THE GAFFER
Good evening everyone, and welcome back to Tannadice!
Tonight rounds off our preparations ahead of the league campaign getting back underway next weekend with a Dundee Derby!
We know it’s a fixture that has the whole city buzzing and it’s edging closer, so tonight’s test is an important one against a good opposition.
Looking back at the Group Stages of the Premier Sports Cup, we shot ourselves in the foot in that first game at Falkirk but have bounced back well since then and have scored plenty of goals in the three games we’ve played.
We are still very much a work in progress and we have made improvements but I think we can do a lot more to step into that Premiership.
We bolstered our front line yesterday and I think Jort’s arrival is an exciting one for the club. His goalscoring record in Dutch football speaks volumes about his pedigree, having been at the top end of the second tier’s scoring charts on numerous occasions throughout the past decade. Linking up with teammates whilst playing with his back to goal is also a pivotal strength of his game, one which will bring a different dynamic to our frontline and have a positive impact on the versatility of the unit as a whole.
There’s still more business to be done but we are certainly getting closer to where we want to be.
I’m sure everyone is looking forward to the game and seeing what test Luton Town will pose this evening!
I hope you all enjoy the game!
- Jim Goodwin
TURNING UP IN STYLE!
Dundee United are proud to unveil our sleek 2024/25 away kit!
A modern classic, designed in collaboration with our technical partner Erreà, displays a crisp white cut with a tangerine trim.
Our new away threads are now available online and in-store!
The shirt also flaunts a geometric lion pattern sublimated into the fabric in our first white away kit since season 2021/22. Once more, the sleeve cuff showcases our unique diamond pattern, sublimated to add elegance and distinction to a standout shirt. The same reverse diamond also marks the upper back of the top.
PRICING
Adult Junior
Short Sleeve
Long Sleeve
£58
£60
Shorts
Socks
£25
£13
Short Sleeve
£47
Shorts
Socks
Infant
£22
£11
£40
HATTERS’ CONNECTIONS
DAVID BEAUMONT
Born in 1963, the versatile defender/midfielder signed with United on the old S Form in 1978 before signing professional terms two years later. A youth international, he was a member of the Scottish side that won the 1982 U18 European Championship and went on to make his United the following year, aged nineteen.
Trying to break into the greatest United back four of all time however proved understandably difficult and his opportunities were limited until Richard Gough departed for Tottenham in 1986. Dave made 40 appearances the following season culminating in a substitute appearance in the first leg of the UEFA Cup final in Gothenburg.
After 119 appearances and five goals, he departed for Luton Town in 1989 for £150,000. He stepped straight into the Hatters side that beat West Ham 3-0 in a Littlewoods Cup semi-final first leg.
Indeed, such was his assured performance that day at the heart of the Luton defence alongside Steve Foster, he became a regular in the side for over two top-flight seasons at Kenilworth Road.
He collected a League Cup runners-up medal in a 3-1 defeat to Nottingham Forest in the 1989 final and played 91 times before returning north to Hibernian for £110,000 gracing the Premier Division for three more years.
Injury curtailed his professional career however and he finished his playing days with the junior side, Kelty Hearts.
David then enjoyed a long career as a police officer in Fife.
SANDY DAVIE
The Dundonian goalkeeper signed for his hometown club in 1961 and spent the following seven years sharing the number one jersey with Donald Mackay. Amazingly, following an early season injury to Mackay, 17-year-old Sandy was entrusted as the first choice for the rest of the season.
The future United Hall of Fame inductee featured in some of the club’s most landmark matches - our first-ever Scottish and League Cup semifinals, both victorious legs of our European debut tie against Barcelona and the win over Juventus. In addition, he was the first ever United player to be capped at U23 level but his debut away to France aged 18 was his sole such honour.
Sold to Luton Town in 1968, he spent two seasons with The Hatters. His first season saw keep eleven clean sheets in 27 matches before injury restricted to 66 matches for the club before departing for Southampton.
A return to Tannadice in 1972 for £5,000 saw him compete with a certain Hamish McAlpine, appearing in our first-ever Scottish Cup in 1974 and took his Tannadice tally up to 184 appearances before emigrating to New Zealand for whom featured eight times for their national side.
RAPHAEL MEADE
A cult hero who joined United from Sporting Lisbon for £150,000 in 1988, the Londoner made a big impression in his sole season at Tannadice.
Despite making just sixteen starts (and seven sub appearances), the former Arsenal striker scored seven times and had a happy knack of scoring goals on his first appearance in a new competition. Having scored on his first matches in both the UEFA Cup and League for The Gunners, he repeated the feat here with goals on his League Cup bow (St Mirren), first League match (Aberdeen) and his debut in the Scottish Cup (Dundee).
After just eight months on Tayside, the nomadic striker headed for Kenilworth Road for £225,000 but featured only four times before being used as a makeweight in the Lars Elstrup signing from Odense. In his brief spell with Hatters, he picked up a runners-up medal as an unused sub in the 1989 League Cup final.
