Paton has points stitched up
Friday, 25th Oct 2019“I would probably take the three points and three stitches every week if it meant three points to be honest.
Paul Paton spent three seasons at Dundee United before he left to join St Johnstone in the summer of 2016 but claims that he has closely followed the Tangerines’ fortunes ever since.
“I captained the team a number of times and it was probably the happiest time in my career so I do not have a bad word to say about the club. I loved being there, still fond of the club and I am looking forward to going back and seeing some familiar faces.”
Anyone worried about the Pars captains allegiances need only look at his one and only match there at Tannadice since leaving when Paul was red carded in 65th minute of his match for Falkirk last season. He assured:-
“I want to win every game, I am captain of this club and we want to climb the table to finish as high up as possible with this club. Obviously I want to win on Saturday as much as I have ever wanted to win any game but it is a special club to me.”
Paul also claimed a special bond with the United fans at that time and it is something that he always remembers.
“They have been getting something like seven and a half thousand at home this season so their fans are unbelievable. We will take a good support as well and it will be a good day but their fans have high expectations.
“They think that they should be romping this league. They are a big club, paying big wages and they are quite right to have big expectations.”
Those expectations have taken a setback with defeats in their last two matches, Paul watched their game against Alloa Athletic on live television.
“Alloa really impressed me, they were brilliant on the night and played really good football. That did not surprise me that you can go there and get beat because I know Alloa are a decent side.
“I have not seen their game against Queen of the South, albeit another hard place to go. I don’t think that they will be panicking. I think they will be upset right through from the fans to the players. At the same time that is the only team that I have played against this year that deserved to beat us.
“When they came here they were really good and we were a mile off it. We will need to make sure that is reversed on Saturday.”
The chances of doing that will presumably require silencing Lawrence Shankland who scored 15 goals in his first seven league games for United. Paul added:-
“His goal record speaks for itself. He has scored for Scotland as well, we know that he is a good player but we have good players as well. He never scored on Saturday so maybe this is the start of a bad patch.”
The Pars three points from last Saturday’s match was much needed as Paul revealed everyone at the club felt under a lot of pressure right through from staff to players.
“It is good to ease that a bit with a win. That’s us with ten points but we should have more on the board. We have thrown a lot of points this year so it was important last Saturday to get points.
“I was aware of our record, we hadn’t won a home game since March. For a club like this it is obviously not good enough.
“The most pleasing thing was showing a different side and coming back from a losing position to win. I don’t know if many people thought we had that in our locker but we have.
“To come back by scoring the two goals was great, not many people expected that from Ashy but that was something we needed to go on and win the game. His goal obviously gave us the confidence to go out for the third.
“Chucky (Andy Ryan) has bided his time and has scored a couple of late goals in the last couple of games so he is putting the pressure on to be starting games. It is important that when he gets in that he starts scoring even more goals.
“We feel that we have had a couple of decent performances at home this season, Dundee springs to mind. To finally get the win we will take a lot of confidence out of that.
“I just feel that there are tight margins in this league. I don’t feel that Ayr United’s squad is any better than us. If we hadn’t thrown so many points away we could have been up there close to Ayr United and Dundee United. It is our own fault but we do feel that we can put a run of wins together because we do feel that we are good enough.
“If we beat Dundee United on Saturday we go just five points behind them. It is a mad league, only ten points separating top to bottom. If we can put a run of wins together, we will rocket up the league. That is something that we are obviously hoping to do.”
Paul Paton and Ryan Dow both needed stitches after the Ayr United game but will be fit to face their former club on Saturday. Paul agreed that is always easier to take when you lift the three points.
“I don’t think I have had many stitches in my face, maybe once before a long time ago. I have played a lot of games so I can’t remember most of them but if I was been getting stitches after a defeat I would have been absolutely raging.
“Dowser won a lot of headers and that is obviously how he picked his up. I was just unfortunate with mine but these things happen. We are willing to do anything to get three points. I would probably take the three points and three stitches every week if it meant three points to be honest. The points were needed, they came with the stitches so I will take that.”
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