New boy Fontaine will be on song – McPake

Dundee will be hoping Liam Fontaine can help James McPake get a tune out of his backline after the Dens boss snapped up the former Ross County defender.

A budding musician, Fontaine released a single called Life Lessons during his time in Dingwall and used music to raise money for NHS workers at the start of lockdown.

But it’s on the pitch where the centre-back , who has two Championship titles and a Scottish Cup winner’s medal to his name, will be aiming to strike a chord with Dees.

Conceding seven goals in their last two away games with central defensive options limited thanks to Jordon Forster’s broken foot and Lee Ashcroft’s bout of Covid-19, manager McPake has moved to add the vastly-experienced centre-half to his squad.

The former Hibs and Bristol City man will go straight into the matchday squad for the trip to Ayr United this weekend, though he hasn’t played since March.

McPake, however, expects his new man to be on song before long after signing the 34-year-old until the end of the season.

The Dens boss said: “He’s won the Championship twice and is very experienced.

“He’s played a lot of games England and the good thing is has looked really fit.

“He had an Achilles tendon injury but still managed to get back and play 20-odd games for Ross County last season.

“He’s a leader experience.”

Also on Fontaine’s CV is a Scottish Cup win at Hibs, where he played the first 70 minutes in the 3-2 vic tor y over Rangers, and a Challenge Cup success while playing in Dingwall.

He departed Ross County on October 7 and has been searching for a club since.

With Dundee ’s defensive problems and lack of numbers at centre-back, manager McPake sees the two parties as a perfect fit.

Fontaine needs games and Dundee need a centre-back. with plenty in he of

Mc P a k e said: “It ’s that unpredictable at the minute, if we lost another centre-back to injury or Covid then we’d be left short again. He’ll not just be coming in as cover, though, he’ ll be fancying himself to come in and make an impact.”

Having endured a couple of lengthy spells on the sidelines – an ankle injury in Bristol and Achilles problem at County – Fontaine uses music to get through difficult moments.

And that culminated in the release of Life Lessons in September 2018.

Speaking to the Press and Journal at the time, Fontaine said: “I decided to do something to take my mind off it.

“I bought a guitar myself how to play.

“I’ve had no lessons, but music has always interested me and even as a kid there wasn’t a day when there wasn’t music on.

“I’ve always loved going to gigs and it is just something I thought I’d try.” and taught