Greenock Morton | Matchday Programme 06 by dundeeunitedfc

JAMES HOUSTON

the gaffer

Good afternoon and welcome to Tannadice!

Today we face Morton in our third home match in as many weeks.

Heading into the game, as you can imagine, we’re in a very good place. Psychologically the boys have got a lot of confidence and we want to carry on our unbeaten streak.

Morton are on a little bit of a difficult run but we have to approach the game in the correct mindset and ignore the outside noise. I’ve said it previously but we won’t underestimate anyone in this league.

Morton are a good side and I have worked with a number of their players in the past as well as Dougie Imrie who is an ex-teammate of mine.

We know we’re In for a tough challenge - they have a lot of experience and are organised with some good attacking threats. It’ll be a different test to recent weeks but we have to adapt and get the job done.

IT’S DEFINITELY EARLY DAYS IN TERMS OF THE LEAGUE CAMPAIGN BUT WHERE WE ARE IS WHERE WE EXPECT TO BE. WE’RE NOT LOOKING FOR PLAUDITS OR PATS ON THE BACK. WE’VE BUILT A STRONG SQUAD AND I HAVE TO GIVE THEM CREDIT. WE CAN ONLY BEAT THE TEAMS IN FRONT OF US BUT NO GAME IS A FOREGONE CONCLUSION.

I hope you all enjoy the game and get right behind the boys!

- JIM GOODWIN

GOODWIN

JIM

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the skipper

Good afternoon everyone and welcome back to Tannadice.

This is the third game here in as many weeks and I hope you’re enjoying the home comforts!

Last week’s victory against Dunfermline ended up being a relatively comfortable afternoon. There were lots of very good performances throughout the team. It was really good to see a few of the boys who haven’t maybe had as much game time play and contribute. It was a great performance overall and it’s pleasing to see a couple of younger boys getting minutes under their belt. A particular mention to Owen Stirton, who made his debut.

I THINK IT SHOWS THE UNITY AND TOGETHERNESS WE HAVE IN THE GROUP. WE’RE ALL HAPPY FOR EACH OTHER TO GET MINUTES AND IT’S A REAL TEAM EFFORT EVERY MATCHDAY. THE FULL SQUAD HAS BEEN REQUIRED SO FAR THIS SEASON AND IT’LL BE THE SAME AS WE PROGRESS.

We know it will be a tough game this afternoon - as it always is against Morton. The Manager has them very well organised and there is obvious quality throughout the team, but we want to show our game plan to take all three points and keep us top of the league.

On a personal note, this match again comes a couple of days too soon but I’ve been back in training and should hopefully be available sooner rather than later!

I hope everyone enjoys the game today.

All the best, DOC.

the visitors

With just three wins in 41 matches stretching back to November 1981, it would be safe to say that Morton haven’t enjoyed much success in clashes between the two clubs in modern times.

However, it took a last-minute Lawrence Shankland goal to rescue United a point in the last meeting here in January 2020.

A promising start to this season saw our Renfrewshire guests stroll through their ViaPlay Cup section before gaining more plaudits in a narrow 2-1 exit at Ibrox in the second round.

However, their Championship form has been less impressive. An excellent 3-1 opening-day victory over Ayr has been followed by three successive defeats at the hands of Raith Rovers, Arbroath and Partick Thistle.

Last weekend saw a return to winning ways as Elgin City were dispatched 2-1 in the SPFL Trust Trophy and they will be hoping to back that up here this afternoon and improve on their current league placing of eighth.

summer signings

The summer saw the addition of seven new faces to the Cappielow squad.

Experienced goalkeeper Jamie McDonald signed following his release from Raith Rovers. Loaned out to QoS after progressing through Hearts’ youth ranks, he returned to Tynecastle to play 136 times for The Jam Tarts. The 37-year-old won ten U21 caps and has also represented Falkirk and Kilmarnock.

Young ‘keeper Ryan Mullen joined from Celtic on a season-long loan and has featured in five of the club’s six cup matches so far.

