Tam Courts is desperate to avoid a return to closed doors football as Covid begins to take a grip on the country again.
Football fans spent 15 months sidelined from stadia after the Covid-19 pandemic swept across the globe in early 2020.
The UK is again on a heightened state of alert following the discovery of the new Omicron variant, provoking renewed restrictions.
That has prompted fears that major events, including football, could see their supporter capacity slashed.
But with queues forming outside Tannadice with supporters to snap up Dundee derby tickets, Courts hopes to have the fans by his side in the New Year.
Sunrise on Tannadice queueing for tickets. 🌤
Club staff handing out tins of juice to us, kids skipping high school to be here, folk missing work. Great pic.twitter.com/fGeFGIzG5D
— Alistair Heather (@Historic_Ally) December 16, 2021
He said: “I don’t want to use my status as a Scottish Premiership manager to look at anything but a positive time of the year where fans love their football over the festive period.
“We certainly love it because there are some really important games coming up.
“We want fans in the stadium, football back and teams competing for three points on a Saturday.
“It’s important to understand how important football is for the fabric of society.
“We are loving playing in front of our home fans and we are looking forward to going to play in front of 50,000 at the weekend.
🗣 "It's got to be D.U.F.C"
Supporters can now secure their seat at Tannadice for the rest of the 2021/22 campaign with the purchase of a half-season ticket.
– Adults from £219
– Concessions from £109👉 https://t.co/fgYZar8w0i#UnitedTogether pic.twitter.com/OvdBw4IWMv
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) December 10, 2021
“I really don’t want anything to overshadow that. We want football to bring normality to society and we want full stadiums.
“Football is a tribal thing.
“Even simple things like when I was walking to the Rangers game (in midweek) I picked up on.
“I saw dads walking to the games with their sons and daughters and families congregating.
“I am normally in a stadium at 3pm and so you forget what it feels like in terms of the energy and the excitement.
“That build-up towards the game is enormous for everyone.”
Tam Courts insists Dundee United ‘need to be brave’ at Rangers
Meanwhile, Courts will take a Covid-hit squad to Rangers on Saturday.
United could be without several key players as they bid to avert a run of three successive defeats.
But Courts can draw inspiration from United’s last trip to Glasgow – where they drew 1-1 with Celtic in September.
“In Glasgow you have to be brave and fearless,” added Courts.
“You have to be aware the opposition is high quality and will have more of the ball.
“But we showed at Celtic Park we can go toe-to-toe. When we are brave and fearless, we can be a force for anyone.
“That has to be the benchmark, an example of what we have to be when we go to these venues.
“They are proper theatres and exciting places to go and play football.”
