Russell McLean knew coming back to Peterhead, he had to be a better player than the one that departed two years ago.
The 23-year-old returned to Balmoor in the summer, fresh from two years at tomorrow’s opponents Montrose, and has taken up the mantle as the leading man up front.
“I think the boys who were at Peterhead the last time – Simon Ferry, Scott Brown, the gaffer (Jim McInally) and Davie Nicholls (assistant manager) will say I’ve come back a better player,” he said.
“If I hadn’t become a better player, I don’t think they would have taken me back.”
During his last stint at Peterhead, he was two years younger and also had Rory McAllister as competition up front.
McAllister left for Cove Rangers in January 2020 and McLean returned to take the number nine jersey as his own.
A developing partnership with Niah Payne, who scored twice in the 2-1 win over Dundee B in midweek, also seems to have its benefits.
“Regardless if Rory was still here or not, I feel as if I work better if I get to do my own thing,” said McLean. “I don’t mean not listening to what the manager says. If I strike up a relationship with someone like Niah, it works better for me, or if I play up front by myself I can make my own movements.
“Me and Rory did alright together, but – I think he would admit as well – we were maybe too similar. That’s potentially why it didn’t work as well as it might do for me and Niah.
“I prefer playing as a target man, without the ball being launched up at my head, and Niah wants to run in behind. It’s only going to get better; I didn’t know who Niah was before I came to Peterhead, but the relationship is only going to get stronger.
“My first time I scored a decent amount of goals, but I’m better at linking play and bringing other people into the game now.”
A return to Montrose tomorrow also presents an interesting reunion for McLean.
He scored 12 goals in 46 games for the Angus outfit during a two-year spell, helping them to the League One play-offs last season.
“The two-and-a-half years I was there, everyone on the outside would have said they overachieved,” added McLean. “Stuart Petrie and Ross Campbell will tell the press they overachieved, but I don’t think they did. They achieved what they should have been achieving.
“They’re a good team and have got a consistent squad of boys who like it there and are comfortable there. They never get convincingly beat and will always be there or there abouts in games.
“I fully expect them to be doing well again this year and up there with us, challenging for the top four. I know for a fact that will be their objective because they’ve done it for the last three years.
“They’ve established themselves as one of the best part-time teams in League One and it should be tight between ourselves, Cove and Montrose.”