After fourteen appearances on loan from Kilmarnock last term, 27-year-old defender Calum Waters signed permanently in the summer and has been an ever-present thus far this season.

Hugely experienced defender Kirk Broadfoot is another mainstay, although the 39-year-old will be facing a suspension soon if his current run of five yellow cards in his last six matches continues.

Now 26, striker Steven Boyd was capped at youth level during his time at Celtic. A nomadic career has seen him represent Hamilton, Albion Rovers, Livingston, East Fife, Peterhead (for whom he scored the winner here back in 2020), Alloa and ICT.

Signed in the summer following his release from Liverpool, 21-year-old winger Jack Bearne has featured predominantly from the bench.

Alan Power joined following his exit from Kilmarnock in the summer and adds experience, graft and organisation to the midfield.

Former midfielder Iain Wilson rejoined the club on loan from QoS last month and made his first start last weekend against Elgin City.

THE MANAGER

DOUGIE IMRIE

ONE TO WATCH

ROBBIE CRAWFORD

As a player, Imrie made his way into senior football at the age of 23 having represented Lanark United in the junior ranks. Signed by Clyde in 2006, he went on to represent ICT, Hamilton, St Mirren and Morton before ending his career with a second spell at Accies.

United have crossed paths several times with Lanark born 40-year-old during his career. The most notable was a failed attempt to sign the winger from Hamilton back in 2012 just prior to him joining St Mirren.

And, back in 2017, the ‘Ton gaffer had returned to Hamilton and started both legs of the Premiership play-off final as we were defeated 1-0 on aggregate.

After making over 500 senior appearances, Imrie played his final competitive match at the end of the 2018/19 season. It was two years before he returned to the game, taking over as a coach with Livingston.

Within six months, Morton approached him, and he took up office at Cappielow in December 2021. With the club bottom of the table and without a win in eight matches, they were transformed almost overnight and embarked on a run which saw just two defeats from fifteen league matches. That run secured safety in the relative comfort of seventh place.

Last season saw Imrie further enhance his coaching CV as he led the ‘Ton to a fifthplace finish, narrowly missing out on a play-off spot on goal difference after winning four and drawing one of their final five matches of the campaign.

If not for Liam Grimshaw’s form and a clean sweep of club and supporters’ Player of the Year awards, Robbie Crawford would’ve been the recipient of a large amount of personal silverware last season.

An absolutely outstanding first five months in his debut year at Cappielow - the central midfielder’s hard work and commitment to the cause earned him a mid-season contract extension.

This season has seen the Irvine-born 29-yearold add valuable goals to his game and he currently leads the club scoring charts with five goals in nine starts.

An Ayr United youth product, he made his senior debut for The Honest Men in 2012, going on to feature 225 times for the club. His career path saw him turn out for Livingston, Motherwell and Partick Thistle prior to arriving in Greenock in 2022.

With almost 350 senior appearances to his name, including three years in the Premiership, his experience in the middle of the park will be invaluable to Morton again this season.

Words by Ryan Haldane

PLAYED FOR BOTH

jackie graham

Whilst Brentford fans will instantly recognise Jackie Graham given his decade of service for the Bees, the early part of his career might have missed fans of both Morton and United.

Statistically, he only played less than 50 games in his native Scotland but amassed over 400 for the London club that he joined in July 1970 and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 2013.

His first steps professionally came at Cappielow when signed from Clydebank Strollers in 1964, aged 18. He featured just once in the first team that season but enjoyed eight games during season 1965-66, scoring twice.

In the summer of 1966, recommended by Doug Cowie, then United’s reserve team coach who had him under his wing when a coach with Morton, Jackie arrived at Tannadice as part of a swap deal which took winger Ian Stewart to Cappielow.

Although given an early debut in the League Cup in a 1-1 draw with Dundee at Dens Park, the attacking midfielder had to wait just over four months before getting another first-team opportunity and again Dens was the venue. He certainly made the most of it, scoring all three goals as United put Dundee to the sword.

