ON SALE NOW WWW.DUNDEEUNITEDFC.CO.UK
shed talk
Dundee United and Curtis Sport will continue our long-standing partnership as the club’s drive to sustainability sees positive change around our matchday programme for season 2023/24.
The programme offering will now be free to view for all supporters online, with Season Ticket holders getting exclusive access ahead of each fixture.
For the collectors out there, Curtis Sport will again offer the opportunity to purchase a physical copy for every fixture.
The move is part of a wider Scottish football initiative towards environmental sustainability and comes as the club looks to play its part amid the growing climate crisis and the need to implement measures to reduce the impact on our environment.
Over the coming weeks, more announcements will be made around other activities as the club look to implement sustainability change across the stadium and the matchday experience.
WHY HAS THIS DECISION BEEN TAKEN?
As well as the above target of national environmental sustainability, there has been a rapid decline in matchday programme sales at Tannadice Park. An average of less than 2% of supporters who attend fixtures purchased a matchday programme across the 2022/23 season, resulting in a substantial five-figure loss for the club. This decline is representative over several seasons as supporters embrace digital technology, with the programme copy often seen as outdated by many attending matches.
The transition will allow for greater flexibility in our content offering and distribution, enabling fans to engage with the club in more ways. Embracing digital programmes not only demonstrates the club’s commitment to innovation but also ensures that fans can enjoy a more immersive and interactive experience whilst helping us achieve sustainability targets.
HOW TO VIEW OUR PROGRAMME
Season Ticket holders will receive their digital programme the day before each home league match directly via email. Season ticket holders should ensure their details are current to ensure e-delivery.
On the day of a match, the programme will be made available free to view for all supporters via our club website and social channels.
PRINTED COPIES
We are pleased to confirm that our programme partner Curtis Sport will still produce printed programmes on a made-to-order basis.
Programmes will be available for just £3 per issue alongside a subscription package that will offer fans the opportunity to receive all our programmes in the 2023/24 season, with delivery direct to your door.
Owner of Curtis Sport, Stuart Curtis said, ‘We’re delighted to continue working with Dundee United for the upcoming season. Discussions have been ongoing over the summer regarding the programme completists and collectors out there and how to best facilitate printed copies for those that need them. We’re pleased to be involved in the club’s hybrid model and are excited to continue our relationship of many years”.
Chief Operating Officer Joe Rice said, “Programme sales have fallen dramatically over recent seasons, and the demand on a matchday is sadly no longer there. However, as a club, we know how important the programme remains for collectors, some of whom have collected for over 40 years.
“The model we are going with this season should ensure we reach our sustainability targets, avoid continued financial loss, and produce a greater interactive product yet still allow our supporters who collect the programme to continue to do so.
“The relationship we as a club have with Curtis Sport is a great example of a collaborative partnership, and we remain very grateful for their continued support.”
Anyone wishing to purchase a programme, either by the fixture or as an annual subscription, can do so by visiting www.curtis-sport.com.
3
the gaffer
Saturday’s result was extremely disappointing for everyone and certainly wasn’t the start we were wanting going onto the new campaign.
We had four or five really good opportunities in the second half and I think on another day we take one or two of those. I felt like if we could get an equaliser then at that point we may well have gone on to win the game, but it certainly wasn’t for a lack of effort or commitment that we came up short.
Supporters are entitled to vent their frustrations. I know you were all extremely disappointed with the result and we have to take that on board. In this industry we’ve got to take the criticism when it comes our way but hopefully, there aren’t many more performances like that over the course of the season.
We’ve got an opportunity tonight at home to make amends straight away.
The players that are here understand the huge level of expectation at this club. We’re going to be the favourites going into a lot of games this season and as I mentioned the level of expectation is put on the players from myself, the staff and of course the supporters. When you play for as big a club as Dundee United you have to be able to handle that.
Tonight is going to be another difficult game. We’re expecting Partick Thistle to be competing for promotion once again this season so tonight provides a good test for us ahead of league business.
It’s still very early days for us and we won’t underestimate anyone.
We know we need to win the next three to progress in this competition and that starts with taking care of business tonight and we’re all looking forward to welcoming you back to Tannadice for the first time this season!
JIM GOODWIN
the visitors
With 20 minutes of their Premiership play-off second leg in Dingwall left, Partick looked certain to become the first side to have finished fourth in the Championship and gain promotion. Leading Ross County 3-0 on aggregate, Thistle appeared home and dry, only for the Staggies to stage a remarkable comeback and take the final to penalties in which, heartbreakingly for the Firhill side, County edged 5-4.
