A life-long Dundee United fan got a tattoo of club manager Tam Courts after losing a bet with his mates.
Malcolm Steedman, 53, got the tattoo after the Terrors earned a spot in the Europa Conference League qualifiers – something he didn’t think would happen at the beginning of the season.
Bet made after narrow win against Ayr
Following the club’s League Cup match against Ayr United in August – a draw which Dundee United only won on penalties – the 40-year-long season ticket holder told his pals he would get a tattoo of manager Tam Courts if they qualified for European football.
He said: “Last year I was at the Perth Races with my mates during the summer.
“I think that United were playing Ayr United in the cup and they went through on penalties.
“Before it, when (Tam Courts) got appointed I was like: ‘this is a disaster, what are we doing?’
“I was arguing with my mates and when we went through on penalties I thought it was ridiculous. Dundee United shouldn’t be going through on penalties against Ayr.
“It was a wee bit of a heated argument with my mates and I said that if he got us to Europe I would get a tattoo.”
‘I actually forgot all about it’
At the time, the Audi employee never thought that he would have to follow through on his bet – however, things soon started to change for the team.
He said: “As the months went by we were getting better and then this tattoo – I don’t know where it appeared from – somebody put it up because we were doing so well and I decided that it would be the one I got.
“I thought we’d still never get to Europe – but that’s what I had to get.
“I actually forgot all about it until the split and my mate reminded me.”
On the final day of the season, United won against Ross County and secured their first European tie in a decade.
The result meant that Malcolm would have to follow through on his pledge, and on Friday he got the tattoo at Lochee’s Tribal Skribe.
‘I’m just surprised we got to Europe’
The design – which was inked onto Malcolm’s right arm – shows the United manager smiling, with ‘Puss Shuttin’ Champion 21/22′ written underneath.
The United fan added: “I’m a man of my word.
“My mates said it was superb.
“Everything’s been pretty positive – I posted it to Twitter and people were pretty positive.
“He’s done us well, got us to Europe and I’m a man of my word and all that.
“I’ve got a lot of tattoos anyway so it doesn’t really make a difference to me – I’m just surprised we got to Europe.”
Malcolm hopes to go and see the qualifier with his son when the draw is announced.
He says that he is yet to hear anything about the tattoo from the club itself, however the response on social media has been very positive.
Beginning of the season I stupidly mouthed off and said I would a get a tattoo of @dundeeunitedfc Tam Courts if he qualified us for Europe today I got the tattoo thanks to tribal scribe @dodefoxpodcast @Historic_Ally pic.twitter.com/DnNLdbgz6n
— Arabsteed (@malsteed) May 27, 2022
He posted a picture of the tattoo to Twitter, where it received more than 500 likes and 41 responses.
One user said: “Brilliant! Need to get his signature tattoo next to it.”
Another added: “It’s actually a very good tattoo and captures his likeness.
“I think you might get hacked off in 10 years time explaining to folk who it is, however.”
