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8 matches that defined Dundee United’s tumultuous 2023

As we welcome 2024, Courier Sport reflects on the games that mattered for United last year

Kyle Vassell celebrates as Kilmarnock effectively relegate Dundee United
Kyle Vassell celebrates as Kilmarnock effectively relegate Dundee United. Image: SNS

The curtain has come down on 2023 and, for Dundee United, it was a tumultuous, testing 12 months.

Relegation, a change of management, directors resigning; it was often lamentable and rarely uneventful.

Here, Courier Sports casts an eye over the matches that mattered.

Kilmarnock 1 – 0 Dundee United, February 1

While murmurs of discontent had been prominent prior to the trip west, this game is notable as the first visible sign of mutiny from a section of United’s fed-up fanbase.

Played a matter of hours after the January transfer window slammed shut, travelling Arabs unveiled a banner reading “Asghar Out” at Rugby Park, aimed at sporting director Tony Asghar.

The message would be echoed at Tynecastle and the Tangerines’ AGM.

United allowed Tony Watt to join St Mirren on loan without securing a replacement, while young defender Loick Ayina was the club’s only capture. The goalkeeping situation and midfield imbalance were not remedied.

A section of Dundee United fans make their feelings known at Kilmarnock after a damp squib of a deadline day
A section of Dundee United fans make their feeling known after a damp squib of a deadline day. Image: SNS

And the mood of those angry Arabs was not improved as Killie claimed a 1-0 win, with Dan Armstrong rippling the net after Steven Fletcher’s costly penalty miss.

Dundee United 1 – 2 St Johnstone, February 18

This was intended to be a celebration of the 1983 Premier Division title winners.

Dundee United's legends of 1983
Dundee United’s legends of 1983. Image: SNS

Close to 10,000 fans packed into Tannadice for United’s showdown with their Tayside rivals. Paul Sturrock, Paul Hegarty, John Holt and Hamish McAlpine were among those paraded on the pitch at half-time.

One can only imagine what they thought about the farce that unfolded as, with the score balanced at 1-1, Mark Birighitti dallied on the ball on his goal-line. That allowed Stevie May to tackle home the winner.

It remains one of the most dumbfounding moments in United’s recent history, and rather exemplified an awful – occasionally, to an almost comical extent – campaign in DD3.

Ross County 4 – 0 Dundee United, February 25

One of the most impactful matches of Mark Ogren’s Dundee United stewardship.

Fresh from an occasionally spicy AGM, during which Ogren stated that there would be no immediate personnel changes and he retained faith in Asghar, the Minnesotan businessman was in attendance in Dingwall.

And he cut a shell-shocked figure as the Terrors meekly capitulated.

Eamonn Brophy (2), Yan Dhanda and Jordan White found the net as United turned in their worst performance of the season, with the ire of the travelling fans audibly turning on Ogren at one point.

Head coach Liam Fox was sacked within 24 hours.

Asghar departed three days later.

Dundee United 0 – 3 Kilmarnock, May 24

Although United would be officially relegated at Fir Park, their fate was effectively assured in their final home fixture of 2022/23.

Despite the backing of 10,406 fans at Tannadice, goals from Kyle Vassell (2) and Innes Cameron secured a comprehensive win for Killie as the Tangerines collapsed during the run-in.

United would ultimately lose all five of their post-split fixtures, rendering the brief rally under new boss Jim Goodwin – one defeat in six games between March 8 and April 22 – moot.

The Spartans 1 – 0 Dundee United, July 15

A new season; a fresh start?

For the furious band of United fans that made the trip to Ainslie Park, still nursing the raw wounds of relegation, this felt all-too familiar.

Goodwin’s hastily rebuilt side were under-cooked and stunned by The Spartans in the Viaplay Cup, playing their first ever match as a league side following promotion from the Lowland League.

Blair Henderson, superb throughout, was the match-winner with a close-range strike.

The Terrors would go on to exit the Viaplay Cup at the group phase – but that did not prove to be a harbinger of things to come.

The improvement prior to the Championship campaign was laudable and swift.

Jim Goodwin, Dundee United manager, on the touchline at Ainslie Park
Head-scratcher: Jim Goodwin cuts a frustrated figure on the touchline after losing to Spartans. Image: SNS

Nevertheless, that afternoon in south Edinburgh will go down as one of the more inauspicious competitive results in the United history books.

Partick Thistle 0 – 5 Dundee United, October 21

The final match of United’s first quarter in the Championship, and they produced a statement triumph against a promotion rival.

The dominant victory extended United’s unbeaten run to 13 – it would ultimately end at 17 – and sent them four points clear at the summit.

“Pump it up; United’s going up” rang out from the away section following a performance of clinical finishing and attacking swagger, capped by a Kevin Holt hat-trick.

Dundee United 6 – 0 Arbroath, October 27

The truth is whenever United sought to celebrate a milestone or were backed by a bumper crowd in 2023, it tended to fall flat. Every time they played in front of a 10,000-plus attendance at home, they lost.

However, there was one glaring exception.

The Friday night visit of Arbroath marked exactly 100 years since Dundee Hibernian became Dundee United and the hosts – sporting one-off white kits – rose to the occasion in the teeming Tayside rain.

Two goals in the opening 14 minutes by Louis Moult and Ross Docherty calmed any nerves and set the tone.

Kai Fotheringham, Moult, Tony Watt, and Mathew Cudjoe would add to the tally as the Lichties were hit for six.

Dundee United 0 – 1 Raith Rovers, December 16

This was United’s first league defeat of the season – and the result that ensures Goodwin’s men are playing catch-up going into 2024.

Dylan Easton scored the only goal of an even contest, extending the Fifers’ winning run to seven matches. Any doubts regarding their credentials as title challengers were blown away by this victory.

Given United’s consistency this term, Raith’s position at the top of the pile is a magnificent achievement.

However, they have wobbled since that afternoon at Tannadice, playing out 4-4 and 2-2 draws at home to Ayr United and Arbroath, respectively.

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