Cove ideal place for Fin: McPake

Fin Robertson’s loan destination was carefully considered by Dundee boss James McPake as the talented youngster heads out in search of first-team football.

The 18-year-old joined League One Cove Rangers until January last week and made his debut for the Aberdeen side in a 1-0 win over Airdrieonians on Saturday.

Dundee’s Young Player of the Year in 2019-20 has struggled for game time this season, making just two starts.

The club are keen to see Robertson add to his first-team experience and McPake reckons working under former Dens boss Paul Hartley is the perfect place for the midfielder.

“It will be a good move for him, he needs games,” said McPake.

“He has played a lot of football at Championship level and did get a bad injury last season. Paul is good to work for, I know that myself.

“We had a couple of offers from different teams but we allowed him to go to Cove Rangers because we know the way Paul works. The way Cove are playing I think will suit Fin as well. It’s just to January and he’ll be back with us.”

Robertson made his debut as a 16-year-old in the final match of the 2018-19 campaign with McPake in caretaker charge following the club’s relegation.

And he would go on to feature 21 times the following season before the pandemic ended the season early.

Last season he played 10 times but missed the promotion run-in with an ankle injury.

“He’s still only 18, he’s a young kid,” McPake added.

“He burst on to the scene and he was great in the derby down the road in front of a full house, he was getting Man of the Match in live TV games but then got that injury.

“We’ve been getting him back from that and he is back from that. No doubt about that with the way he is training.

“That’s a character thing. He needs to play and I think it’s important he is playing week in, week out. But we certainly see him as a Dundee player and that’s why the loan is only to January.”

Robertson came off the bench to make his Cove debut in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Airdrieonians.

The 18-year-old replaced J Masson after 62 minutes, joining Fraser Fyvie and Iain Vigurs in midfield.

Eventually Morgyn Neill netted the winner on 89 minutes to keep Hartley’s men within two points of the top of the League One table.

After the game Hartley said of Robertson: “He’s a quality young player, I’ve a lot of time for him and he’s got a bright future ahead of him.”