Aiming to have the Premiership

huge potential. But he insists United will be taking the path to success step by step under his leadership.

Prior to his appointment on Monday, the talk under predecessor Robbie Neilson was for the club to be aiming for the top six on their return to the Premiership next season.

However, for Mellon, it’s a case of slow and steady wins the race, starting with a bounce game against top-tier opposition on Saturday.

“I aim to be good on Saturday. Honestly, I won’t lose my focus on that,” the 48-year-old former Fleetwood and Shrewsbury head coach said.

“You will never get me talking on anything other than gradual improvement. I will get out and try to improve on yesterday.

“That’s the only way to improve a human being, by first of all knowing what it takes to make them better and then recognising that.

“That takes time, it takes relationships, that takes putting them into circumstances and moments in games and training. I will grow that and find out what that is.

“That is how I will do this, step by step as we go on and I will try to keep improving day by day and game by game and enjoy life, not rushing too far ahead and predicting that I’m going to win the European Cup or anything.

“I am very, very focused on making sure of that because that is the best way I know, in my experience, of building teams. I know that is the best way of doing it and that is what I will stay true to.”

Meanwhile, No 2 Lee McCulloch is set to leave Dundee United to join former boss Robbie Neilson at Hearts.

Fellow-assistant head coach Gordon Forrest is expected to remain for the time being but new Tangerines manager Micky Mellon is expected to bring in his own people.

Dundee United gaffer is looking forward to the challenge of working in Scotland.