Shed Talk 20 | Dundee United vs CelticOfficial Matchday Programme Dundee United vs St Johnstone Will
DUNDEE UNITED vs
Head of Medical
MARCIN SZOSTAK
First Team Analyst
AIDAN CROLL
Head of Stadium and Facility
Operations
JONATHAN ROBERTS
Head of Media
MARK MCCREERY
Head of Marketing
LUKE BAIN
Content Producer
First Team Sports Scientist
EWAN ANDERSON
Strength and Conditioning Coach
ALLAN GARTSHORE
Club Doctors
DR DAVID NICOLL
DR STEPHEN GALBRAITH
Kit Manager
ANDREW BRYAN
Chief Operations Officer
Manager
JIM GOODWIN
Assistant Manager
LEE SHARP
First-Team Coach
DAVID BOWMAN
Head of Goalkeeping
PAUL MATHERS
Head of Commercial
MARK CUNNINGHAM
Ticket Office Manager
MOIRA HUGHES
Head of Retail
STUART BOOTLAND
Commercial Sales Manager
DECLAN PRIDDING
Catering & Bar Operations
Manager
JOHN RICHARDSON
YANNIS MARR
Club Photographer
RICHARD WISEMAN
SHED TALK
Design and Editors:
LUKE BAIN AND PETER RUNDO
Contributors
MIKE WATSON
RYAN HALDANE
LEE SMITH
LYALL MACDONALD
THE GAFFER
Good afternoon and welcome back to Tannadice!
Only five more to go. That’s it.
A lot of people are talking about this weekend as Celtic’s title decider – but there’s still so much at stake for us.
The game is on TV, the whole day is centred around them – and that’s fine by us. It takes the spotlight off us a bit, but we know what we need to do and we know how difficult the challenge is going to be.
Earlier in the campaign, across the 33 pre-split games, we could break
it down into thirds and work out what the points target was going to be to challenge for top six. Now, going into the last five games, it’s really hard to put your finger on exactly what third or fourth place will take, but we’re right in the hunt.
As for telling the players to relax and enjoy it – not really. I get the sentiment. In the sense that we’ve overachieved based on where expectations were back at the beginning, maybe some pressure is off. But I’ve gone the other way. I want to keep the pressure on. I want to maintain the high standards. Because getting third place would be monumental. It’s a
stretch, given the level of opposition we’re up against, but these last five games always throw up something unexpected.
You need a bit of luck, but we’ve shown we can be consistent. We’ve won our last three league games. The boys are in a really good place. Defensively, we’ve kept three clean sheets, and that structure will be massive on Saturday given the level of opposition. We’ve worked on that all season, and it’s stood us in good stead. We’ve had 12 clean sheets in the league – and we’ll need a few more if we want to achieve what we’re aiming for.
We’ve also won a lot of
games by one-goal margins. In the top six, the best play the best, and it’s going to be tight – but that gives us confidence. We always believe we’ll get chances. We’re up there with the top sides for chances created and our conversion rate is relatively good. Clean sheets are huge for me. The key is balance – being a well-drilled side without the ball but also having an attacking threat. I think we’ve found that balance well over the course of the season.
Thanks, as always, for your support. Let’s stick together and give everything for these final five games.
I hope you all enjoy the game!
- Jim Goodwin
TODAY’S MASCOTS
ISLA CHALMERS
AGE: 10
FAVOURITE PLAYER: ROSS GRAHAM
LEO VAN DER DEYL
AGE: 11
FAVOURITE PLAYER: JACK WALTON
FINLAY MCCARTHY
AGE: 6
FAVOURITE PLAYER: JACK WALTON
NOAH THOMSON
AGE: 3
FAVOURITE PLAYER: RYAN STRAIN
ZARA-ROSE MCKIDDIE
AGE: 10
FAVOURITE PLAYER: JACK WALTON
RILEY BROWN
AGE: 12
FAVOURITE PLAYER: JACK WALTON
THEO BROUGH
AGE: 11
FAVOURITE PLAYER: SAM DALBY
HOME OF THE SCOTTISH PREMIERSHIP
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FOCUS ON CELTIC
After a blistering start to the campaign, which included just a single defeat in their opening 28 fixtures, Celtic once again look on course to claim another domestic treble — their sixth in the past nine seasons.
Today’s lunchtime kick-off hands the Glasgow giants the chance to wrap up the Premiership title, adding it to the League Cup they lifted at Hampden in December after defeating Rangers in the final. With just a single point needed from the five post-split games to retain their crown, only a United victory can delay the inevitable.