It earned him regular inclusion in the first-team squad, featuring regularly in the starting line-up. Although included in the squad that met Juventus in the Fairs Cup, he didn’t play, but he was in the side that lost out so narrowly in the Scottish Cup Semi-Final at Dens Park, having scored the winner in a league clash with The Dons, the previous week.

One of those was the winner in United’s remarkable 3-2 win at Parkhead when United completed the double over the Lisbon Lions – the only domestic defeats suffered by the all-conquering champions!

When United represented Dallas Tornadoes in the summer of 1967, Jackie again figured regularly and

continued to demonstrate his scoring prowess with four counters in his 11 outings in Tangerine.

Indeed, he proved something of a regular scorer, impressively claiming a further seven goals, thereby averaging better than a goal in every other game. Still very much involved in the first team at the start of the following season he only figured in the reserves for the first three months of 1968.

Given a run of games in April 1968, he did manage one more goal, a consolation counter in a 4-1 defeat at Ibrox, his days were numbered.

The last of his three seasons at Tannadice, 1968-69, were spent in the reserves and he was released in April 196 before moving to Guilford City in the summer.

After leaving Griffin Park, he dropped back into non-League football to sign for Southern League Southern Division club Addlestone & Weybridge Town in 1980 and later had spells with Farnborough Town, Hounslow Town, Woking, Burnham & Hillingdon and Staines Town.

He then had a spell managing Isthmian League First Division club Staines Town during the 1986–87 season and was named as caretaker manager for a period in 1990. He held coaching positions at Staines Town, in Millwall’s Centre Of Excellence and at Combined Counties League club Cranleigh and later became vice-chairman of the FA Coaches Association.

Away from football, Jackie worked in security for American Airlines at Heathrow Airport. Apart from a period living in a Brentford-owned house in Hounslow, he has lived in Guildford since 1969.

After retiring from football, Graham initially worked as an engineer and as of 2005 was running a cleaning contractor business in the town. As of September 2022, at age 76, he was still running his business.

Jackie Graham is third from the left in the back row as United lined up as Dallas Tornadoes.

the tangerine files

Do you have any pre-match superstitions?

A boring answer, but no.

What would you be if you weren’t a footballer?

Two of my main hobbies are writing and travelling. So something that could combine the two would be great, maybe a travel writer.

Best stadium you’ve played at?

Old Trafford. You get a great sense of the historic matches that have played out there and the famous players that have graced it’s turf.

Best player you have played with?

I can’t say I played in the same team as him but as a young lad coming through at Manchester United, Paul Scholes had everything you need to become the complete midfielder.

Best player you have played against?

Manuel Benson at Burnley has loads of ability to go right to the top.

Who is the best player of all time?

Zidane, loved watching him play for Madrid when sky used to show Spanish football, he was the complete midfielder and he did it with style.

Best game you’ve ever watched?

Burnley vs Tottenham League Cup Semi Final Second Leg. Burnley were 4-1 down after the first leg and won the second leg 3-0 before losing in the last minute of extra time.

Best advice you’ve ever been given?

Never lend a Yorkshireman a fiver!

Who is the dressing room joker?

Tony Watt, he’s always up for a laugh.

Who is the best dressed in the United squad?

Hard to say as lads mainly wear tracksuits into training. I like my clobber but wouldn’t like to claim best dressed title.

Who is the worst dressed in the United squad?

Everyone has their own tastes in life, some better than others admittedly.

Which one player would you take on a holiday with you?

Glassy for a couple of days Racing in Ireland.

What do you do in your spare time?

Travel, watch sport, read and write.

LIAM’s ultimate 5 a side team

LIAM GRIMSHAW Favourite TV show? Sopranos. Favourite Band? New Order.

8grimshaw

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Dundee United Football Club have a wide range of match day hospitality options available to purchase on a seasonal and a match by match basis.

Whether you’re looking to network with clients or relax with friends and family, sit back and let Dundee United play host to a truly memorable sporting occasion.

