Dundee United defender Will Ferry spoke to the broadcast media to preview our Scottish Cup Fifth Round clash with The Spartans.

The Irishman discussed the squad’s desire to show a positive reaction from Wednesday night’s defeat in the capital, the collective dream of tasting Scottish Cup glory and leading by example as a senior figure within the dressing room.

ON BOUNCING BACK FROM DEFEAT AT EASTER ROAD

Just sticking together, it’s what you've got to do in hard times and it's down to us to show a response on Saturday and thereafter. It's down to more senior figures in the group to lead by example and get a grip of the group, but we are a young team. It's not an excuse, it's a fact.

We have got character as a team and we need to show the right mentality going forward. If we come out Saturday and show that we're positive and resilient, we can prove certain statements and whatever criticism comes our way wrong.

ON THE SQUAD COMING TOGETHER TO SUPPORT EACHOTHER

It's about being a team. We've got to rely on others and dig each other out and if someone makes a mistake you've got to help them. That's something we've got to make more obvious and more intentional. 

I don't think we can question too much from what we see each day of each other but there might be little details you take for granted day in, day out that we need to change. 

As a team, in terms of belief, we know there's a lot in there that we can use to respond. We've looked at it and analysed it but that's behind us now and we only want to be positive moving forward.

ON THE DESIRE TO RETURN TO WINNING WAYS

Winning becomes a habit and that's what we need to do. We need to make sure it becomes something you're always chasing and always want. At the end of the day, we've got to go out and do a job at the weekend. 

We know it's not going to be an easy game. We'll treat it like any other game. We'll prepare properly and have the right attitude going into it and if we do our jobs then hopefully the result will come with a good performance.

ON REACHING THE LATTER STAGES OF THE COMPETITION

A big Cup run is important to a lot of fans and there hasn't been one for a while. We all know it's not been an amazing season but if we can pick up league form and go on a Cup run, it will look a lot more positive - but it's down to us to produce that.

It's about getting the job done and getting through to the Quarter-Final and you never know what might happen. There's no looking past the team or the occasion. It's about making sure we use the opportunity we have and if we do our jobs properly and prepare properly, I think we will.

Getting into the habit of winning breeds confidence and if we go and do our job this weekend, win and put on a good performance, we can take that into Wednesday, assess it and hopefully carry momentum through. 

The first job is Saturday so we'll do everything we can to produce a good performance and result.

ON RESPECTING THE OPPOSITION WHILST REMAINING CONFIDENT IN OUR ABILITIES

They are going to make it difficult. They've got lots of good players, experienced players who have played at this level, and they are in the habit of winning so they're not going to come and make it easy. 

There's only so much you can focus on in the opposition and if we play how we want to play and how we should play, we should have enough to get the result we want. We won't take anything for granted and we'll go in with the right attitude and preparation.

It's the same as preparing for someone in our league who is a threat. Any team with confidence and good players will pose a problem, so it's down to us to identify those problems and discuss how to nullify them. 

At the same time, what are we going to do to affect them? We need to focus on how we're going to cause them problems. The respect is there, we know they're a good team in good form and we won't take it lightly.

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