This could have been a very different Dundee derby day for Blair Spittal had he taken another route to the city in the summer of 2014.
Spittal, then a promising 18-year-old at Queen’s Park, had the choice to join either Dundee United or Dundee after both clubs made offers.
Once he chatted with then Tangerines boss Jackie McNamara he quickly made up his mind that Tannadice was the place for him.
There was nothing at the time to suggest he might live to regret it.
Indeed, Spittal himself spoke then of how he had been inspired by the story of Andrew Robertson, who left the Spiders to join United and went on to establish himself in the Scotland side and earn a big-money move to Hull City.
Now, though, he might be forgiven thinking about what might have been as he teeters on the brink of relegation with the Tangerines and the Dark Blues sit secure higher up the table going into this Dens Park clash.
This is not just any old relegation United are staring in the face but relegation at the hands of – and at the home of – their city rivals.
It could have been so different for Spittal, however.
Instead of dreading this nightmare scenario for the Tangerines, Spittal could have been dreaming of delighting the Dark Blues fans by scoring the goal that sends the neighbours down a division.
However, he has no regrets and will be doing all he possibly can to win tonight’s match for Mixu Paatelainen’s men.
Spittal said: “There was interest from them (Dundee) but as soon as I met the manager I made my mind up that I was always going to come to United.
“It was the best place for me, as a young player, to develop.
“I feel as if I have developed over the two years, although this season hasn’t been the best.
“Nevertheless, I don’t have any regrets and I do believe it definitely was the best move for me.
“In terms of the games I have played and time I have had on the park it’s been good for me.”
Spittal, whose has scored four of his nine goals for United in derbies, may have been born in Renfrewshire but his time in his adoptive city has left him under no illusions as to how big a blow it would be to the fans and the club as a whole were they to be relegated at Dens.
He said: “I think most of the boys stay in or around Dundee so when you are out and about you do meet the fans.
“You realise what it means to them.
“Obviously, you think of the size of the club and see what it means to the supporters and everyone involved.
“It has been a difficult season and it’s disappointing.
“So the most important thing now is that we go out and get the victory.
“We can’t look back – we must deal with what is in front of us.
“There is a lot at stake but you play the game to be involved in pressure matches and we are looking forward to it.
“Form goes out of the window in derbies so we have a chance.”
Maybe so but it has been a hell of a build-up to the game for United, both on and off the park.
A horrendous display against Hamilton Accies was followed by a supporters’ demonstration outside the stadium.
There was speculation that Paatelainen’s days as manager were numbered and then came confirmation that chairman Stephen Thompson was willing to sell up and ship out.
Just to put the boot in, Kilmarnock then went to New Douglas Park on Saturday and beat Hamilton 4-0 to ensure that nothing short of a win tonight will be good enough to save United – at least until their next game – as they now sit 11 points adrift and there will be only nine points to play for after tonight.
Spittal insisted that the players haven’t let off-field matters affect them.
He claimed: “We are not really concentrating on that.
“We can’t allow that to affect us.
“For us, it’s about what we do when we go out on the pitch.
“The fans have a right to be unhappy and we as players have to deal with that and try to bounce back.
“We can’t take their support for granted and they have been excellent all season.
“We can maybe try to repay them a wee bit on Monday.
“It’s not been the greatest season but we have a chance to win a derby and that would be a big three points to take.
“They were obviously disappointed after the Hamilton game and they have every right to be unhappy given the way our results have gone.
“It has not been good enough but we do have a chance to put things right in the derby and we are determined to do that.
“It is a massive game and the stakes are high and we will have to be strong and be able to deal with whatever Dundee throw at us.”
It is just being realistic to consider what life will be like for United in the Championship next season.
However, at least for Spittal, that is best left to another day.
Asked if it will be difficult for United to bounce right back up to the Premiership, he replied: “We couldn’t take anything for granted and we’ve seen that this season.
“There are good sides in that division.
“But we can’t let thoughts like that get into our mind and affect us.
“It’s not something we really want to talk about.”
