After an inauspicious start to life at Pittodrie, the Aberdeen support are finally seeing the real Kenny McLean.
The 23-year-old joined the Dons on a three-and-a-half year deal on transfer deadline day last January after having scored seven times for St Mirren during the first half of the season.
He ended the season as relegated St Mirren’s top scorer but failed to open his account for the Dons during the second half of the campaign.
But McLean appears to have rediscovered his shooting boots over the summer break, having found the back of the net on five occasions already this season.
After a tepid start to his Aberdeen career, the midfielder is pleased to have played a prominent role in his side’s excellent start to the season.
He said: “It’s been a great start for me being able to contribute some goals and good performances along the way.
“I think I had to get going early on this season and thankfully that’s what I’ve done so long may it continue.
“Frustration got the better of me at times last season as the goals just weren’t coming after I first moved to Aberdeen.
“That’s a big thing because goals bring confidence and I’m playing with real confidence now that they are coming.
“If I can keep doing that and help the team keep playing the way we have then that will do for me.
“I expect high standards from myself and I did OK at first but, for me, it wasn’t quite good enough.
“If you are branded as a goalscorer then you always want to be on the scoresheet and keep doing better which is what I feel I am now.”
The Dons have won all seven league matches this season but McLean anticipates a difficult afternoon against Hearts tomorrow.
He added: “It’s never going to be easy as Hearts have had some good results and are playing nice football.
“It will be a great game and we will take a good crowd down who will get right behind us as they have done all season.
“We will look to repay that backing with the right result and another three points.
“I’m sure everyone wants to beat us given the position we are in and Hearts will want to be the first team to take something off us.
“But with the way we are playing we go into every game with confidence that we can get the three points and that will be the feeling at Tynecastle.”