Loan spells with Ipswich and Plymouth ensued before a permanent move to Brighton before spending a brief spell with Hong Kong’s Ernest Borel. On his return to this country, he figured for Dover Athletic, Brighton (again) Southwick, Crawley and Sittingbourne.
- By Ryan Haldane
JACK’S BACK
Preparing to face his parent club this evening, United’s number 1 is relishing our return to the Premiership!
Commenting on this evening’s clash with Luton Town, Jack said, “It’s a bit of a strange one. Coming all way up to Scotland, I wasn’t expecting to then play Luton in a pre-season friendly. But I’m really looking forward to seeing some of the familiar faces.”
“I didn’t go back down there this preseason because they had a different schedule, so this’ll be a good chance to see some of the boys.
“More than that, it’s a really difficult challenge. They are a team that’s just come down from the Premier League and have kept most of the squad for the upcoming season. They’ve only lost one or two, so it’ll be a great test for us.
“I expect we’ll have a lot to do off the ball and can work on our defensive shape leading into the season.”
Upon his arrival from the Hatters last summer, Walton quickly cemented himself as a fans’ favourite thanks to his dependability between the sticks. Last term, the Englishman played every single competitive minute available to him - his final total standing at 3,990.
A club record of 19 clean sheets in 36 second-tier appearances contributed greatly to the Terrors’ Championship title triumph, bettering legendary stopper Billy Thomson’s 1986/87 haul by one solitary shutout.
Furthermore, no other side in the entirety of the Scottish and English professional pyramids could match United’s remarkable defensive shrewdness, with Walton conceding a mere 23 league goals throughout 2023/24. During the opening three months of the season, he only had to pluck the ball out of his net four times.
A man for the big occasion, the 26-yearold’s best performance of the campaign came on Matchday 35 as he produced a stunning string of saves against Airdrieonians to ensure his side garnered the point needed to rubber-stamp their status as Champions. As a result, Walton earned himself a place in the SPFL Team of the Week.
Talking on our upoming Dundee Derby sell-out, Jack added, “that illustrates one huge reason why I’ve come back here.
“People have told me what the derby is like and to get that in the first game… you’ve just got to relish it. We’re at home, will have an unbelievable support and those are the occasions you’ve got to enjoy.
“In the first game of the Premiership season, we know everyone will be buzzing for the football to be back, and excited about what’s in store – then you stick the facts it’s a derby on top of that, and the bragging rights in the city up for grabs. And we know what we’ve got to here and, with a week to go, we know what we’ve got to work on to make sure we are ready for that game.”
AN ENGLISH AFFAIR
Tonight, we welcome Luton Town who are the 28th English League side to grace Tannadice.
It all began 76 years ago when Birmingham City visited Dundee as part of the transfer deal that took Frank McKee to St Andrews.
Since then, it has been a regular occurrence, though not so much nowadays given the early start to the season with the League Cup.
Newcastle United are the most frequent visitors with six visits, though that includes competitive matches in the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup and Texaco Cup.
The other English opponent to have featured here in a European tie is Manchester United forty years ago which, unsurprisingly, attracted the biggest crowd – just under 22,000!
Leicester City and Sheffield United are the two other clubs seen here in competitive action – both in the Texaco Cup – with the first named having made two visits.
In addition, five clubs have been in the opposition for Testimonial matches.
5 August 1979 United 3 (Sturrock 3) Aston Villa 0 Crowd: 7438- Pre-season
12 April 1948 United 1 (Grant) Birmingham City 5 (Dougall 3, Slater, Stewart) Crowd: 10,000 - McKee Transfer
8 August 2009 United 2 (Shala, Bauben) Blackburn Rovers 0 Crowd: 3,137 - Pre-season
5 October 1953 United 2 (McKay, Quinn) Blackpool 5 (Mudie, Brown 2, Stephenson 2) Crowd: 14,000 - Autumn Holiday 28 July 2004 United 1 (Wilson) Blackpool 2 (Parker, Murphy) Crowd: 2,796 – Pre-season
