The length of his deal suggests his manager sees him as a potential first- team regular, though the arrival over the last 11 months of Paul Ritchie and Lee Mair, plus Garry Kenneth’s rapid rise to the top team, means many fans now regard him as a bit part player.

Gordon, however, feels McCracken (23) has the ability to be more than that, and today threw down the gauntlet to a player who has never quite fulfilled the potential he showed as a teenager.

“I’m delighted David’s future is settled now and he can concentrate on playing here. He is moving his family up from Glasgow to live in Dundee and that should help him as well. Although there is good competition for places in his position, he has all the attributes to do well,” said Gordon today.

“For one reason or another, largely through injuries, he did not have the best of seasons last year and, by his own admission, he has been guilty of making one or two mistakes. However, he is a good player who can get better and it is up to him to rise to the challenge.

“I’m certainly glad he is still here and, when I look what it would have cost us to get a player of the same ability if he’d left, it’s a good signing for us.”

Tonight, McCracken will be on duty with the rest of the first team squad for a Forfarshire Cup final at Forfar, and the manager is looking for the good progress made during the pre-season to continue.

“Things have been going well and we obviously want that to continue. Forfar will be up for the game, but it is up to the boys to be ready for that and do the job.”

Stuart Duff misses out with the knee problem that will be scanned tomorrow, though he is still expected to be fit for the start of the season. The midfielder could even feature in the City of Discovery Cup games over the weekend.

After the decision not to offer trialist Craig Samson a contract, the hunt for a goalkeeper to push Derek Stillie for the first-team jersey is continuing, though there were no fresh developments to report on that front today.