We’re delighted to be partnering with Regis Banqueting for the 2023/24 season.

Regis has a clear, innovative take on food and prides itself on using fresh ingredients sourced locally wherever possible. The team cook with care and attention to detail, and will provide stand-out dishes at Tannadice this season.

At the forefront of quality and service, Regis has been presented with several awards, including The Royal Bank of Scotland Award for Young Business of the Year, finalist in the Shell Livewire awards and Wedding Caterer of the Year in 2015.

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Dundee United vs Queen’s Park

3pm Saturday 30 September

Tannadice Park

cinch Championship

Limited places remaining, don’t miss out!

SETTING THE SCENE

HOW HIBS BECAME UNITED

Everyone connected with Dundee Hibs was undoubtedly glad to see the end of season 1922-23 approaching.

In the People’s Journal dated 17th March 1923, ‘Unnomi’, reported, “With only the County Cup to interest the Club this season, no special effort is being made to strengthen the playing power in the team, but officials are keeping their eyes open to secure nothing but the best players for the new season.” He added, “Of course, Hibs are not making such plans to take part in the Scottish Alliance! It is confidentially expected that the Club will be members of the Second Division.”

In the last Alliance fixture of the season, Queen’s Park Strollers won 3-1 at Tannadice leaving Hibs third bottom of the league only serving to underline the inadequacies of the team.

Involvement in the Eastern League had been restricted to a mere five fixtures after which Hibs failed to complete their remaining matches.

The last match of the season was a charity match in aid of Lord Roberts Memorial Workshop on 12th May 1923 between Hibs XI and Aberdeen. In goal for the Hibs select was Jimmy Brownlie, by then a signed player and shortly afterwards was appointed manager for the first of what was to be three stints in charge.

News that a Scottish Third Division was to be created cut no ice at Tannadice with Hibs being one of 12 clubs to be invited. Hibs declined the offer, taking a calculated gamble on gaining admission to the Second Division and no effort was spared in trying to achieve their goal.

As one prominent Club official stated, “We are all out to gain admittance to the Second Division, and I can assure you we will do our utmost to secure that end. Our present season in the Scottish Alliance League has been an utter failure and we dare not look forward to another year of the same. In short, Dundee Hibs will be forced to go to the wall if the application for the Second Division is turned down. With our return to the league, the future success of my Club is assured. Again, we are prepared to lay out a goodly sum to secure a strong team – one capable of securing promotion.”

All their lobbying worked in the end, edging out East Stirlingshire in the second round of voting and ensuring the future of Dundee Hibs.

Next on the agenda was the change of name and this proved easier said than done.

In the first instance, Dundee City - the legal entity registered with the Board of Trade – was put forward following an Extraordinary General Meeting of the Board on 20 August 1923.

In addition, the club’s colours were changed from green and white to black and white which was accepted but hopes that the SFA would quickly ratify the name change received a setback with Dundee FC objecting.

Indeed, five League games had been played under the Hibs banner before the SFA meeting on 17th, September 1923 at which the proposed name change was rejected, the Dens Park view that it would confuse being narrowly upheld. It was only by the casting vote of the Chairman though, but it also came to light that Hibernian would object if the Club under their original name were to be promoted, forcing a change of some nature.

The day after that meeting the SFA were in touch with the two city clubs suggesting they get together to find a solution.

But both were standing their ground, and by the time the next SFA meeting considered Hibs’ appeal, came around a month later, agreement was as far away as ever.

However, Hibs’ letter was left ‘on the table’. Mr McIntosh of Dundee FC left the meeting to go into an anteroom with Messrs Hutchison, Dickson and Brownlie for further discussions.

Eventually, McIntosh agreed to support Hibs if they dropped ‘Dundee City’ in favour of another name. The new name was hastily agreed although it may be that both sides had previously arrived at A compromise.

Tom White was advised that Dundee would not object to the name Dundee United.

The name was verbally agreed, to be ratified at the next full SFA meeting.

