19-year-old relished the occasion.
He said: “Facing Rangers last season gave me a taste of playing in front of big crowds but it was still some turnout last Sunday for a friendly.
“With having played four or five games, they were a lot sharper than us but I thought I did okay.”
Robertson hopes his Tannadice move can be the stepping stone to a career as illustrious as one of the former pupils of the school he attended.
“I went to the same school as Aiden McGeady and, although my big brother knew him, I didn’t know him personally,” he said. “He has done well for himself and hopefully I can follow in his footsteps.”
Helping sway his decision to take the plunge with United was the way in which Gary Mackay-Steven and Barry Douglas’ careers have blossomed and in the former’s case, by having played directly behind him.
“My debut was greatly helped by having a class player like Gary (Mackay-Steven) playing in front of me. You can always rely on him.
“He’s got such a good touch you know that he will turn a bad ball into a good one. I am trying not to rely on him, but just ensure that I link up well with him.
“Having said that I would love to follow his example given his progress, becoming a consistent member of the United side and making the Scotland squad inside two years.
“So he is the role model for players coming from the lower divisions.”
Robertson added: “I got a taste of playing in big games against Rangers last season and it was definitely a confidence booster playing in front of 50,000.
“But it was a case of having to perform at the same level week in and week out, so it was good to experience that before making the step up when joining United.
“Queen’s Park are a good club but there is a big difference between training two nights a week and full-time football.
“As I feel that I am nowhere near the footballer I think I can be, it was a move I had to make and full-time training will help me achieve that.
“People know that Barry Douglas has made the step up from Queen’s and, though the fans don’t know much about me just now, hopefully that will help them accept that I can do the same.
“Obviously, there is a massive gap between the Third Division and the Premier League, but there were some good teams in it even outside of Rangers, which probably wouldn’t have been the same the season before.”
Meanwhile, McNamara spoke in glowing terms of his summer acquisition from Queen’s Park.
He said: “He’s been excellent since he came in he’s not been fazed by it at all.
“He uses his body well and gets stuck into the tackle. He’s 19 years old and looks very good. I’ve been really impressed.
“It’s a big ask to go from the Third Division to the SPL but he looks like he’ll handle it.
“You know when you sign a player from Queen’s Park they will have had a good grounding in the game and they’ll be taught well.”