Keeper heeds Parish counsel to ‘get up to Scotland as quickly as you can’

0 Elliot Parish: One-year deal. New Dundee goalkeeper Elliot Parish was delighted to finally follow widespread advice and move to Scottish football.

Theenglishmanjoineddundee last week on a one-year deal after leaving Accrington.

Parish, who will initially be back-up to Scott Bain, has been on the books of nine clubs in England and Wales, including Aston Villa, Cardiff, Blackpool and Colchester.

The 27-year-old said: “A few people close to me have said it’s a good idea to get up here.

“My adviser said when I was 22, 23 to get up here as quickly as I can. It’s taken a bit longer than I would have liked but I have had a number of people push me this way and it’s nice this opportunity has come up.

“For me, the advice was, you have so many big games and you get some good exposure. It’s competitive and very passionate as well.”

Parish has been a team-mate of a number of players who have played in Scotland.

“A good friend of mine, Joe Lewis, is at Aberdeen,” he said. “You have Don Cowie and Kevin Mcnaughton. Those sort of people have said it’s a good idea to come up here so I have taken their advice.

“I have not spoken to Joe but I definitely need to have a game of golf with him. But having taken a close look at the way he has done, it just shows it’s a strong league and this year as well it’s going to be as strong as ever.

“To have such big teams in this league, and I classify Dundee as a big team, it’s going to be great to be part of that.”