Official records, however, show that Dundee Hibernian Football & Athletic Club Ltd changed its name to Dundee City Athletic Club Ltd on 31st October 1923 and the Club continued to trade with that name until June 1925, although playing under the named under the name of Dundee United!

For whatever reason given that change had been agreed, the last game as Dundee Hibs ended in a 3-2 win away to Kings Park on October 20th.

Indeed, when the team on duty appeared a week later in the Evening Telegraph on Saturday 27th October as can be seen below, it was still Dundee Hibs, yet when the results were published after the game Dundee United had been born.

THE EARLY DAYS

With the centenary of the name change from Dundee Hibernian to Dundee United approaching next month, throughout the season we’ll be looking back at meetings between visiting clubs and the Hibs.

In the case of Morton, there is just a single match to feature, but it took place very early in the history of Dundee Hibs; indeed, it was actually only the ninth game ever played by the club!

Morton FC was founded in 1874 (Greenock was not officially added to their title until 120 years later). Of current SPFL clubs only Queen’s Park, Kilmarnock, Dumbarton and Rangers pre-date them and they joined the Scottish League when Division Two was introduced in 1893. Morton were promoted to Division One in 1900 and by the time of Dundee Hibernian’s formation in 1909, the Greenock club had become established at the top level.

That made them an attractive proposition when manager/secretary Pat Reilly and his fellow committee members were seeking opponents for the Hibs to host in a challenge match on what was known in the city as the October fast – an annual public holiday on the first Monday of that month. Reilly and his colleagues were ambitious in two ways. Firstly, they wanted to test their club against good-quality opposition, not least to demonstrate to the wider Scottish football family that the new club had arrived on the scene and was looking to join the Scottish League. But ambitious also in terms of attracting a decent crowd to Tannadice to help finance the campaign for League membership.

Morton fitted the bill in being an established Division One club, but not one of the strongest at that level. The Hibs were still finding their feet and it was sensible to find opposition that would avoid an encounter that was too one-sided.

But the Greenock club didn’t come cheap. They negotiated a £25 guarantee, plus a share of gate receipts in excess of £50. Entrance to Tannadice that season for league matches was two pence, meaning that to cover Morton’s guarantee and generate the same again would require an attendance of at least 6000. Clearly not confident that the match would attract that many, the club committee took the bold decision to treble the admission price to sixpence.

Happily, the enterprise shown by Reilly and his colleagues was rewarded with what proved to be the biggest Tannadice attendance of that first season of more than 7000, which produced takings of almost £200!

The crowd was in holiday mood as the match got underway on 4 October 1909 and Morton seized the upper hand from the start. Their half-backs supplied numerous chances for the forwards who showed greater pace than the Hibs defenders. It was no surprise when the men from Greenock took the lead after 15 minutes, though it was from the penalty spot, Jim McIntosh beating the dive of John Brady.

Soon after, centre-forward John Smith sent a blistering shot into the net from 30 yards and it seemed that a one-sided game might indeed have been the outcome. However, the home side held their nerve and defended determinedly and there was no more scoring in the first half.

The Hibs were more prominent after the resumption but couldn’t get past the experienced Morton defence. The former Everton winger Tom McDermott was the most prominent of the men in green but when the deficit was reduced the goal came from the teenage debutant, Simon Fraser.

That enthused the fans and suggested that the Hibs might have it within them to draw level. But Morton then re-asserted their authority and Jimmy Scoular restored their two-goal lead. Shortly before the end, Jimmy Dart made it four, but Hibs had given a good account of themselves and, having seen five goals, it seems the larger-than-anticipated crowd felt they had got their money’s worth.

