Dundee United must kick-on from Cup glory
was indeed a fitting end to Dundee United's centenary year.
About 27,000 Arabs returned from Hampden victorious and the city partied long and hard through Saturday night and Sunday, with pubs and clubs rocking until the early hours.
I'd been asked to introduce the team and coaching staff from the balcony of the City Chambers to an ecstatic crowd in the square below and the United anthem "Love is in the air" had seldom seemed more appropriate as tears of joy were shed by thousands of Arabs.
Once the carnival scenes were over it was back on with my ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ hat, on to the open top bus and "full steam ahead" at 10 miles per hour through the tangerine-bedecked streets of Dundee for the two-mile trip to Tannadice.
Cue further wild celebrations at the ground, with players cavorting with the cup amid ecstatic scenes.
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The party continued into the night for the players with a staff bash and all over the city with impromptu shindigs for fans.
As late as last night word got round that the United chairman was having a quiet pint in his local and displaying the cup to a few pals.
Suddenly, the bar was heaving as fans desperate to touch the oldest trophy in the world appeared from far and near, having heard the news on the grapevine.
Stephen Thompson was pressed into action in a photo shoot, sitting with young and old with the cup as mobile phones and cameras snapped incessantly.
Whether he ever finished his pint is debatable, but the scenes were of pure happiness.
That's what it meant to United fans and indeed the many well-wishers who seldom set foot inside a football ground.
The power of the game to spread joy is undeniable at times like this.
Now for United comes the test of keeping the squad together and repelling suitors armed with wads of cash.
Successful players will be targets but United will do their best to keep and indeed strengthen the team.
The Europa League beckons and the players want to be a part of that.
Many very fine players have never lifted a Scottish Cup or played in Europe and the United players that I've spoke to are desperate to have that experience.
If the club do sell, fat chequebooks will need to be brandished by buyers; Stephen Thompson is in no rush to part with his cup-winning side.
When Craig Levein left, I wrote that the job was Peter's to throw away.
He has grown into it magnificently and is a man supremely comfortable in his own skin.
I said at the time no-one is cut out to be a number two, it's about opportunities presenting themselves and being taken.
Houston has grabbed his opportunity with both hands and what a job he has done.
In lifting the Scottish Cup for United for only the second time in a century, his pedigree is now beyond doubt.
It was a great weekend for United fans, but it was also a great weekend for football in the Highlands.
A crowd of 47,000 with a vast support of almost 20,000 from the Highlands showed the potential and the ambition of the Dingwall club.
To my knowledge not one arrest was made, the build-up and atmosphere was full of fun and without rancour; it was a great advert for the Scottish game.
For both sets of fans it was great weekend, they don't come around too often and, when they do, they have to be enjoyed to the full.
Certainly, in Dundee, it was a weekend which will live forever in the memory.
They pay me to watch football and talk football. That’s some people's idea of Christmas every day. I can't deny it's mine too. I view the football world through a different lens from some journalists, because I live and work in Dundee. The Old Firm are interesting, but so was my breakfast this morning. There is a whole lot more on the Scottish football menu than the big two. From the SPL to the juniors, the game offers lots of dishes, and they all get my taste buds going.
Comment number 1.
At 18th May 2010, BaldyHibby wrote:Was pleased to see United win it Jim. I was a student in Dundee in the 70's and still have a wee soft spot for the Dundee Hibs.
I am thinking forward now to the European campaigns and the pressing need for Scotland to improve the co-efficient. Rangers will find it tough in the group stages given their financial situation. Celtic have learned today that they will not be seeded which will severely dent their chances although I think they are sure of entry into the Europa cup ?
The Europa cup looks a little more hopeful with United, Hibs and Motherwell in with a shout of reaching the group stages. These clubs must start their preparations as early as possible. We tried it in the Intertoto cup and got murdered due to lack of match practice. Given reasonable draws and a professional build up I think we can be mildly optimistic.
Scotland have a decent draw for the Euro qualifiers. The clubs in Europe must get on with it. A further slide in the co-efficient would be a disaster.
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Comment number 2.
