Betfred can be bigger than FA Cup

DUNDEE new boy Roarie Deacon was in the limelight last season as Sutton United battled all the way to the fifth round of the FA Cup before losing narrowly to eventual winners Arsenal.

But while the 25-year-old doesn’t pretend the looming Betfred Cup group stages will be as glamorous, he knows for him they could prove more important.

That’s because after a year as a part-timer, the former Gunners kid is determined to make the most of the second chance with the Dark Blues.

“Most definitely these games could be bigger for me.

“I’ve recently signed, these are my first official games for Dundee, so it’s a good opportunity to go out in another cup competition and show what I can do.

“Obviously last year I did pretty well in the FA Cup which is a big competition and hopefully I can come up here in another big competition and prove that I can do it here as well.”

The Englishman is in line for his competitive debut in tonight’s Group C trip to Raith Rovers.

“That alone would appear to vindicate his decision not to look for a “proper job” when he was part-time last year but he wants much more.

“This is a great chance for me to get back full-time.

“At Sutton I was training two days a week with the squad and I did my extra training with Jamie Lawrence, who was a pro with Bradford and played for Jamaica.

“He’s now a fitness coach but he’s a lot more than that and because he’s been a player he can help with a lot of other things about your game.

“Working with him meant I was still doing full-time training. Going to him last summer and then during the summer, he did a lot to help me get fit and stay fit.

“I believe in myself, I believe in the god given talent I was given, so when I went to Sutton last year I put myself under pressure to still make it in the full-time game.

“I said I would give myself a year to get back but I knew come this season