Paul Mcgowan owes a huge debt to Hartley
Paul Mcgowan reckons Cove Rangers have landed a Premiership- quality manager in Paul Hartley.
But the Dundee star insists they have also got themselves a first-class man.
Hartley signed Mcgowan for the Dark Blues back in 2014, and stood by the midfielder following his conviction for assaulting a police officer the following year.
It wasn’t the first time he had got on the wrong side of the law, and Mcgowan has never forgotten how his old gaffer refused to throw him under the proverbial bus.
Now he can’t wait to reunite with the new Cove Rangers boss when Dundee face them in the Betfred Cup on Wednesday night.
“Paul is a big part of me being at Dundee today,” Mcgowan said.
“He did a lot for me and I’ll be forever grateful to him.
“When I was going through a bad time, he was there for me. Massively so.
“I can’t speak highly enough of him, and he knows what I think of him.
“When I was going through a bad time, and had been arrested again, he came through to my house with Cabey (assistant manager, Gerry Mccabe). He didn’t need to do that.
“I felt I’d let him down, and told him so.
“Back at the club, Paul took me into his office and asked: ‘Look, what’s up? Just tell me. We can help you’.
“From there he was great. I said to him if I did anything like that again, I’d walk away rather than put him in that position.
“I told him not to pay me, but he told me not to be daft.
“Things like that, you don’t forget.
“It was hard seeing him getting sacked at Dens because I’d loved every minute of my time working for him.
“But that’s just football. Who would be a manager?
“I wanted it to work out for him so much at Falkirk because I know how hard he works.
“But he’s at Cove now, which I’ve heard is a great set-up, so hopefully he can push his way back up the leagues where he belongs.
“It’ll be nice to see him again on Wednesday. Hopefully we win the game, but I hope he does well with Cove.”
Mcgowan, along with Cammy Kerr, is one of only two first- team players remaining at Dens Park from Hartley’s time in charge.
The incredible level of player turnover in the years since has, he believes, contributed hugely to the Dark Blues’ problems on the park.
But with James Mcpake at the helm – and Gordon Strachan in an advisory role – Mcgowan hopes the stability the club craves is within reach.
“Since I came here, there has been a massive churning of players,” he said.
“We need stability with players and with managers, because it doesn’t help when things are changing as much as they have been.
“Players come and go. That’s football. But there were too many out and in.
“That’s not good for the dressingroom. It’s not good for boys who are trying to go out to win on a Saturday.
“But with the players we’ve brought in this summer, and with some of the young boys who have been training with us, it’s exciting times for the club.
“There are going to be mistakes. There will be blips on the way.
“It’ll be a rollercoaster, as it has been since I’ve been here, but I hope the fans stick with us.
“We’re working towards having the stability we’ve needed and, with Gordon Strachan coming in, too, that can only help.
“I know Gordon from Celtic, and I got on great with him. He was massive in my career. He gave me my debut, and I’ll be forever indebted to him for that.
“I’m delighted he’s here because he’s a great man. Having somebody like that here, for the manager if he ever needs a wee bit of advice, is fantastic.
“Gordon being involved is a huge win for the club, and everybody here’s excited to see what happens next.”