Manager: Pat Reilly

Manager:

Dundee Hibs: John Brady, Jim Ramsay, James Strachan, Jack Hannan, Dod McNally, James Loney, Tom McDermott, Henny Brown, James Burns, Jamie Docherty, Simon Fraser. John Brady and Jim Ramsay (Dundee Hibs) Morton: Bob Robertson, Peter Stewart, Peter Proudfoot, Harry Stevenson, Jim McIntosh, Joe Hendry, Jimmy Dart, Jimmy Scoular, John Smith, Sandy McCubbin, Bill Lindsay. Bob Cochrane Joe Hendry and Peter Proudfoot (Morton)

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Once again, United upset the form book and there was no fluke about it. Other than Venters hitting the post early in the second half, Rangers failed to muster a chance. On either side of that incident, Albert Juliussen - on 35 and 61 minutes – scored with Charlie McGillivray adding a third to put a proper perspective on the outcome.

An Ian Crawford hat-trick left United’s hopes of overcoming the Somerset Park men in the second leg hanging by a thread. Played in torrential rain, Crawford opened the scoring after 12 minutes and added the second on 38 minutes, completing his treble two minutes after the restart. And despite the backing of 15,000 fans in the replay, Ayr also won the second leg 2-1 four days later.

Mastering the blustery conditions, United blew Saints away by scoring three times in the first 20 minutes. Neil Mochan claimed the assist for the opening two goal. The first was Saints Ron McKinven turning in his hard-driven low cross past his keeper. The second eight minutes later finding the unmarked Davie Boner who netted easily. Four minutes later Stewart Fraser fired home a third and it was game over.

Injury-hit Dundee grabbed a morale-boosting early lead on three minutes. As the half progressed, United had more and more of the game, but failed to make much until two minutes from half-time when Jim Henry rounded two men on the right, and Pat Gardner beat Mike Hewitt with a glancing header from Jim’s perfect cross. United looked the more inventive side after the break, but Jocky Scott almost regained the lead for Dundee with a header which skimmed the post. Tommy Traynor brought out the save of the match from Mike Hewitt as the game swung from end to end, and almost emulated it when he pushed a Henry shot round the post. The subsequent corner, however, produced the winner. Pat Gardner’s corner was flicked on by Jim Henry to winger, Sandy White who smashed the ball into the net via the underside of the bar. Only seven minutes remained, and in the end, Dundee, after starting brightly, eventually found the handicap of playing without three top forwards too big a handicap to overcome.

1981 - MONACO 2-5 DUNDEE UTD | UEFA CUP (1ST ROUND 1ST LEG)

United put in a royal performance to record one of their greatest European victories. Prince Rainier was in attendance to witness a polished and mature United performance. It took just 15 minutes for United to open the scoring. Fittingly it was man of the match Bannon who created the chance. His perfect cross was headed low past the ‘keeper by Billy Kirkwood. The small band of travelling Arabs had just five minutes to wait for the second. Dave Narey released Paul Sturrock who cut the ball back for Davie Dodds to shoot home. Looking yards offside, Ralf Edstroem reduced the deficit on the hour mark. However, United restored their two-goal lead five minutes later when Sturrock was downed in the box and Eamonn Bannon struck home the penalty. Four minutes after that there was more joy for the travelling fans as Davie Dodds pounced to score his second. With six minutes left Vitali handled a Sturrock shot in the box, and Eamonn Bannon scored his second of the night from the spot to make it five. With a minute remaining, Monaco got a second thanks to an audacious lob by Bruno Bellone over a deceived McAlpine.

1944 - DUNDEE UTD 3-0 RANGERS | WARTIME (NORTHEASTERN - 1ST SERIES) 1950 - AYR UTD 3-0 DUNDEE UTD | LEAGUE CUP (QUARTER FINAL 1ST LEG) 1961 - DUNDEE UTD 3-0 ST JOHNSTONE | LEAGUE (DIVISION ONE) 1972 - DUNDEE UTD 2-1 DUNDEE | LEAGUE (DIVISION ONE)

16 SEPTEMBER

Davie Boner turns away after scoring the second goal against St Johnstone.

I’VE COME HERE TO WIN THIS LEAGUE

Dundee United striker Louis Moult admits his scintillating start to life on Tayside has rekindled his love for the game, but he won’t be satisfied until the Terrors raise the cinch Championship trophy aloft at the end of the season.

HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING

Moult arrived at Tannadice in July with the remit of being Jim Goodwin’s talisman for a second-tier title charge. Off the back of an injury-plagued three years south of the border, eyebrows were raised around Scottish football as United put their faith in the 31-year-old.

However, Moult wasted no time in silencing his doubters, providing no fewer than three assists during our Gayfield blitz on Matchday One, whilst also grabbing our fourth goal on the stroke of half-time.

“I’m really enjoying myself. I think I’ve settled in pretty quickly and everyone around the place has made it so much easier for me and my family to adapt to living up here. Scoring goals and winning games alongside that helps massively.

“I went that period without games and goals but with regular game time I will score goals. I’m proving that and the main thing is I stay on the pitch and we keep winning games - I’m confident in my own ability.”

Our number nine scooped the MKM Player of the Month award for his rich vein of form throughout the opening month of the 2023/24 campaign, finishing August with two goals and three assists to his name. Statistically, it’s the frontman’s best start to a season in a decade.

“Being here has massively reignited my passion for the game - I think you see that in my performances. I’ve got that hunger back. I don’t need to tell you I have it back you can see it in the expressions on my face when I’m playing!

“The main reason for that is enjoyment and belief from the Gaffer, the football club and the lads.”

According to Moult, his Tannadice success to date is partly due to his meticulous preparation for each match, as he mentally keeps a handle on the pressure cooker of professional football.

“The mental side is huge. A little part of football is self-talk, in my career anyway. What I’ve always tried to do is speak to myself regularly. For example, I’ll demand more from myself when I haven’t trained as well as I should have and the next day I make sure I’m right on it.

“On match day I’m very particular with my routines - everything has to be right. If you let yourself slack off even just a little bit you might not be fully focused and that’s huge as a footballer.”

TANGERINE EXPECTANCY

Handling the anticipation of an expectant United contingent week-in-week-out can be taxing, however, it’s an experience the frontman is well-versed in. Harking back to a goal-laden spell with Wrexham, he compared the demands at the Racecourse to those at Tannadice.

“Previously, when I was at Motherwell, we were an underdog in the Premiership. It was a little bit different. The way I liken it to was when I was at Wrexham many years ago, but they were the biggest team in the league and it was a similar expectation.

“That’s helped me as an individual at Dundee United. We were getting big crowds and going to lesser grounds, no disrespect to the other teams in the league, but it’s similar here.

Despite reaching cup finals with Nuneaton Borough and Motherwell, the Englishman is yet to taste silverware in his senior career, and he confesses chasing the cinch Championship trophy was a major carrot which lured him to Tannadice.

A defiant Moult stated: “I’m here to achieve something this season. I haven’t come back up the road to make the numbers up - I’ve come here to win this league. When I retire, I can look back on it and say ‘we achieved that.’

“As individuals, we have to take care of our performances on and off the pitch. We don’t carried away win when we win and we don’t get too down when we don’t get the results we want. We stay level-headed and confident - but humble.”

United last claimed the second-tier title in 2019/20 in unorthodox circumstances, being deemed Champions on a points-per-game ruling by the SPFL following the curtailment of the season due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

He continued: “It’s up to us to keep striving for better - we can’t settle. We need to keep getting better each day in training, and it’ll become more natural on a Saturday.”

“As individuals, we have to take care of our performances on and off the pitch. We don’t carried away when we win and we don’t get too down when we don’t get the results we want. We stay level-headed and confident - but humble.”