At 18th May 2010, liam_mackenzie wrote:We certinly could with improving the co-efficient. I think we have some decent teams in Dundee United, Hibs and Motherwell so here hoping they could do something in Europe.
Was at Hampden, coming from up North. It was a great day regardless of the result. It was refreshing to see such a good friendly atmosphere around the game.
Well done to Dundee United. they deserved it.
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Comment number 3.
At 18th May 2010, blindedbyfear wrote:You really enjoyed being centre of attention on Sunday didn't you Jim?
Unfortunately I think the harsh reality is that several members of the cup-winning squad won't be at Tannadice next season. Goodwillie, Conway, Kenneth, Gomis and Buaben are all mooted in the press as potential singing targets for other clubs, the teams most frequently mentioned are Rangers and Middlesborough. I think a move at this stage of their careers could be damaging for some of them, because Walter Smith doesn't have the best record of bringing through youth and Gordon Strachan doesn't have the best record in the transfer market. Strachan especially has previous with singing players and leaving on the bench e.g. Riordan and Flood. Mabye another season with Dundee United and some experience in Europe would benefit them more than the money and the bench at a bigger club.
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Comment number 4.
At 18th May 2010, essexscott wrote:As an Aberdeen fan living in Essex, im away from the media in Scotland.
It was great to see another team out side the Old Firm winning a cup. I
t showed how much it means to fans who support clubs not hung up on 400 years of history. Can you ever see the Old Firm celebrating a Cup win like United have?
Football can live on in Scotland without the Old Firm baggage. Its them who need us, not the other way around...
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Comment number 5.
At 18th May 2010, writtenbyfansforfans wrote:It's nice to see a team outside of the Old Firm getting a bit of silverware, well done Dundee United!
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Comment number 6.
At 18th May 2010, Rob04 wrote:#4
Football can live on in Scotland without the Old Firm baggage. Its them who need us, not the other way around...
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At the moment they all need each other. Otherwise you really are kidding yourself on..
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Comment number 7.
At 18th May 2010, themightyshed wrote:Scottish football clearly does not need the Old Firm - Saturday showed that crowds can flock to games in unprecedented numbers when two teams have a chance of winning something.
A league fought out between United, Hearts, Hibs, Aberdeen and others would be really exciting and would raise the average crowds for those clubs, even if the OF were playing in the North Atlantic (league I suppose, but preferably just the North Atlantic). A throwback to the 80s when at the start of most seasons there were 3-4 teams all in with a good shout.
As for United, I have an aversion to the phrase 'to kick on' from something but apart from that, I also disagree with the headline saying that DUFC have to 'k**k on'.
Winning the cup and coming 3rd in the league is as good as it's going to get for a while - let's just savour the moment, enjoy the summer, buy the DVD (no doubt narrated by a certain ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ pundit) and drink it all in. We've suffered enough over the years to know to enjoy things while we can; we don't need to put more and more pressure on Houstie, Stephen Thompson and the players.
And if we have a wee run in Europe, or a wee chance of splitting the Old Firm, or a pop at cup glory again next year, so much the better.
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Comment number 8.
At 19th May 2010, Rob04 wrote:#7
Scottish football clearly does not need the Old Firm - Saturday showed that crowds can flock to games in unprecedented numbers when two teams have a chance of winning something.
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You win a cup final against a 1st division side who barely had a shot on goal and its a revolution in Scottish football? Wow.
Don't let your dislike for the OF blind you to some basic economics. Your average club Chairman doesn't. And its a cup final mate work it out! Average attendances for even one of the OF still beat the average attendances of everyone else put together. Even when you had a chance of nicking 2nd in the league (and a chance of winning entry to the CL) the attendances weren't 'unprecedented'.
And the TV money without the OF? You can kid yourself on that people across the UK would really like to watch DUtd vs Hearts but the chances are two men and their dog will tune in..and would only have done so because they pressed the wrong button on the remote! And after a few weeks of watching these teams play against each other even the dog would probably give up.
Savour the moment and 'drink' it all in as you say..
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Comment number 9.
