Harkins not worried about the pressure of being a paid-for signing

Published: 03/07/2009

Gary Harkins has become the biggest transfer between Scottish clubs this summer, but insists the price tag won't affect him.

The midfielder yesterday completed his £150,000 move from Partick Thistle by signing a three-year deal with Dundee.

The Dark Blues are the only club currently spending money and manager Jocky Scott has already admitted that will bring pressure, but Harkins is confident he'll cope. He said: “I've not even thought about the transfer fee, whether I came here for money or on a free transfer it's all the same.

“That's something for other people to talk about, all I'm concentrating on is doing the training and getting started when the season begins.

“It has been ongoing for a while so I'm thrilled to be here at last.

“It was hard to leave Thistle because the manager and all the boys have been great to me. But in football people move on and you've got to do what's best for you.

“Dundee have loads of ambition, the club is really serious about winning the league and getting to the SPL, so I want to be part of that.

“This is a big club and the set-up here is superb, everything is geared towards the Premier League."

Meanwhile, Lee Wilkie is ready to start a gruelling summer cycle as he bids to be fit for the new season — and joked the accident involving assistant manager Peter Houston last month will ensure he obeys the rules of the road.

The Dundee United captain took delivery of three mountain bikes at Tannadice yesterday, as he, Jon Daly and Keith Watson prepare to start their pre-season schedule by cycling around the country lanes beside the club's St Andrews training base.

Wilkie, who had an operation to tidy up ripped knee cartilage in May, has been on the bike in the gym for most of the last 12 months, but admits he was going stir crazy being stuck indoors.

While he is filled with enthusiasm about the summer journeys ahead, the example of Houston — who cracked both his elbows after going over his handlebars — means certainly he won't be freewheeling around.

He said: “I've been doing loads of spin classes in the gym, but that's a bit limited so I've been nipping the physio's head to get out on the roads. This will make it a bit more interesting and it will still be as hard work.

“In fact, with the wee roads around St Andrews it might even be tougher than usual and I'd reckon we'll be doing 70 or 80 miles a week.

“It's something a bit different and the lads who will be doing it, myself, Jon Daly and probably Keith Watson, are looking forward to it.

“I've not been on a real bike for years and years, but they say you never forget how to do it. I did my cycling proficiency at school when I was a kid, everybody did that.

Warren Feeney, meanwhile, last night headed back to Cardiff after his move to Leeds United collapsed.

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