Ricki Lamie is determined to embrace fresh surroundings after completing his switch to Ross County.
Defender Lamie signed a two-year deal with the Staggies, shortly after a pre-contract arrangement with Premiership rivals Dundee was ripped up.
The 31-year-old had been due to sign for the Dark Blues permanently after spending last season at Dens Park on loan from Motherwell.
However, earlier this summer, Dundee announced they and Lamie would not pursue the agreement.
It was the second time Lamie had seen a pre-contract arrangement with the Tayside club break down, two years after a relegation clause resulted in him remaining with Motherwell.
Defender striving for highest level
Having briefly been left in limbo, Lamie insists he was grateful to the Staggies for quickly offering him the chance to remain at Scottish Premiership level.
Lamie, who is from Shotts in North Lanarkshire, said: “Things changed obviously.
“The club (Dundee) changed their opinion, and that’s fine, but personally I’ve always prided myself on striving to play at the highest level I can.
“I’ve been the same since I was a wee boy – I wanted to go and test myself to see what level I could play at.
“If you reach a peak, so be it, but I’ve always wanted to strive for that.
“Speaking to the manager here, he is really ambitious as well, so it was a no-brainer to come up.
“The club have been really good with me so far. I’m settling in really well. It has actually been really refreshing coming up.
“I’ve always been close to home throughout my career, but I have never minded trying something different.
“It’s not exactly far away, but I was still moving away from home for a new challenge. I’m thoroughly enjoying it so far.
“I feel as if I’m coming here to work, with a job to do, and I’m here for that reason.
“The club are ambitious, and I’m really ambitious myself to go and be successful.”
Lamie looking to help Stagges climb table
Having remained in the top-flight since joining Livingston in 2018, Lamie has come up against Ross County on many occasions.
With the Dingwall club having finished second bottom in the table in the last two seasons, coming through the play-offs on both occasions, Lamie is determined to help Don Cowie’s side steer clear of the basement this term.
He added: “When you play against the guys, you can appreciate their strengths – but it’s only when you’re training with them every day that you really see their quality.
“There are young players at the club with real quality as well.
“It’s an ambitious club.
“Over the last couple of years we haven’t quite been where we want to be, but it wasn’t too long ago that I myself was battling it out with Ross County for European spots and top-six finishes.
“That’s where we want to be, and that’s where we want to get back to.”
Defender aiming for strong start in League Cup
Lamie could make his competitive debut when County make the long trip to face League Two side Stranraer on Saturday in their opening Premier Sports Cup group match.
He is determined to get the season off to a strong start, adding: “The group stage has been tricky at times.
“In the last three or four years especially, the summer in the top-flight seems to get shorter and shorter, so it’s hard to get down time and then transition back into competitive games.
“It’s good in a way, though, because you can use it as pre-season – but when you’re ambitious, you want to go on and really put down a base that you can build on for the rest of the season.
“These games are a really good way of doing that.
“It’s a tough group when you look at it, so it will be a really good test. There are good teams with good players within them, so we won’t take anything for granted.
“We’ve got some minutes under our belts already, though, so the boys will be raring to go.”
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