MARK’S TASTE OF MELLON
Connolly has no doubt that United have picked the right man for the job as club look forward to their top-flight return
IT takes a lot to dent Mark Connolly’s enthusiasm for Scottish Premiership football. A nightmare teenage debut restricted his St Johnstone career to 46 minutes but back he came with Kilmarnock four years later. Then there was the clever idea of soldiering through hip problems and triggering the knee injury that resulted in his Rugby Park stay ending abruptly with a cancelled contract.
What could possibly go wrong on the third attempt another two-and-a-half years on? Precious little right now.
The Irishman rejected top-flight interest to sign for Dundee United in January 2019, confident they were on the right path to the Premiership. On Saturday, that journey is complete. Tannadice hosts a Championship flag day and the visit of St Johnstone.
For Connolly, it marks coming good on a vow made when he and his family reluctantly retreated from Scotland in a bid to rebuild his body and his career down south.
In May 2016, Kilmarnock cut ties a year early with their club skipper, who had endured an injury-ravaged season.
‘We’d just bought a house in Kilmarnock, we’d had a baby, had been making plans so I’d have liked to stay in Scotland,’ recalled Connolly.
‘I didn’t really want to go back down to England. Ora was only one at the time, so it was a big deal.
‘But with all the injuries,
I maybe needed to turn the page a bit on my career and get a fresh start, show my fitness and get a lot of games.
‘That’s what I did at Crawley where people knew me. Sure, a few tough years being away from friends and Scotland.
‘But I looked after myself over those years to be fitter and stronger — because I always hoped I’d get the chance to come back and play in the Premiership in Scotland.
‘For me, it was huge to get back. My wife Rosa is from Edinburgh, we met while I was at St Johnstone and I love it here.
‘I love the culture, the way the football is played here, the passionate fans, the good people.
‘Thankfully, I have all that now with a fantastic club in Dundee United.
‘The plan was in place to get back to the Premiership and so far it’s been nailed. Everything has happened for a reason.
‘It’s great to be back in this league and I can’t wait to get started.’
While the family ties that kept tugging on Connolly’s heart strings held sway, his new boss managed to avoid his native Scotland for the entire duration of a playing and coaching career.
Glasgow-born Micky Mellon forged a reputation as a lowerleague promotion specialist, inside knowledge of which Connolly went fishing for as the Tranmere Rovers manager homed in on the job of replacing Hearts-bound Robbie Neilson.
The reviews were quite dazzling from former team-mates and pals in England.
Connolly revealed: ‘Every single one of them from England said how amazing he was — not just as a manager but as a person. And you can see that straight away.
‘I had messages from players asking me to pass on their regards and asking how he is. That says a lot about him, when you think he’s been at a few clubs.
‘One was James Collins, who used to play for Hibs. He’s at Luton now, we spoke recently as we’re good friends from through the Irish teams and Crawley.
‘He was at Shrewsbury with the manager. He just said he was different class to work for and didn’t have a bad word to say about him.’ The flashbacks weren’t so glowing.
For the idea of a Mellon team conjures up memories of Connolly’s Crawley Town losing 5-1 to Tranmere in a League Two game in October 2018.
‘I actually thought straight back to that when I saw that he was being appointed,’ admits the 28-year-old.
‘His teams are always very difficult to play against, hard working, they press and have that never-say-die attitude.
‘When I saw his name linked, I knew straight away he’d be a great fit for the club.
‘People might not realise how tough it is in those lower leagues. To win as many promotions as he has is incredible.
‘It was difficult when Robbie left because it came as a shock and we didn’t know what was happening.
‘We were a wee bit wary about who was going to come in and what was going to happen.
‘But the club handled it very well. Tony (Asghar) and the board took a little bit of time to be sure they got the right appointment.’
Big names Malky Mackay and Steve McClaren were among those sporting director Asghar and the owners sifted through before opting for Mellon.
‘You don’t need a big name for a club to be successful, it doesn’t always work like that,’ noted Connolly. ‘I think he’s a brilliant appointment. They’ve gone for the best fit for the club.
‘I think I can speak for all the boys that he’s been brilliant, a breath of fresh air. Hopefully we can do well for him.
‘I also think they wanted a type of person who can develop younger players.
‘He’s been into a lot of the young boys, to make them better, build their confidence.
‘He’s hard working and, so far, been an unbelievable man-manager. He’s not changed anything drastically, he’s been getting to know players, to read the players.
‘I like the way he’s dealt with me already. He said to me I am 28, he wants me to get better, he thinks he can help me achieve that. And I believe that.
‘He didn’t say much at first, watched training. The chats since, everything he’s said about myself as a player he’s hit the nail on the head.
‘I can see why he’s been successful as a manager. He understands what
Maybe I needed to turn the page on my career and get a fresh start
‘WHEN I SAW HIS NAME LINKED, I JUST KNEW STRAIGHT AWAY HE’D BE A REALLY GOOD FIT’
players need. I’m at a good age for my position at centre-half.
‘I feel that I can get better, fitter and stronger. Everything I can pick up now can stand me in good stead.’
In Connolly, Mark Reynolds, Peter Pawlett, Calum Butcher and Lawrence Shankland, Mellon’s squad has a sprinkling of Premiership experience.
The new manager was quick, however, to highlight the quality of young talent he had discovered since docking in Dundee.
Louis Appere is tipped to build on his breakthrough Championship season while Declan Glass, Lewis Neilson, Chris Mochrie, Logan Chalmers and Kieran Freeman — who has returned from Southampton — form an exciting group of prospects.
Connolly has tempered enthusiasm of the club immediately competing for high rank in the division, stressing that he has designs on United growing into a Premiership force in the next couple of years as the squad and its youth evolves.
‘In my opinion, Dundee United are a top-six club in Scotland — with a fan base that want and deserve to have success,’ he said.
‘We’ve been four years in the Championship, so we can’t just come up and think straight away we’re going to finish in the top six and this is going to happen.
‘We need to be patient but we have a new manager who all the players have bought into and I fully believe we can stay up, get the club back in a stable situation.
‘Then, eventually, we can build up to getting back into the top half and into European football.
‘Andy Robertson made his name at Dundee United and is enjoying a fantastic career right now.
‘This club want to bring young players through again and work with a core of a good squad.
‘Hopefully I can be part of that, with younger players going on to have great careers with Dundee United and eventually go on and play in the Premier League in England.’
Connolly has lofty professional projections for him and his team-mates but, on a personal level, is content to admit ambitions are more parochial.
He, Rosa and children Ora and Rohan couldn’t be more comfortable living in Dundee.
His job now is to make such a success of Premiership life this time round that Tannadice remains the football home.
‘We’ve bought in Dundee and are very settled and happy,’ added Connolly.
‘Regardless of what happens now in football, I think this will be us as a family here.
‘I’m really enjoying it. I’ve just got to keep working hard and doing well for Dundee United.’