Mattie Pollok admits Aberdeen move hinged on Jim Goodwin factor but now he's out to down Dundee United boss

Mattie Pollock admits Jim Goodwin sold him on his loan move to Aberdeen.

Now the defender is looking forward to meeting him for the first time when the Dons travel to face Goodwin’s new side Dundee United tonight. The Irishman lined up Pollock’s loan from Watford but was sacked before it was signed. The centre-back said: “I didn’t get to work under Jim but every time I spoke to him he sounded like a nice man who said positive things about the club. He is the one who got me to come here but I didn’t get to work with him. I wish him well, everyone here does. He left on good terms with everyone so we are all just focused on the weekend now really.”

Aberdeen were seen as a soft touch at times under Goodwin but interim boss Barry Robson has instilled a bit more steel. The arrival of Pollock, Angus MacDonald and keeper Jay Gorter has made a big difference as the Dons climbed back into the top six with their 1-0 win over Livingston last weekend.

Pollock added: “Confidence is a massive thing in football and we have a real togetherness in the group. Getting results helps, the lads are looking forward now, we have more of an identity, we’re working hard.

"The only thing that has changed is the likes of Angus MacDonald and I understanding each other better because we’re playing together regularly. The squad has stuck together and we’re fighting together – you saw that against Livingston.

"Maybe at times we’d have crumbled but that didn’t happen, we showed we can ride the storm and come out the other side. We showed character, we have a lot of leaders in the changing room and we are all pulling in the right direction.”

Interim boss Robson worked with Goodwin at Pittodrie but hopes he doesn’t get of to a winning start at