Aberdeen remain the sole obstacle to a clean sweep, but The Dons will be heavy underdogs when the sides meet in next month’s Scottish Cup Final.
Yet despite their dominance on home soil, Celtic’s European campaign proved bitterly disappointing once again. A 7-1 thrashing at the hands of Borussia Dortmund set the tone, and although they squeezed through to the knockout stages after finishing 21st out of 36 clubs, they failed to record wins over Atalanta, Club Brugge, Dinamo Zagreb or Aston Villa. Their run was ended by Bayern Munich, who won in Glasgow before completing the job in Germany.
The 52-year-old Northern Irishman stands on the verge of his 11th major trophy with Celtic, placing him third on the club’s alltime managerial honours list.
Rodgers first took the reins at Celtic Park in May 2016 and quickly made history by securing backto-back domestic trebles in his first two seasons. A League Cup followed in his third campaign before Leicester City tempted him back south in early 2019.
At the King Power, he
led The Foxes to FA Cup and Community Shield triumphs, a Europa Conference League semifinal, and consecutive 5th-place Premier League finishes before returning to Glasgow.
A former schoolboy international, Rodgers was forced to retire from playing at just 20 due to a genetic knee condition. He moved into coaching with Chelsea’s youth setup under Jose Mourinho, before beginning his managerial journey at Watford.
ONE TO WATCH ADAM IDAH
Adam Idah back to Paradise during the 2024 summer transfer window, arriving on a permanent transfer from Norwich City in a five-year-deal.
The 23-year-old Irish internationalist striker enjoyed a successful loan spell with the Hoops last season, playing a pivotal role in securing a historic league and Scottish Cup Double for the Celts.
The striker made 19 appearances for the club after joining on loan in January, and scored nine goals, including a last-gasp winner in the Scottish Cup final in the Glasgow derby to clinch the double.
Standing 6’3” and leading the line with strength and intelligence, the 24-year-old has added 15 more goals to his tally this term — including one in the 3-0 win over United back in February.
The return of cult hero Jota in January softened the blow of Kyogo Furuhashi’s high-profile departure. Jota, who starred for Celtic across the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns with 25 goals in 83 appearances, had a brief and turbulent spell in Saudi Arabia with Al Ittihad before joining Rennes. After just 10 games in France, he seized the chance to return to Parkhead for around £8.5m. The 26-year-old has since netted five times and will look to add to his tally of three goals against United.
February brought the arrival of Jeffrey Schlupp on loan from Crystal Palace. The powerful and pacy 32-year-old has impressed with his versatility in 13 appearances to date. Born in Germany and raised in England, Schlupp came through the Leicester City academy and scored six goals in 10 matches during a loan spell at Brentford before breaking into the Foxes’ first team. He moved to Palace in 2017 and has made 247 appearances, scoring 19 times.
IN THE DOOR
Dundee United Season Ticket Holders have just less than one week left to guarantee their existing seat for next season!
Key Loyalty Period Details
• This period exists only for current Season Ticket holders to renew at the cheapest possible pricecovering two payday dates.
• This is the only chance for current Season Ticket holders to secure their existing seat, which will be released at the beginning of the Early Bird
Period.
• All seats will be reserved until the Seat Release Deadline of 5pm on Thursday 1 May.
• Tickets bought in this period offer savings of up to £154 for adults compared to gate prices.
• Supporters can split the cost over four (0% finance fee) or ten (11.01% finance fee) monthly payments during this period.
After freezing prices for the past three seasons, we want to be open and transparent with you about this year’s marginal increase. As we continue to face rising costs associated with stadium maintenance and matchday operations, a small adjustment has become necessary. While these changes help offset some of these increased operational costs, they also help support our ongoing efforts to ensure that Dundee United can remain competitive on the pitch.
A reminder that we’re making it easier for supporters to secure their season ticket
with our V12 finance options - at a lower interest rate compared to last season - allowing you to spread payments into manageable monthly amounts. During the loyalty period, you can take advantage of our four-month payment plan with no finance fee — making it even easier to secure your seat for the season ahead.
Our payment options have been hugely popular with supporters in recent years, and we’re pleased to be able to offer a wide range of flexible finance options for the 2025/26 campaign.
Once you’ve secured your Season Ticket, you can easily download your digital season card, which can be added directly to your Apple or Google Wallet for quick and easy access on matchdays.
For those who prefer a physical card, we’re still offering them for a small admin fee of £2. These can be collected for free from our club shop closer to the start of
the season, or if you prefer, you can have your physical card posted to you for a postage fee.
Please note: when purchasing online, e-tickets are selected by default. If you would like a physical card, please ensure you select the required option on the drop-down when completing your order.
