Wighton tipped to follow Snodgrass

Dens boss has faith in on-loan Lichtie to fulfil potential

Craig Wighton can follow in the footsteps of West Ham United star Robert Snodgrass and fulfil his potential.

That is the confident view of Dundee boss James McPake, who went through rehabilitation with

Wighton while they were both players at Dens.

Former Dark Blues favourite Wighton will be trying to shoot down his old club on Saturday when he and his Arbroath team-mates visit.

McPake, of course, wanted the 22-year-old frontman to sign for him before the player ended up on loan at Gayfield from his parent club Hearts.

The respect between the pair is real and the relationship grew in strength when the two were battling back from serious injuries at the same time.

Indeed, you can probably expect McPake to try once again to recruit Wighton in the summer.

Wherever the Dundonian ends up, though, McPake is expecting him to get his career right back on track like Snodgrass did and show everyone why he was seen as such an exciting prospect before things turned a bit sour at Tynecastle.

The Dens gaffer said: “I know Craig well and everyone knows we tried to bring him back to Dundee in January.

“I am glad to see him doing well, although I do hope he stutters this weekend!

“He is a good signing for Arbroath. That is another reason why they will stay where they are in this league because they have strengthened well in January.

“Craig, Josh Meekings and me did our rehabs together after our injuries.

“Those two ended up getting back but I guess I didn’t work as hard!” he joked, with a wry smile.

“I love him as a person and he has more than just ability – there is a real work ethic there.

“I am not surprised he has gone to Arbroath and hit the ground running. “I do think he will reach his potential. “I remember Robert Snodgrass went down a similar path when he went out to Stirling Albion on loan when we were at Livingston together.

“He came back wanting to prove himself again and within a year he was at Leeds United.

“We all know what has happened to Snoddy since.

“I am not saying Craig will go on and play 200 times in the English Premier League and get 30-odd caps for Scotland but there are similarities.

“It hasn’t quite worked out at Hearts but I don’t think that will define his career. It might still work out there, who knows, but he has enough ability for it to work out somewhere.”

Wighton hasn’t hidden how happy he is with life at the Lichties and McPake

“It hasn’t quite worked out at Hearts for Craig – but I don’t think that will define his career. JAMES MCPAKE

puts that down to game time, adding: “I think Craig just wanted to be playing.

“He was surplus to requirements at Hearts. There were a few teams interested and Arbroath got him.

“People forget he had a year out and it can take a year to get right after an ACL (anterior cruciate ligament injury). “He is probably still catching up. “I am sure Craig will still have the career everyone expected him to have, starting after Saturday of course…”

Arbroath, whose home game against Ayr last Saturday was abandoned, would have gone second behind championselect United had the game continued and they scored a winner.

A victory on Saturday will take them back above the Dark Blues in the table and they, of course, had a great day out at Tannadice at the start of the month.

McPake is full of respect and admiration for the Angus team and will be wary of them.

“I think the job that Dick and Ian Campbell, and big Rab Douglas, have done is remarkable,” he said.

“Their players would run through a brick wall for them.

“I have seen enough of them to know they are there until the end of games, part-time or not.

“They are a good team and can beat anybody because nine times out of 10 they are at it.

“I have admired Dick Campbell for years and it’s not luck to be so successful over the years.

“His teams battle but they can play a bit as well. They gave us a real fright earlier in the season and they won at Tannadice.

“For me, they are one of the better teams in this league.”