4 October 1954 United 0 Burnley 4 (McKay 2, Stephenson 2) Crowd: 10,000 – McKay Transfer
30 July 1980 United 0 Chelsea 0 Crowd: 3,628– Pre-season
12 May 1952 United 1 (Grant) Crystal Place 1 (Marsden) Crowd: 6,000 For Y.M.C.A, Funds
12 March 1960 United 3 (Norris, Campbell 2) Derby 2 (Thompson, Newbury) Crowd: 5,700 – Mid-season Friendly
25 September 1971 United 3 (Copland 2, Devlin) Derby 2 (Hinton, Butlin) Crowd: 5,205 – Texaco Cup (1st Rd) Agg 5-8
15 April 1983 United 1 (Bannon) Everton 1 (Sheedy) Crowd: 5,627 – Mid-season Friendly
25 July 2000 United 2 (Thompson, Mathie) Everton 1 (Weir) Crowd: 6,406 – Second Maurice Malpas
Testimonial
30 July 2003 United 1 (Samuel) Everton 0 Crowd: 6,046 – Opening of Jerry Kerr Stand
19 July 2012 United 0 Everton 1 (Barcley) Crowd: 6,537 - Pre-season
27 September 1972 United 2 (Cameron, D Smith pen) Leicester City 2 (Glover Worthington) aet Crowd: 8000 - Texaco Cup (1st Rd) Agg 3-3 Leicester won 3-0 on penalties
7 November 1973 United 1 (Fleming) Leicester City 0 Crowd: 7,500 - Texaco Cup (2nd Rd) Agg 2-1
2 March 1986 United 0 Leicester City 1 (Smith) Crowd: 4,576 - Mid-season Friendly
2 August 1986 United 2 (McQuilken, McKinnon) Leicester City 1 (Issett) Crowd: 4,508 - Pre-season
17 February 1962 United 2 (Carlyle, Gillespie) Manchester City 1 (Betts pen) Crowd: 7,053 Mid-season Friendly
12 December 1984 United 2 (Dodds, Hegarty) Manchester United 3 (Hughes, McGinnis og, Muhren) Crowd: 21,821 - Uefa Cup 2d Rd Agg 4-5
26 July 1999 United 0 Middlesbrough 2 (Campbell 2) Crowd: 5.066 - Pre-season
5 October 1959 United 2 (Reid, Newton) Newcastle United 9 (Scoular, White 3, Eastham 2, Scott 2, Hale) Crowd: 8,500 - Autumn Holiday
15 September 1969 United 1 (Scott) Newcastle United 2 (Davies 2) Crowd: 15,500 - Fairs Cup 1st Rd 1st Leg
1 August 1970 United (I Reid) Newcastle United 2 (Smith, Davies) Crowd: 7,000 – Pre-season
12 December 1973 United 2 (Kopel, Knox) Newcastle United 0 Crowd: 8,500 – Texaco Cup s/f 1st Leg
22 July 1999 United 3 (Dodds, Paterson, Jonsson) Newcastle United 1 (Robinson) Crowd: 7,987 - Preseason
2 August 2009 United 1 (Goodwillie pen) Newcastle United 1 (Carroll) Crowd: 8,876 – Pre-season
8 August 1984 United 2 (Milne 2) Nottingham Forrest 0 Crowd: 7,000 – Jim McLean Testimonial
2 August 1968 United 2 (A Reid, Cameron) Preston North End 1 Crowd: 4,000 – Pre-season
4 August 1975 United 2 (Gray, Sturrock) Preston North End 0 Crowd: 3,000 – Pre-season
3 October 1960 United 1 (McLeod) Sheffield United (Pace) 1 Crowd: 9,000 - Autumn Holiday
5 August 1967 United 0 Sheffield United 1 (Jones) Crowd 9,000 – Pre-season
3 October 1973 United 2 (Henry 2) Sheffield United 0 Crowd: 6,000 - Texaco Cup (1st Rd 2nd Leg) Agg 2-0
4 August 1975 United 2 (Gray, Sturrock) Preston North End 0 Crowd: 3,000 – Pre-season
3 August 1974 United 1 (Kopel) Sheffield Wednesday 1 (Sunley) Crowd: 3,000 – Pre-Season
24 July 2005 United 2 (Collins og, Kenneth) Sheffield Wednesday 1 (Peacock) Crowd: 5,081 – City of Discovery – Final at Dens Park
11 August 1982 United 2 (Dodds, Hegarty pen) Southampton 0 Crowd: 8,585 – Pre-season
6 August 1994 United 4 (Brewster 3, Ristić) Stoke City 1 (Clark) Crowd: 3,969 - John Clark Testimonial– Pre-season
16 July 2022 United 0 Sunderland 2 (Trai Hume, Mulgrew og) Crowd: 5705 - Pre-season
3 December 2022 United 0 Swansea 2 (Paterson, Manning) Crowd: 957 Break for World Cup
7 August 1979 United 3 (Pettigrew, Narey 2) Tottenham Hotspur (Falco, Villa) 2 Crowd: 10,201 - Pre-season
5 August 1980 United 4 (Kirkwood, Payne, Addison, Sturrock) Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Crooks) Crowd: 6,440 - Pre-season
17 August 1983 United 1 (Clark) Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Glavin) Crowd: 10,738
- Hamish McAlpine Testimonial
7 August 1988 United 1 (Cleland) Tottenham Hotspur 1 (Narey og) Crowd: 9,685 - Dave Narey Testimonial
25 July 2015 United 0 Watford 1 (Deeney) Crowd: 4,526 – Pre-season
2 August 1980 United 0 West Ham 1 (Cross) Crowd: 5,761 - Pre-season
1 August 1982 United 3 (Dodds 2, Sturrock) West Ham 3 (van der Elst, Goddard, Pike) Crowd: 8,008 - Pre-season
13 August 1983 United 4 (Hegarty, Bannon 2, Milne) West Ham 0 Crowd: 6,128 – Pre-season
8 August 2010 United 1 (Cadamarteri) Wigan Athletic (Boselli 2, Moses) 3 Crowd: 3,826 - Pre-season
29 July 1997 United 0 Wolves 1 (Atkins) Crowd: 3,508 - Pre-season
