Dundee United manager Tam Courts has laid out his criteria for a successful first campaign in charge.

The appointment of the 39-year-old caused a stir given he had been promoted from the youth academy and had no prior experience of managing in the league, although he guided ambitious Kelty Hearts along some of the way to their ultimate destination in League Two.

Courts helped ease some of the doubts among the Tannadice faithful by leading their team to four wins from four in the Premier Sports Cup group stages.

But the task gets tougher when United begin their cinch Premiership campaign at Aberdeen on Sunday.

"We know what it takes on a quarterly basis from a points total to get in the top six," Courts said.

"We obviously want to do better than we did last year and finish up towards the top end of the league.

"We also want to play in a style that appeases the fans, excites the fans. We want to give young players opportunities.

"If we can harness all those things together and finish where we want to finish, then it will be a successful season."

United have taken their time in the transfer market, with Charlie Mulgrew the only addition to the team so far as former Motherwell goalkeeper Trevor Carson waits for his debut.

"We are being very selective with our targets just now," Courts said.

"The three or four we are speaking to, we feel we are in a good place with just now, but obviously there are different things at play that affect the timing of acquiring players.

"I want to be very deliberate and precise with the recruitment. I don't want us to be reactive.

"I want us to appease the fans because the fans like to look forward to new players coming to the club but there will be new players in the fullness of time.

"The priority for us is to make permanent signings or at least signings that we can eventually make permanent."