Andrew Nelson may have left Dundee but he’s still making his mark at Dens Park after telling mate Alex Jakubiak to jump at the chance of signing for the club.
The former Watford striker signed a two-year deal with the Dark Blues yesterday, stepping in to fill the boots of Kane Hemmings, whose departure was announced minutes before Jakubiak’s arrival.
A former Scotland U/19 international and having spent loan spells at Falkirk in the Championship and St Mirren in the Premiership, the 23-year-old has experience of the game north of the border and says the decision to move to Dundee was a swift one.
Speaking to DeeTV, he said: “I got a call saying there was interest. To be honest I didn’t have to think about it too much. I spoke to Andy Nelson who was here before and he gave good reviews of the club and the people at the club.
“I think it’s somewhere I can come and enjoy myself. After being on loan so many times this is my first permanent club after Watford and a good opportunity for me to stamp my mark down.”
Jakubiak came through the Hornets youth system but only made one first-team appearance, starting alongside Troy Deeney and Scotland international Ikechi Anya in May 2014 as a 17-year-old.
Since then he’s been on loan at Braintree Town, Oxford United, Dagenham and Redbridge, Fleetwood Town, Wycombe Wanderers, Falkirk, Bristol Rovers, Gillingham and most recently St Mirren.
He scored seven times in 18 games for the Bairns in the Championship but only struck once in 10 for the Buddies last term.
After six years of temporary transfers, however, Jakubiak is glad to be somewhere for “the long haul” as he puts it.
“It’s always hard when you are on loan,” he added.
“As much as you want to do well for yourself and the club that you are at, there is always that bit in your mind that ‘I am going back in six months or I’m going back at the end of the season’.
“I think without that playing on my mind it makes it that bit easier to get down and focus because I’m going to be here for the long haul.
“I think I did well at my time at Falkirk, I was only there for four months but I showed I could score goals in this league.
“Maybe not so much at St Mirren last season! There, performances were more important to me at the time.
“I needed to show what I could do and I think having that experience of playing in the league but also being in the country and living away from home is going to help me.”
The striker has been working hard over the lockdown, training every day, but he’s eager to get back to a team environment when Dundee’s pre-season starts in a few weeks.
“We didn’t know when lockdown would end or football was coming back so we had to be ready. We’ve always had to keep fit and be ready for the return. Now we have dates and schedules put in place, makes it a bit easier.
“I’ve been training in small numbers but there’s only so much you can do. You can’t replicate the training atmosphere a whole squad brings. That’s what I’m most looking forward to.”
