Dens Park post for Gartland

Graham Gartland was yesterday appointed assistant manager of Dundee.

The former St Johnstone defender, who worked latterly at Shamrock Rovers’ academy, becomes number two to Neil McCann, who is pleased to have the Dubliner on board.

McCann said: “He will be a great addition to the club. He knows Scottish football, has sound opinions on the game but, most importantly, he is a man who shares the same values and principles that I aim to instil into the team.”

Blair Doughty, who has been with the club in a voluntary capacity over the past two years working with both the under-20s and the first-team squad, has joined the club as fitness coach on a full-time basis.

Meanwhile, Partick Thistle new signing Blair Spittal believes budding footballers in Scotland would benefit from first-team football at an early age.

While the debate about youth academies and the pathway for young players in the country is ongoing, the midfielder arrived from Dundee United on Thursday to sign a two-year deal with almost five years of first-team experience under his belt – and he is only 21.

Spittal made his debut for Queen’s Park in November 2012 when he was only 16 and earned a move to Tannadice at the end of the following season. After making 108 appearances in tangerine, he opted for a return to the top-flight with Thistle and believes he is all the better for having such relative experience.

“The only way you are going to gain experience is by playing first-team football and I was just glad I got the chance early on in my career,” he said.

Graham Gartland: In at Dens Park