Midfielder Michael Gardyne has nothing to prove to anyone but himself as he begins for a new Premiership campaign at Ross County.
The 29-year-old, who spent last season on loan at Victoria Park, recently signed a two-year deal to make his return to the Staggies permanent.
The transfer ended a disappointing spell with his former club Dundee United, where he rarely featured. But Gardyne, who helped keep County in the Scottish Premiership at the end of last season, is interested only in repaying manager Jim McIntyre’s faith.
He said: “The only point I have to prove is to myself, I didn’t feel like I had anything to prove to United.
“As soon as the manager signed me he said he was confident I would do well for the club.
“The confidence the manager and his assistant Billy Dodds showed in me worked.
“Playing every week gets the confidence up and scoring and assisting with goals makes things easy.
“From the time I signed back at the club on loan, and given the way the team played and the way the manager wants to go about things, it was always in my plans to stay.
“It was just a case of getting the terms sorted and now that’s done.”
Having played his part in County’s memorable escape from the bottom of the Premiership Gardyne is motivated to ensure there is no repeat of the club’s recent struggles for survival.
With the influx of new players gathering pace confidence is growing the new season will bring a significant improvement.
Gardyne said: “We did well to stay up from the position we were in back in December and January, but the manager has always stressed he wants to kick on next season.
“Getting rid of the players he didn’t want here and bringing in ones he does, it’s going to be his team next season.
“The sky is the limit. We want to be finishing higher than ninth or 10th and hopefully we can.
“There is the spine of about nine or 10 players who were playing every week and have signed for next season and beyond.
“That’s a great lift. When I saw what was happening with the new signings it made me want to stay even more.
“I’m sure the manager has got plans to bring in a few more which is good, as it provides competition for places. That’s what kept players on their toes at the end of the season.”