DAVID FERNÁNDEZ
Born on 20 January 1976 in A Coruña, Galicia, David Fernández began his football journey with his hometown club Deportivo de La Coruña. After helping their reserve team earn promotion to the Segunda División B in 1995, his form earned him a quick call-up to the first team by then-manager John Toshack.
Fernández made his competitive debut in a UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup tie against Apollon Limassol in Cyprus on 14 September — a goalless draw. His first taste of La Liga came on 26 November, coming off the bench for Txiki Begiristain
in
He finished that season with 26 appearances and four goals, including a purple patch in which he scored against Real Sociedad, Atlético Madrid, and Real Zaragoza. Despite early promise, Fernández struggled to cement a starting place and was twice loaned to the Segunda División — first to Sevilla in 1997–98, and then for a full season with CD Toledo, where he played regularly but couldn’t prevent relegation. He was released by Depor in 2000.
a 3–1 home win over Real Valladolid.
That summer, former Barcelona and Scotland forward Steve Archibald was attempting a takeover of Scottish First Division side Airdrieonians, and used his Spanish connections to bring several players over — Fernández among them. Despite promising performances, financial issues meant the Spanish contingent were released in March 2001. However, his displays caught the eye of Livingston, who were chasing promotion to the Scottish Premier League, and he signed on.
Though cup-tied for their Scottish Cup semi-final, Fernández played a major role in Livingston’s historic third-place finish in their debut SPL season (2001–02), earning UEFA Cup qualification. He was nominated for SPFA Player of the Year, and his form prompted Martin O’Neill to sign him for Celtic in a £1 million deal.
Despite the fee, Fernández never
His intelligent, considered style was perhaps at odds with O’Neill’s more direct approach. He managed just one goal — against FK Sūduva Marijampolė in the UEFA Cup — and spent much of his time on the bench, including for the 2003 UEFA Cup Final against Porto. A loan back to Livingston followed in 2003–04, where he helped the club lift the League Cup with a 2–0 win over Hibernian. After 20 appearances (12 from the
bench) and one goal, he was released in August 2005. He remained in Scotland, signing a three-year deal with Dundee United under Gordon Chisholm.
Fernández debuted off the bench against Hearts on 14 August and became a regular, starting in the thrilling 5–4 win away to Motherwell, where he also scored. He added further goals against Livingston, Aberdeen (in a dramatic 3–2 Scottish Cup defeat), Falkirk, and memorably against Celtic — where he netted twice, including an 86th-minute equaliser to earn a 3–3 draw at Parkhead.
Despite strong contributions and seven goals, financial pressures meant Fernández, one of the club’s highest earners, was told he had no future at Tannadice alongside Paul Ritchie and Derek McInnes.
After agreeing a severance deal, he joined Kilmarnock in August 2006 on a two-year contract. Sadly, on 29 October, a challenge from Celtic’s Gary Caldwell left him with a serious cruciate ligament injury, ruling him out for the rest of the season. He was released when his contract expired in May 2010.
Returning home to A Coruña, Fernández kept fit by training with amateur side Silva SD. Then, in 2012, came an exciting new chapter — when he was appointed as a scout for Manchester City, putting his extensive football knowledge and European experience to good use behind the scenes at one of England’s top clubs.
FLASHBACK FOCUS
JANUARY 1962
DUNDEE UNITED 4
CELTIC 5
Over the 100 years since United and Celtic first met in September 1925, there have been many exciting games between the two sides, but perhaps none more so than the one that took place in the 1961–62 season – United’s second season after promotion.
Ahead of it, manager Jerry Kerr wanted to build on the very promising start his side had made in the previous season – their first back in the top flight for 28 years.
By January, Kerr’s men sat tenth – the position they would also occupy at the season’s end.
As that suggests, their form had been inconsistent – best illustrated when a 4-0 defeat of Hibs was immediately followed by a 7-2 drubbing at Third Lanark.
A first win over one of the Old Firm since returning to the top level was
anticipated by the Tannadice faithful, who had been disappointed in November when a thrilling encounter with Rangers ended in a 3-2 defeat.
The form of neither side could have led any supporter, on that winter’s day, to anticipate what would unfold in a torrid first half for United.
uncharacteristically low league finishes of sixth and ninth.
Seven weeks later, it was Celtic’s turn to visit Tannadice and, having held the Glasgow club to a 1-1 draw the year before, there were realistic hopes that this time United could go a step further.
As it turned out, it proved to be the match of the season.
In part, those lofty ambitions were rooted in the fact that the Celtic side, by their own high standards, was hardly a vintage one.
