Despite the Killie deal being for longer, and giving him the chance to join up with the management team of Jim Jefferies and Bobby Brown, under whom at Hearts he enjoyed his best football, Ritchie decided, having indicated he was accepting United’s offer, that’s where he would be heading.

He was fixed up in time to be listed as a sub for Saturday’s draw at Dunfermline, though in the end he did not get on.

Over the next six months, though, boss Ian McCall believes the Scotland international will now fulfil the potential he showed in his Hearts days and earn a long-term deal in the City of Discovery.

“We are glad Paul decided to join us, and those who know him will not have been surprised that, having said he was coming here, that is what he did,” said Ian.

He also stressed that, while the late move from Rugby Park could have sabotaged the deal, so far as he was concerned, Killie had done nothing wrong.

“I think some people have tried to make out that we are not happy about them making a late offer. But they were quite entitled to do what they did and Paul Ritchie was quite right to listen to what they had to say.

“If he had joined Kilmarnock I would have been disappointed, but I would have had absolutely no complaint with him or Jim Jefferies.”

Ritchie will get a needed game when the U/21s play host to Dunfermline tomorrow.

Looking back to Saturday’s opening draw, Ian was reasonably pleased with the point and will be looking for even better when city neighbours Dundee visit in front of the Setanta cameras on Sunday. That’s a game that will see weekend goal hero Jim McIntyre handed a starting jersey.

“In the heat and on that pitch, a draw was not a bad result and it was probably the right one in the end. Jim started on the bench because it is not a surface he likes, but it is fair to say I do not expect to see him among the subs when Dundee come here.”

Tickets for Sunday, which has a 2 pm kick-off, are still on sale from Tannadice and the club shop in Victoria Road.

And there was some suggestion this derby would see Dundee fans stay away, because United had been handed two guaranteed home games against their rivals for the fourth season running.

Early ticket sales to away fans, however, suggest there will be something approaching a normal representation from that half of the city in the stands on Sunday.

Tickets only went on general sale after the weekend clash against Hearts.

But already around 1000 briefs have been snapped up and there was a small queue when the ticket office at Dens opened for business this morning.

Meanwhile, as Dundee started their league campaign with a defeat, so there was little cheer for the players who were starting elsewhere after leaving over the summer.

Nacho Novo’s goalless draw with Rangers against Aberdeen was well publicised north of the border, while, down south, Lee Mair’s Stockport County career started with a disappointing 3-2 reversal at home to Huddersfiled.

Full-back Dave Mackay was in the Oxford team that went down to a late goal against big-spending Boston.

And striker Steven Milne only got the last 19 minutes of Plymouth’s goalless draw against FA Cup finalists Millwall.

The Perth men were disappointed at losing their opening league fixture away to Airdrie United on Saturday.

So tomorrow night’s home CIS Cup encounter against Alloa takes on even more importance as Saints strive to chalk up a win prior to the league visit of QOS this Saturday.

But once more the Perth side are beset by injuries with seven players reporting for treatment yesterday.

Peter MacDonald is a long-term injury absentee and Sean Webb is also out. The injury doubts include Jordan Tait, Chris Hay and Kevin Rutkiewicz, but Ross Forsyth has recovered and is in the squad.

Saints held their Open Day at McDiarmid yesterday which integrated an event on the club’s Fieldturf which was part of the Jim Weir testimonial year. Around 2000 fans attended the event.