No. 1 on the wish list is promotion back to the SPL, but decent cup runs are up there, too, and former Ross County striker Higgins has pledged the team will do all they can to oblige.

And, while being hotly-tipped for a successful campaign brings pressure, he is comfortable with that.

“Starting with the Stranraer game, the fans will be expecting to see us win, but that is the way it should be and, as players, we are all aiming for exactly what the fans want.

“The manager has brought in a lot of quality and, when you look at the squad here, it is one that should be winning games, so it is up to us to do that.”

On a personal level, although he is a triple finalist in the Challenge Cup from his days in the Highlands, Higgins would love to improve his record in the two major cup competitions.

“The Challenge Cup has been good for me, but in the Scottish Cup the round before the quarters when we played Celtic is as far as I’ve gone. In the CIS, I’ve got a couple of goals and that’s about it. I’ve never gone far and it would be good if we could go on a run.”

While he knows success or failure over the next 10 months will be determined by league position, boss Jocky Scott remains hungry for knock-out success.

“We got a bye in the Challenge Cup last week, but now we’ve been drawn at Cowdenbeath next month and that’s a tie we’ll want to win and it is a cup where we have to aim to get to the final and try to win.

“Likewise, in the other two cups, I want us to be still in there at the point where the Premier League teams come in and then we’ll take things from there.”

Even allowing for injuries, the gaffer also admitted the team that lines up against Stranraer may be considerably different from the one that kicks off in the league against Morton a week later.

Definitely out of this one are Rab Douglas, Craig McKeown, David Cowan, Pat Clarke and Gary MacKenzie, who has a back strain.

They have not made any move for him yet, but, if reports he is surplus to requirements at Motherwell are accurate, Dundee could be interested in bringing in left-back Steven Hammell to provide competition for Eddie Malone.

“We have reached the point where we now want to see good team performances and for the boys getting back into the winning habit,” he said today.

“There were signs of that against Inverness Caley on Tuesday when we played some good football and won and, on Sunday, I’ll be looking for an improvement.

“It’s a step up in terms of quality of opposition and, although they were relegated last season, we will be facing a team of players who have been playing in the English Premiership just a few months ago.

“That means this will be a good test for us and, given the size of club Newcastle are, it is a fitting way to mark our centenary.”

With long-terms injury victims like Lee Wilkie, Damian Casalinuovo and Jon Daly not available, Craig was happy to report there were no serious concerns after the midweek fixtures at Caley and Linlithgow Rose.

“We took Scott Robertson off at Inverness because he was feeling his calf and Garry Kenneth came off at Linlithgow, but neither has anything serious and I am expecting them to be OK,” he confirmed.

Meanwhile, although, it is over three months away, Craig admitted he was looking forward to his first Dundee derby when the Dark Blues visit Tannadice on November 10 for a friendly to christen the new Tannadice floodlights.

“For a start, the money we raise from this game is going to both clubs’ youth set-up so that means it is for a very good cause,” he said. “And, from my point of view, I have kept hearing what great occasions these games are and to get the chance to experience one is something I am really looking forward to.”

However, injury rules out Kevin Rutkiewicz, Peter MacDonald, Martin Hardie and Andy Jackson whose knee was operated on today.

Rutkiewicz is out for several weeks, but MacDonald is back in training. He’ll play in a game next midweek.

Hardie has a hamstring knock and Saints have decided not to risk him. It’s hoped he’ll be fit by the time Burnley come to McDiarmid Park for a friendly a week tomorrow.

Saints trained at Ochilview yesterday to get used to the artificial surface there and are hoping for a repeat of last year’s tie when they were victorious there, beating Stenny 5-1.

“The result flattered us a bit,” Derek recalled. “It was even in the first half and we scored four of our five goals quickly in the second half.

“We’ll give Stenhousemuir every respect. We’re determined to get through to the next round and will be doing our utmost to achieve that aim.

“The players have worked very hard over the summer, in the pre-season games and training, so we’re building up nicely.

“I want us to be more clinical in front of goal, though. We’re creating chances — but I want them put away.”