“If they’re wearing the Dundee United kit, I’ll support them.”
A statement of devotion from young Arab Andrew Short – no doubt a sentiment shared by United supporters far and wide.
It’s been a long 16 months locked out of stadiums amid the coronavirus pandemic, but Tangerines fans finally got to see their team in action in the flesh this week – sort of.
Although it was a side made up of academy kids, Wednesday night’s pre-season friendly trip to Berwick Rangers provided the Terrors’ support their first opportunity to see their team since March 7, 2020.
Full-time: Berwick Rangers 3-1 Dundee United XI: The kids are most definitely all right for United. Fin Malcolm with their goal in the second half either side of Calum Smith and Trialist (what a family of plers) strikes for Berwick. Worthwhile exercise, some day, up the road. pic.twitter.com/MKT8gF3pEP
— Calum Woodger (@CalumWoodger) June 30, 2021
A lot has changed since that 1-1 Championship draw with Partick Thistle, in which the now-departed Dillon Powers scored his only United goal, but one thing that remains unbreakable is the bond between club and fan.
Speaking to a bunch of them during the young Terrors’ 3-1 defeat at Shielfield Park, that much is clear.
Although deeply-engrossed in the match, 19-year-old Andrew spoke passionately.
‘Without football, I dinnae ken where I’d be’
“I couldn’t have missed it any more,” he said.
“I’ve been a United fan my whole life, my first game was against St Mirren in 2006 and I’ve been a season ticket holder for coming up 10 years now.
“As soon as this was announced I was like: ‘Right, I’m going!’
“If it was U/16s I’d still enjoy it. If they’re wearing the Dundee United kit, I’ll support them.
“It’s as simple as that for me.
“I came down on the A90 Dundee United Supporters Club bus that goes from Aberdeen, Forfar and then Dundee.
“It had to be done. Without football, I dinnae ken where I’d be.
“It’s what motivates you during the week, for me.
“I’d been working a lot more on the weekends instead, I’m a car mechanic.
“For the majority of my pals, at the football is the only time you see them and that’s what you thrive off.
“It’s good to catch up with everybody and, obviously, watch the football as well.”
‘The guy sitting behind us won’t know who he’s shouting at!’
Andrew Bailey, who goes to matches with his son Ross, takes a more light-hearted look at the situation they found themselves in.
Forced to watch games at home on United’s streaming service, DUTV, and on rival clubs’ TV channels, it’s not been the same as heading down to Tannadice or following the Terrors on the road.
The season ticket holder relished being back at a ground in midweek, admitting to a lack of enjoyment watching his team online last season.
He laughed: “It’s been better than some of the games we saw on DUTV last year!”
“It’s been a long, long time and it’s not the same watching on the telly. You can’t see the game the same way.
“You don’t really remember anything that happened last season because you weren’t there, the big moments.
With Ross watching the youth. pic.twitter.com/bBqjeuKtNG
— Andrew Bailey 💙👨🏫 (@andrewkbailey13) June 30, 2021
“The only thing we really remember from last season is (Lawrence) Shankland’s half-way line goal (against St Johnstone) and beating Aberdeen (in the Scottish Cup).
“You’re not seeing what the players are doing, what runs they’re making when you’re not there. You don’t get that insight.”
Besides the football itself, Andrew is a stickler for the atmosphere generated on match days.
He looks forward to the day he can return to Tannadice and watch United, with new shouts and chants coming from fellow-supporters.
The 47-year-old, who travelled down to Berwick from Dundee, continued: “It’s been so long the guy sitting behind us won’t know who he’s shouting at!
“He’ll have to figure out who the new players are first before he tells them off.
“It’s crazy, though. We’ve a totally new manager (Tam Courts) and nobody saw Micky Mellon for a whole year.”
‘The appetite isn’t going to go away ever’
Campbell Finlayson, who made his way south of the border from Glasgow with his friends, missed the social side of the game as much as the action itself.
The atmosphere and noise generated by the United support stirs the 21-year-old.
With fans set to return in bigger numbers from what is being dubbed “Freedom Day” on August 10, Campbell hopes to get back inside Tannadice soon and help roar new boss Tam Courts’ team on to new heights.
For him, the Arabs’ passion and appetite for Dundee United will never die.
“It’s the first time I’ve seen some of my pals from the football in well over a year,” he commented.
“It’s good to get back, even just for pints before the games, it’s that kind of connection with folk you miss.
Another new ground ticked off the list tonight and worth the trip, even if it was just the under 18s😂 pic.twitter.com/zYJTFIJGNA
— Cambo (@Campbell6_2) June 30, 2021
“It’s frustrating watching at home on the streams but we all had to get used to that.
“It’s not the same as being in the stadium, though.
“It’s maybe not the biggest crowd here but it’s good just to hear some noise and that can make a big difference, I think.
“It’s frustrating when you see the Euros, there’s bigger crowds and ours are capped at 500 but I get where they’re coming from.
“Hopefully we can get in soon enough.
“Folk just love to get to the game and you saw that at Berwick, even just watching the U/18s it was a pretty vocal crowd.
“The appetite isn’t going to go away ever.”