The past eight seasons had produced just two League Cup successes and had also seen
That said, the Hoops sat fourth when they arrived at Tannadice and would end the season one rung higher.
A display of dithering by Kerr’s team allowed Celtic to score three times in an eight-minute spell, and it seemed that the game had already been settled as a contest, with just half an hour played and Celtic leading 4-1.
After 13 minutes, Mike Jackson received the ball just outside the penalty area and, as the United defence backed off, he advanced before hitting a rising shot past Alec Brown to open the
Before United and their fans had time to gather their thoughts, the lead was doubled. Just 60 seconds later, John Hughes bustled his way into the box past halfhearted challenges and, almost reaching the byline, turned to shoot and beat Brown from an acute angle.
Captain Tommy Neilson tried gamely to raise his colleagues and urge them on, but on 21 minutes, the tale of woe continued. Brown came out of his goal, intent on gathering a Bobby Carroll corner, but completely missed the ball, leaving Jackson with the simple task of heading into the unguarded net.
It was a disastrous spell, but to their credit, United’s heads didn’t stay down, and only two minutes later Jim Irvine was on the spot to score from close range. That was a boost for the young inside forward, who had been the club’s leading league scorer for the past two seasons. But that was only his third of the current campaign, having just returned after two months out injured.
United now rallied, and the supporters must have hoped their team might make further inroads into Celtic’s lead before half-time. However, their wishes were dashed on the half-hour mark when a bizarre goal restored the visitors’ advantage. Doug Smith had been enjoying an excellent first season as a United
regular following Ron Yeats’ departure, but he handed Celtic their fourth goal. Attempting to hook clear a high ball into the box, he only succeeded in slamming it against the onrushing Hughes, and it rebounded into the net.
United were surely glad to hear the half-time whistle, having avoided further punishment. Kerr reshuffled his attack during the break, with only right-winger Wattie Carlyle keeping his place – a sign he hadn’t given up hope. But just as the new setup began to take shape, disaster struck again. Pat Crerand fired in from 20 yards, the shot deflecting off a defender to leave Brown helpless.
At 5-1 with 44 minutes left, it looked over. But United didn’t agree. Believing the score flattered the opposition, they pushed to claw it back. When the score stayed the same midway through the half, some fans gave up and left – a decision they’d soon regret.
In the 67th minute, exCelt Neil Mochan split the visitors’ defence with a pass that bore all the hallmarks of his great pedigree. Irvine darted in one-on-one with goalkeeper Frank Haffey and sent the ball past him to make it 5-2. Six minutes later, Mochan was again the architect, chipping a pass into the danger area which Carlyle headed down to complete his hattrick and make it 5-3.
Now there were murmurs of ‘just maybe’ among the
Tannadice faithful, fuelled by the appearance of the limping John Hughes being pressed back into service despite his injury – no substitutes in those days.
It smacked of desperation because the visitors still had a two-goal lead. Not for long though.
As the match entered the last ten minutes, Carlyle –whose fast-raiding wing play increasingly had the Celtic defence on the back foot – took a pass from Neilson, held off Jim Kennedy’s challenge and brilliantly squeezed a drive past Haffey’s near post. Now it was 5-4 with nine minutes plus injury time left.
Throwing everything into attack in search of the equaliser, United came close twice, with Carlyle at the heart of both.
In the 89th minute, he cut inside and drilled in a shot from the edge of the box, which Haffey, at full stretch, touched over the bar. Then, with seconds remaining, the winger went down in the box under a Billy McNeill challenge – but vociferous claims for a penalty were ignored.
That was the last play of this pulsating contest. United’s blistering finish could not have contrasted more with a blundering opening halfhour. Certainly, no one could have foreseen the outcome a minute into the second half.
FIRST TEAM SQUAD
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A LOOK THROUGH THE ARCHIVES!
This week’s look back in time highlights the United squad which would ultimately take the Club to its first-ever Scottish Cup Final appearance, eventually ending in a 3–0 defeat to Celtic at Hampden.
Season 1973–74 was one in which Jim
McLean’s youth policy — implemented almost immediately after his appointment as manager 18 months earlier — began to bear fruit.
But it also signalled the end of an era for some.
Two of the players featured in this pre-
season team group were to depart within a matter of weeks after the new season started.
Having made one appearance as a substitute in the League Cup, left-back Jim Cameron — who, along with Wattie Smith and Gerry Hernon, was signed
from Ashfield Juniors in October 1966 — headed for Falkirk after seven years and 208 appearances.
