Dundee signed him as a 17-year-old and he made his debut in the first team with a solitary appearance in the 1967-68 season against Stirling Albion at Annfield, playing in front of just 600 spectators. The following season, he made just 5 appearances, but soon became a first team regular playing alongside Gordon Wallace, John Duncan, Jocky Scott and Ian Phillip. Even at this early stage in his career, he was considered a hard man and usually came out of a tackle with the ball, but his toughness was allied to skill.