Thistle Manager Kris Doolan will eye going one further this time round but first will face Jim Goodwin’s side in the Viaplay Cup Group Stage - a good litmus test for what’s to come in the 2023/24 league campaign.
His first task of the summer was to replace much of his departed side - with Ross Docherty and Kevin Holt making the switch two Tannadice.
The Jags started their Viaplay Cup campaign with a 1-all draw at Peterhead, winning on penalties to secure an extra point.
previous cup clashes
Tonight is the 13th Scottish League Cup meeting with the Jags. The previous ties produced nine wins for United – in the last nine meetings - and two for Thistle, with a single draw.
The most recent was seven years ago and it’s remarkable that all of the others were condensed into the period between 1975 and 1990, with four of the six coming in consecutive seasons.
first clash
13 August 1975 –
Sectional Tie
THISTLE 3 (2) Joe Craig 2, Doug Somner
UNITED 1 (1) Billy Steele
Managers: Bertie Auld and Jim McLean
Attendance: 4,410
19 August 1987 – Second Round
UNITED 4 (0) Kevin Gallacher, Paul Sturrock, Ian McPhee, Iain Ferguson
THISTLE 1 (0) John Mitchell
Managers: Jim McLean and Billy Lamont
Attendance: 6,075
8
Alastair Riddle
1941-2023
The Club was saddened to learn of the death of Ally Riddle last month. Though very much a Montrose legend, for whom the winger made 255 appearances between 1958 and 1967, scoring 39 goals, he did enjoy a brief Tannadice tenure.
His football career started with Arbroath Lads’ Club and Ally and was signed as a schoolboy by Montrose FC in April 1959, when still only 17. After just over three years with Montrose FC, Jerry Kerr brought the 21-year-old right-winger to Tannadice at the beginning of August 1962.
He didn’t have to wait long before making his debut, wearing the number seven jersey in a 2-1 League Cup tie at Dens Park on 25th August, which ended in a 2-1 defeat in front of a crowd of 18,943 – quite a difference from the few thousand that he experienced for his Montrose days.
Having done well enough to keep his place, the Arbroath-born forward made his home debut the following midweek in a 2-0 win over Hearts.
He again also figured in the 0-0 draw that denied Celtic progression to the quarter-finals in the final group match, watched incidentally by a little over 20,000.
Indeed, he featured in the next three fixtures against Queen of the South (A), Dundee (H) and Third Lanark (A) to extend his consecutive games to six before being omitted from the side that hammered Hibs 5-0 at Tannadice.
Though he returned to the side a week later at Firhill, the 3-0 defeat at Partick’s hands proved to be his last first-team action.
After three months of playing reserve team football, he returned to his beloved Montrose in January 1963 where he stayed for four years. Released from Links Park in January 1967, he played four times for Brechin City scoring once, before retiring at the end of that season.
We pass on our condolences to Ally’s friends and family.
louis moult
Dundee United are delighted to announce the signing of striker Louis Moult on a oneyear deal.
Born and raised in Stoke-on-Trent, Moult made his top-flight debut for the Potters aged just 17 following a prolific career with the club’s academy sides.
In the years preceding his Premier League bow, the frontman enjoyed loan spells with numerous clubs across the English pyramid, but it would take a switch north of the border to find his feet in the professional game.
He arrived in North Lanarkshire in August 2015 and immediately hit the ground running, finding the net 18 times in his first campaign in claret and amber.
Moult garnered talismanic status at Fir Park as his goalscoring exploits continued, most notably bagging four in a Lanarkshire Derby, two in a shock victory at Parkhead, and notching a brace in the Viaplay Cup Semi-Final against Rangers - with the latter being nominated for the 2017/18 PFA Goal of the Season.
By the time he departed Motherwell for Championship outfit Preston North End, he boasted a strike rate of 0.48 goals per match.
The 31-year-old, who will wear number nine for United, brings a new dynamic to Jim Goodwin’s frontline and is immediately available for selection for this evening’s Viaplay Cup match against Partick Thistle.
”PROVEN GOALSCORER”
Goodwin was keen to emphasise Moult’s goalscoring pedigree, saying: “We are absolutely delighted to bring someone with Louis’ quality and experience to Tannadice - he is a proven goalscorer.
“I have no doubt these attributes will be invaluable heading into the 2023/24 campaign.”
dutv exclusive
Louis sat down exclusively with DUTV to discuss his ‘unfinished business’ in Scotland. Watch below!
13
