Dundee United branded ‘most undesirable’ football club on BBC gameshow QI

The comedy panel show looked into why Nigerians use the club to call people 'idiots'.

By Ben MacDonald

January 13 2024, 11:55am

QI discussed why Nigerians call each other 'Dundee United' on Friday's episode. Image: BBC

Dundee United have been branded the most ‘undesirable’ of all uniteds on BBC comedy panel show QI.

The Tannadice club was unfortunately handed the title during Friday’s episode.

Host Sandi Toksvig’s first question to the panel was: “Which is the most undesirable of all the uniteds?”.

Discussing his Nigerian upbringing, guest panellist Nabil Abdulrashid said: “Most Nigerian boys, whenever we did something stupid, we used to be called Dundee United.

Confirming, Toksvig said: “It’s entirely correct. It is Nigerian slang for ‘idiot’.

Panellists Bill Bailey and Alan Davies learn why Nigerians use the club to call someone an idiot. Image: BBC

“It’s been around for about 30 years. Sometimes it’s just a ‘Dundee’, and then a group of idiots would be a ‘Dundee United’. You can also call someone a complete ‘Dundee United’.

When asked why the term came around, Abdulrashid replied: “I actually haven’t given it much thought, hence being a ‘Dundee United’. A wild guess would be that if the team exists they would really suck.”

Why do Nigerians call each other ‘Dundee United’?

After joking with fellow panelists Bill Bailey, Victoria Coren Mitchell and Alan Davies that there are Dundee and Dundee United football clubs – as well as a Dundee cake – Toksvig revealed the reason behind the term.

She said: “They did a summer tour of West Africa in 1972 where they played local teams. It was a complete disaster.

“They went down to a humiliating 4-1 defeat to a team called Stationery Stores Football Club.

“When they left the country, one headline just read: “Don’t Come Back”.

Toksvig went on to discuss Jim McLean, who had just started his 22-year managerial campaign at Tannadice.

He blamed the performance on the heat, injuries and the conditions of the pitches.

Nabil Abdulrashid shared that he used to be called Dundee United when growing up. Image: BBC

Toksvig said: “He went on to become Dundee United’s longest serving and most successful manager – but he was responsible for the fact that Nigerians call idiots ‘Dundee United’.

As the episode was broadcast, the club were on their way back home after picking up a 1-0 win against Inverness Caledonian Thistle in the Scottish Championship.

You can watch the panel discuss Dundee United on BBC’s iPlayer service.