At 19th May 2010, welshbob wrote:Hi Jim, I am a United fan now living in Wales, I have supported United now for over 50 years, and have lived through the highs and lows in my time.When I lived in Dundee I attended all the Cup finals apart from 1994, when I could not make it due to illness, (what a bummer).However now I content myself listening to the matches on the internet, or watching on the Tele. when broadcast.Saturdays final was FANtastic,28,000 United fans and 19,000 Staggies,and not an arrest,a great advert for The Scottish Game (who needs the terrible twins).I agree with you, Peter Houston has staked his claim as the new Manager, and I hope that he and Stephen Thomsom can keep the team together,as I think that will be their hardest job.Roll on next season,and lets see what more triumphs they can achieve.
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Comment number 10.
At 20th May 2010, Torquil Thomson wrote:RE the SPL not needing the OF
Completely agree, although it will be great to see Rangers reduced to their pre-1990 state of soccer-somnambulists come next season.
With only Celtic able to pay above the norm wages the league is going to get more competitive again, financially secure teams like Hibs have stolen a march on Rangers (who have more cut backs to make).
The same can be said for United and Motherwell as the ship has been stabilised and both teams are already moving in the right direction.
Teams with wads of money may make some summer signings, cherry picking from the bunch of quality players currently on show at United, but those teams will not include the once (but no more) mighty Rangers (as they simply cannot afford to).
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Comment number 11.
At 20th May 2010, liam_mackenzie wrote:#8
U will find that the average attendences OF are not more than the rest of the league combined. If the league was more competitive which would be the case if the OF were not in the league then the attendances would rise. Especially for the teams who are going for the league.
Look at Celtic's attandence when it became clear the league was over. 25,000 at a stadium and the fanbase of Celtic is crazy. I would rather watch Dundee United vs Hearts rather than the OF play teams because the game would be more competitve. So to say that nobody apart from two men and their dog would watch is disrespecful to their fans.
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Comment number 12.
At 20th May 2010, Rob04 wrote:If the league was more competitive which would be the case if the OF were not in the league then the attendances would rise. Especially for the teams who are going for the league.
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'If' being the key word. Their grounds would still have a limited and rather small capacity though.
My preference would be that the OF go into a Euro league. Or that the top five in Scotland go into some European format really. It would be better for the SPL in competitive terms because I'm not sure things are going to change that quickly. Even the DUtd chairman has commented that the input his family makes to the club is not sustainable. And that in the context of the 3rd placed team on an already small and tight budget.
The OF would be better away because its not that much competition for them apart from the 'blips' in the 80's. And that was largely down to two men: SAF and Jim McClean.
You might want to watch DUtd vs Hearts. I've done it but wouldn't rush to do it again even on TV. And the sad reality is that I'm probably in the majority on this one.
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Comment number 13.
At 21st May 2010, Torquil Thomson wrote:Rob04
Fair point regarding Hearts v United, very tight affairs, little to chose between the sides and the resulting game is not always of the highest quality? As an Arab I can accept that. And counter it with the many great games that we have had against Hibs, Motherwell, Rangers and Celtic (i.e. the other top 6 teams) this season.
Also: did you see Motherwell 6 Hibs 6?
As an OF fan can you accept that OF derbies are overrated in every sense more than any other game on the planet? They are almost always of a very poor quality, meaty affairs without any sign of technical ability, certainly not one for the purest, and rarely worth watching for the neutral.
The typical questions that linger after OF derbies are: "how many player should have been sent off?"; and "how many fans were stabbed in the aftermath?".
Not great.
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Comment number 14.
At 21st May 2010, Rob04 wrote:#13
Happy to accept all your points. The Well v Hibs game was exceptional (and I did watch it in preference to City v Spurs on at the same time. But only after Hibs opened the scoring!) but it was also the exception to the general rule of mogadon football matches in the SPL. And you are right, the OF derbies are only very very rarely footballing spectacles. I actually stopped going to them some while back not because of the actual football but the atmosphere: and the excuse it gives some people to indulge themselves in a moronic quasi-religous conflict.
Serious change does have to come to Scottish football because the entertainment value is low, the technical ability of the players possibly lower and as a product it is sinking fast to the bottom end of the English Championship/ top of League One standard. Now that may be a poor comparison to make because of revenues but it still doesn't disguise the rubbish on offer right across the top league.
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