He continued: “It’s up to us to keep striving for better - we can’t settle. We need to keep getting better each day in training, and it’ll become more natural on a Saturday.”

fixtures

results season 2023/24 DATE OPPOSITION COMP RES ATT STARTING XI July 15 The Spartans (A) Viaplay Cup VC L 0-1 1,701 Walton Freeman Denham Holt McMann Grimshaw Docherty © Cudjoe 18 Partick Thistle (H) Viaplay Cup VC L 1-2 3,147 Walton Freeman Denham Holt McMann Docherty © Sibbald 1 Cudjoe 22 Peterhead (H) Viaplay Cup VC W 3-0 2,103 Walton Grimshaw Graham Holt 2 McMann Docherty © Middleton Mochrie 25 Falkirk (A) Viaplay Cup VC W 1-0 3,186 Walton Freeman Graham Holt McMann Sibbald Docherty © Meekison August 4 Arbroath (A) cc W 4-0 5,558 Walton Grimshaw Gallagher Holt McMann Sibbald 1 Docherty © Cudjoe 12 Dunfermline Athletic (H) cc D 1-1 8,892 Walton Freeman Gallagher Holt McMann Sibbald Grimshaw Middleton 26 Ayr United (A) cc W 0-3 3,103 Walton Grimshaw Gallacher Holt 2 McMann Docherty © Glass Middleton September 2 Airdrieonians (H) cc W 2-0 8,008 Walton Freeman Gallacher Holt McMann Grimshaw Glass Middleton 9 Dunfermline Athletic (H) SPFL TT W 3-0 2,408 Walton Grimshaw Gallacher Graham McMann Tillson Glass 1 Fotheringham 16 Greenock Morton (H) cc 23 Inverness CT (A) cc 30 Queen’s Park (H) cc October 07 Raith Rovers (A) cc 21 Partick Thistle (A) cc 28 Arbroath (H) cc 31 Airdrieonians (A) cc November 4 Inverness CT (H) cc 11 Dunfermline Ath (A) cc December 02 Greenock Morton(A) cc 09 Ayr United (H) cc 16 Raith Rovers (H) cc 23 Queen’s Park (A) cc 30 Partick Thistle (H) cc January 02 Arbroath (A) cc 06 Greenock Morton (H) cc 13 Inverness CT (A) cc 27 Dunfermline Athletic (H) cc February 03 Ayr Uinted (A) cc 17 Raith Rovers (A) cc 24 Queen’s Park (H) cc 27 Airdrieonians (H) cc March 02 Partick Thistle (A) cc 09 Arbroath (H) cc 16 Dunfedrmline Ath (A) cc 23 Inverness CT (H) cc 30 Raith Rovers (H) cc April 06 Queen’s Park (A) cc 13 Greenock Morton (A) cc 20 Ayr United (H) cc 27 Airdrieonians (A) cc May 03 Partick Thistle (H) cc

and

SUBSTITUTES Cudjoe Meekison Middleton Watt Newman Graham Chalmers Sibbald Glass Duffy Mochrie MacLeod Thomson Cudjoe Fotheringham Glass Watt Newman Graham Grimshaw Moult Chalmers Middleton Meekison Mochrie MacLeod Mochrie Meekison Watt Moult 1 Newman Denham Chalmers Sibbald Fotheringham Glass Freeman MacLeod Cudjoe Meekison Fotheringham 1 Cudjoe Watt Newman Denham Niskanen Grimshaw Middleton Glass Duffy MacLeod Thomson Cudjoe 1 Middleton 1 Watt Moult 1 Newman Denham Graham Meekison Glass Freeman Duffy MacLeod Thomson Middleton Watt © Cudjoe 1 Moult Newman Denham Graham Chalmers Meekison Fotheringham Glass Duffy MacLeod Middleton Watt Cudjoe Moult 1 Newman Denham Graham Meekison Fotheringham Duffy Mochrie MacLeod Stirton Middleton Watt © Cudjoe 1 Moult Newman Denham Graham Meekison Fotheringham 1 Duffy MacLeod Mwangi Constable Fotheringham Watt © Middleton Moult 1 Adams Holt Denham Freeman Duffy Cudjoe Mwangi Constable Stirton

KEY: GOAL 1 BOOKED SENT OFF FIRST SUB SECOND SUB THIRD SUB FOURTH SUB FIFTH SUB

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