There are few managers operating in the Championship right now who know better than Robbie Neilson just how powerful fans can be.
As a player, he played more than two thirds of his 350 plus games for Hearts, whose supporters, arguably, create the best atmosphere of any club outside of the Old Firm when their team is playing in front of them at Tynecastle.
And Robbie, of course, experienced more of what the Jambos fans have to offer when he successfully managed them for two-and-a-half years.
Those spells in Edinburgh, in particular, taught him the backing of a passionate support can be worth points to a team.
And he believes that can prove the case now he’s in charge at Dundee United.
Since taking over from Csaba Laszlo at Tannadice last month, Robbie has mentioned the quality of the backing Arabs have given his rejuvenated team on several occasions.
And he firmly believes they’ve more than played their part in an impressive unbeaten run of four wins and a draw that has seen the Tangerines re-emerge as serious promotion contenders from the second tier.
On Tuesday night, however, it could be a case of divided loyalties for some Arabs, simply because United will be facing Alloa in a re-arranged league outing at the same time as Scotland face what could be a vital Nations League clash with Israel at Hampden.
Having been blown away by the backing so far, the manager suspects it will be a case of club before country for most.
“I’m definitely looking for a big turnout,” he said.
“If there are any more pull-outs, my problem could be a few players might get called up for the Scotland squad!”
Jokes aside, he does believe most Arabs will be in their usual seats at Tannadice and providing the kind of backing that’s become the envy of the rest of the second tier.
“You have that Scotland game but the fans have been brilliant since I came in,” he said.
“We took nearly 1,000 fans up to Ross County last weekend and we took 1,800 to Dunfermline the other week as well.
“We’ve had great backing at home as well and, hopefully, they will turn up in numbers.
“I understand midweek football means it’s always difficult for fans to make the journey.
“We hope we can prove to them that if they come along we’ll try to entertain and try to get a result.”
As good as the backing so far has been, the manager does stress it remains down to his team to always make sure the supporters in the stands are given something to shout about.
“The fans can make a massive difference but the initial stage will come from the players because the players, in the first 20 minutes of the game, have to set the tone,” he said.
“They have to set the intensity and they have to get the fans off their seats.
“If we can do that it reciprocates from the fans and we start putting pressure on teams and that’s what we need.”
And that experience of playing with Hearts tells him if the support is on top form, at times it can mean points are picked up before a ball is even kicked.
“I’ve played in venues where teams have come and you knew, because of the atmosphere and intensity, the game was done in the warm-up,” he said.
“You knew you were going to win the game because the opposition couldn’t handle the atmosphere.
“We need the supporters to try to give us that and we know they can.”
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