Wednesday 8 April 2015 15:52, UK
Dundee goalkeeper Scott Bain will celebrate his new contract extension by making his making his Tayside derby debut on Wednesday night in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
Despite emerging as Paul Hartley’s first-choice stopper after a summer move from Alloa Athletic, the 23-year-old missed the 6-2 defeat by United on New Year’s Day through injury and was behind Kyle Letheren in the pecking order for the 4-1 defeat at Dens Park in September.
Bain says he is relishing his first appearance in the derby, unfazed that Dundee have failed to keep a clean sheet in nine games against their city rivals. A win for Dundee would reduce the gap between the sides to two points.
He said: "I just want to get on the pitch and feel the atmosphere and look forward to the game. We're on a decent run so we are more than confident going into the game and getting the three points.
"If we win then it’ll give us a big push. We’ll be really disappointed if we don’t make the top-6 now given how close we are to getting over the finishing line."
On Monday Bain was rewarded for his stand-out performances this season by signing a contract extension which will keep him at the club until 2018.
He said: "I'm delighted. I think knowing how I’ve been treated since I’ve been here and the ambition of the club was a big factor in extending the deal. I just think about getting as many games under my belt here at Dundee as I possibly can, keep up good form and help Dundee progress and solidify ourselves as a Premiership club."
Playing in the City of Discovery, Bain has been on a bit of a journey of his own. He was on the books at Aberdeen as a youngster but was loaned out to Elgin City in 2010 and never managed to make made a first-team appearance for the Dons.
After being released by Aberdeen, he joined part-time Alloa Athletic where he excelled under current boss Hartley. Bain spent three years at Alloa, winning back-to-back promotions in his first two seasons.
Hartley was appointed Dundee manager in February 2014 and won promotion to the Premiership on the final day of last season, before recruiting Bain in the summer.
Bain admits he has experienced a steep learning curve during his first season at the highest level in Scottish football.
He said: “I’ve learned that you have to be on top of your game all the time. You can’t really make mistakes or be slack with passing. You need to concentrate all the time; you can’t let it slip because you get punished at this level.”
The Dundee No 1 has been likened to a young Craig Gordon by his manager in recent weeks; Bain grew up idolising the Scotland international and would one day like to follow in his footsteps into the national squad, but says he hasn't quite set his sights on a call-up just yet.
He said: "Looking from where I came from it took me three years to get back to playing full time so I’m just enjoying every minute of being a first-choice goalkeeper in the Premiership. The goalkeepers at Scotland are phenomenal at the moment with McGregor, Gordon and Marshall so maybe in the future hopefully but it’s about keeping up good performances week in week out just now."
The Dundee derby is live on Sky Sports 1HD on Wednesday 8 April from 7.30pm.
