It was a halcyon period when just about anything seemed possible in Scottish football.
In the space of a few months in 1967, Celtic became the first British club to lift the European Cup and Rangers were only edged out after extra time by Bayern Munich in the European Cup Winners’ Cup final.
These events were followed by the likes of Denis Law and Jim Baxter gloriously bewitching and bewildering reigning world champions England in their own Wembley backyard.
Even in defeat, there were significant signs of how Scots feared nobody at the highest level of the sport and nowhere was that more evident than when Dundee United got the better of Juventus 55 years ago this week.
And yet it was a Pyrrhic victory for Jerry Kerr’s team who put their much-vaunted opponents through the wringer at Tannadice in the second leg of their Fairs Cup tie, but could only manage a solitary goal from Finn Dossing.
They ended up on the wrong side of a 3-1 aggregate loss.
But if this was a frustrating reverse for the hosts, it was another reminder of how Kerr had transformed United from struggling mediocrity into a group who were capable of jousting with giants and testing the mettle of the global elite.
But, of course, the appetite and ambition of United aficionados had been whetted by their club’s stunning demolition of Barcelona in the previous round of the competition, with Kerr’s personnel winning both ties.
The outcome provoked exultant scenes around Tannadice and the press did their best to lend a proper perspective on what had been a compelling and relentless display from the Jerry can-do brigade.
The Courier said: “It is hard to make words adequately tell the story as new history was made for this club that is growing up so fast.
“Made by a team that, true to tradition, refused to be daunted by reputation or ballyhoo. Maybe United DIDN’T play as well as they did in Barcelona.
“But, if you were a United fan or a man with the City of Dundee at heart – and with thought for Scottish football as a whole – it was a game and a half.”
Next up in the tournament were Juventus, and a harsh reality check loomed.
They did an Italian job on their rivals
The Scots had basked in the Barca spotlight, surging to a deserved 2-1 success, but they faced a greater challenge when they travelled to Turin in February.
Surprisingly, despite their previous heroics, the home fans obviously didn’t rate the threat posed by United and only around 5,000 turned up to watch.
They missed a compelling, visceral battle between two seriously committed combatants, even if the result gave the visitors an Everest to climb.
The Courier reported: “Dundee United will have to recapture the form they showed when they knocked out the holders, Barcelona, if they hope to turn the tables on Italian cracks Juventus in the second leg of the Fairs Cup.
“In Turin, United never looked like coping with their opponents, whose brilliant side will take a trick when they visit Dundee next month.
“But although they lost three goals (with a brace for Brazilian star Chineshino, and the other from Giampaolo Menichelli), the United defence still took the honours. Swede Lennart Wing, who was a tower of strength, finished the game limping, but his head was held high.”
In the aftermath, even if there might have been elements of straw-clutching, Kerr, a beguiling character, praised the tireless exertions of his side and remained in upbeat mood.
He said: “Three goals are a lot, but we hope the support of the fans will help us to overcome it. No doubt about it, Juventus are a very good team.
“They play excellent football. But United aren’t dead and buried yet.”
His opposite number, Heriberto Herrera, was more succinct, saying: “It was fine for us. So now we can go to Dundee with a quiet mind.”
Kerr, a beetle-browed individual with an ex-player’s knowledge of what instinctively made people tick, was among the most famous pipe smokers of the 1960s, in a list headed by Labour Prime Minister Harold Wilson.
And although he realised the magnitude of the task that was required, he had established a strong squad with an international flavour.
There were plenty of home-grown talents but he had also recruited a number of Scandinavian signings, including Lennart Wing and Orjan Persson from Sweden, Denmark’s Finn Dossing and Norway’s Finn Seemann.
Dundee United took fight to Juventus at a rocking Tannadice
Tannadice was rocking at the outset, but the crowd recognised their team would have to strike early and keep the door padlocked at the back.
They achieved the latter objective and, during a fast and frenetic opening period, showed positive glimpses of the penetration which had knocked Barcelona out of their rhythm.
Juventus were buffeted, but unbowed.
The Courier said: “Dundee United attacked for almost the entire 90 minutes, and their enterprise couldn’t be faulted, but only once did they manage to break a tremendous defence.
“Time and time again, they carried the ball downfield, only to founder on the rock-like defence of eight or more Italians.
“Jimmy (Briggs), (Dennis) Gillespie and (Thomas) Neilson urged on their forwards incessantly, but twin centre-halves, (Giancarlo) Bercellino and (Ernesto) Castano snuffed out Dundee United’s Scandinavian menace.
“Twice within the first minute, Castano booted wildly clear as Dossing raced goalwards. Then, from a (Billy) Hainey cross, Dossing had a try with an overhead kick, but (Roberto) Anzolin saved easily. The Scots were playing clever, constructive football in midfield, but couldn’t find a gap.”
The pressure was unrelenting, but all to no avail in that hectic scramble of a first half where the Scots probed, jabbed and carved out opportunities, but were denied by their rivals flinging themselves into the fray.
Perhaps predictably, needle and nastiness crept into the proceedings. This was in the days when tackles weren’t so much of the late as the posthumous variety and the spectators vented their fury at the Italian rearguard’s fouls.
In truth, though, both sides dished it out and The Courier explained how a series of euphemistically “rather rough” challenges led to the referee having a chat with both captains as he sought to calm down the situation.
But the longer the game progressed, the more inevitable the outcome became.
There was one reason to celebrate
As the closing stages approached, nobody was criticising the United effort.
On the contrary, Tannadice was like a revivalist meeting and the supporters who were enjoying these new European odysseys finally had a reason to cheer.
The Courier said: “A tremendous 25-yarder from (Jimmy) Millar grazed the cross bar.
“Then, ten minutes from time, (Gianfranco) Leoncini conceded a corner as Briggs came thundering through. Following the kick, there was a scrimmage in the goalmouth and Dossing back-heeled past Anzolin.
“It was no more than just reward for the shift put in by the United players.”
Kerr couldn’t complain about his side’s commitment and industry. And he didn’t. “They gave their all and, on another night, it may have been different”.
There was certainly no disgrace in winning three out of four games against Barcelona and Juventus in their maiden European foray. Quite the contrary.
And, just a week later, Kerr was present at another match of a different kind.
As the paper said: “Mr John G Kerr and Miss Aileen Nicol, Monifieth, were pictured after their wedding in St Rule’s Church yesterday. The bridegroom is the only son of Mr Jerry Kerr, manager of Dundee United.”
At least, they were united, even if the tie had been lost!
More like this:
When Dundee United first bombed Barcelona out of Europe
Never-before-seen photos of Dundee United fans in Gothenburg in 1987
