Joe McGovern is hoping to play more first team football in the Scottish League this season after signing a new contract with Dundee United. The former Enniskillen Town player is not expecting to make United’s starting eleven however, but rather is hoping to play his football in the lower leagues if he can secure a loan move for the season.

Last season the Fermanagh man made a loan switch to Clyde and started three games in goal for the league two side, including a clean sheet on his debut. “It was an emergency loan and I was only there for a month but I enjoyed it,” he said. “I played three games and it was good. I really enjoyed it. It was a new experience getting first team football in front of a crowd instead of playing reserve football. There was more importance on winning rather than just on how you play. There was maybe a wee bit of pressure, but I enjoyed it.” It is an experience he would love to repeat if he can source a club to take him on loan again for the upcoming season.

“I am hoping to go out on loan again this season,” he admitted. “I can’t see me getting into Dundee United’s first team at the moment because I’m probably not experienced enough just now. I need to get more experience and going out on loan is the best way to do that. It’s early days yet because it’s just the first week of pre-season. I’ll have to wait and see, and if a good offer comes up I will take it. I would hope to get something in the lower divisions in Scotland, second or third division, just to get some game time, which is the most important thing for me.” Joe’s previous contract with Dundee United expired at the end of the 2013/14 campaign, but the club were sufficiently impressed with the 20 year old to make him an offer to stay with the club for another two years.

“I was confident enough they would offer me a contract and they offered me a two year contract in the end so I was delighted with that,” he said. “It gives me another chance to do what I love doing for two more seasons.” Joe is following in the footsteps of older brother Michael who has just signed for Premier League side Hamilton, and Joe admits his advice has been very important. “It’s brilliant having Michael,” he admitted. “It’s so handy it’s unbelievable. He has been pretty much exactly where I have been and everything that has happened to me has happened to him at one stage. I talk to him all the time and he always helps me out. It’s been a really big help but I’m kind of dreading it when Dundee United play Hamilton. I am supposed to be supporting Dundee United but I’ll see what happens. I’ll maybe lock myself in my room that day!”