Likewise, Ian Mitchell, in his second spell at the Club, made one substitute appearance before being released and also joined Falkirk, his hometown club. Despite being only 27 when he left, ‘Mitch’ made 324 appearances, and his tally of 133 goals makes him fourth on the all-time list of Tannadice scorers.
Another mid-season departure was Jim Hendry, who joined Aberdeen in January 1974 for £10,000.
About to burst onto the scene were no fewer than five teenagers: Derek Addison, Andy Gray, John Holt, Dave Narey and Graeme Payne. None were regarded as first-team squad members at the start — but that was about to change quickly.
Gray and Payne made their debuts in the League Cup sectional ties and quickly became first-team regulars, both starting in the Scottish Cup Final against Celtic.
Meanwhile, Narey had to wait until November to make his first appearance, while both Addison and Holt received their first call-ups in January 1974.
For reference, the United team at Hampden was: Davie, Gardner, Kopel, Copland, D. Smith (Traynor), W. Smith, Payne (Rolland), Knox, Gray, Fleming, Houston.
As Celtic also won the league, United had the consolation of qualifying for the following season’s European Cup Winners’ Cup.
Finishing a respectable eighth and reaching the semi-final of the Texaco Cup was also a clear sign that the side was heading in the right direction.
Eliminating two English First Division clubs — Sheffield United and Leicester City — before succumbing to Newcastle United in extra time over two legs showed just how close the side came to reaching the final.
It’s worth noting that all three English teams were beaten at Tannadice — something hard to imagine these days!
All things considered, it was a season in which the combination of experience and emerging teenage talent took the Club another step forward on the road to sustained success.
1924
DUNDEE UNITED 2–0 FORFAR ATHLETIC | DIVISION TWO
score just three times in his 60 appearances for the Club — opened the scoring, following up after a Dave Richards shot was saved. Earlier, James Porter had struck the post
26 APRIL
from the penalty spot. Joe O’Kane sealed the win five minutes from time, but overall, this was a rather tepid affair.
1952
DUNDEE UNITED 4–1 ABERDEEN (AGGREGATE 4–4) | DEWAR SHIELD SEMI-FINAL SECOND LEG
A rousing fightback saw United overturn a threegoal deficit to draw level on aggregate. Peter McKay struck in the first minute to spark hope, but Aberdeen hit back through Harry Yorston. Undeterred, Andy Dunsmore and Jimmy Irvine netted within a minute of each other before George Grant scored a dramatic equaliser. Though United won the toss for the replay, Aberdeen came out firing and eventually
won 7–3 after racing into a five-goal lead.
1958
STRANRAER 1–4 DUNDEE UNITED | DIVISION TWO
The scoreline flatters United, who had to battle hard against a spirited
Stranraer side. Ron Yeats was pivotal at the back, and Wilson Humphries made the difference up front with a hat-trick. Jimmy King added the fourth, while Danny McCulloch pulled one back for the hosts.
Footnote: On the same afternoon at Hampden, Johnny Coyle scored the winner for Clyde as they lifted the Scottish Cup with a 1–0 win over Hibs.
1975
KILMARNOCK 2–4 DUNDEE UNITED| DIVISION ONE
Already assured of their place in the new Premier League, United spoiled Killie’s promotion hopes with a stunning first-half performance. Goals from Andy Gray, Paul Sturrock and Iain McDonald inside 18 minutes gave United a dream start. Killie hit back through Ian Fallis and Ian Fleming, but Sturrock’s second secured the points and confirmed United’s highest-ever league finish to date — 4th place.
2008
MOTHERWELL 2–2 DUNDEE UNITED | SPL
On a windy, bumpy Fir Park surface, United kept their hopes of third place alive thanks to Lee Wilkie’s late equaliser. Chris Porter had twice given ‘Well the lead, either side of a Stephen Craigan own goal. But in the dying minutes, a Danny Grainger long throw was flicked on and nodded home by Wilkie to spark wild celebrations among the travelling Arabs.
2014
DUNDEE UNITED 5–1 MOTHERWELL | PREMIERSHIP
A ruthless attacking display saw United blow Motherwell away at Tannadice. Stuart Armstrong was superb — setting up both of Nadir Çiftçi’s goals before scoring one himself. Ryan Dow and Brian Graham added gloss to the scoreline. Lionel
Ainsworth’s deflected consolation was all the visitors had to show for
2024
AIRDRIE 0–0 DUNDEE UNITED | CHAMPIONSHIP
An evening that left much to the imagination on the park outwith Jack Walton’s heroics - but a stalemate that officially secured our return to the top flight of Scottish Football at the first time of asking!
