With their handsome 4-1 victory over Partick Thistle last Friday night, Dundee United hit the 75-point mark for their victorious Championship campaign.
For all the peaks and troughs of a typically gruelling season in the second tier, it is a mighty impressive return; the highest total since Rangers secured their place in the Premiership in 2016.
However, that is the tip of the iceberg when considering some of the milestones reached by Jim Goodwin’s side in the past 10 months.
Here, Courier Sport spotlights the impressive facts and figures that underpinned United’s return to the top table of Scottish football.
On the attack
United rippled the net 73 times in the Championship, averaging more than two goals a game. Partick Thistle, with 63, are their closest challengers. Title rivals Raith Rovers ultimately notched 58.
Like their points total, the Tangerines’ goal tally is the best since Rangers hit 88 in 2015/16.
And the strikes have been spread around.
Louis Moult (20), Tony Watt and Kai Fotheringham (both 15) have ALL hit 15 or more goals in all competitions – the first time that has happened since 1997/98 when Kjell Olofsson, Gary McSwegan and Robbie Winters did the honours.
Kevin Holt (eight), Craig Sibbald (five), Glenn Middleton and Mathew Cudjoe (both four) can also look back on decent returns.
United registered 466 shots over the course of the campaign, with 186 on target. That was more than 100 ahead of their nearest challenger in that metric, Queen’s Park with 365, and 149 on target.
Glenn Middleton – who played a part in EVERY game this term – ended the campaign with the most assists in the Championship, teeing up 13 goals, three clear of Jamie Murphy of Ayr United.
Rock solid at the back
United equalled the record for the least goals conceded in the second tier since the format change to a 36-game season in 1994, with Jack Walton being beaten just 23 times.
That is the same as St Johnstone in 1996/97 and St Mirren – who didn’t win the league despite their stoic streak – in 2004/05.
Walton kept 19 clean sheets in 36 Championship outings, which is more league shut-outs in a single season than any goalkeeper in Dundee United history.
However, there is some credence to him not being as busy as his Championship peers.
Kevin Dabrowski (100), Calum Ferrie (98), Mark Ridgers (83), Jamie Sneddon (68), Deniz Mehmet (67) and Derek Gaston (65) all made more saves than Walton (62).
That speaks to the iron-clad back-line in front of him.
United will end the season with the best defensive record in Scottish league football.
Imperious on the road
The Terrors’ away record outstripped their efforts at Tannadice this term.
While United were, at times, foiled and frustrated on home soil, Goodwin’s men tended to relish the additional space afforded on the road – with the opposition feeling more of an onus to attack in front of their own fans.
Winning their first two Championship away matches 4-0 and 3-0 against Arbroath and Ayr United, respectively, set the tone for a successful season on their travels.
United’s 12 away league wins is another club record, outstripping the iconic Premier Division champions of 1982/83, who racked up 11.
Attendances underline incredible backing in the face of relegation
United’s crowd of 11,802 for Friday’s victory over Thistle was their highest of the campaign and the Arabs created a wall of noise on a memorable night at Tannadice.
However, it was by no means an anomaly. The Tangerines have been extraordinarily well backed during a campaign in the second tier, especially after an utterly miserable and galling 2022/23.
The 10,000-mark was broken on FOUR different occasions. NO league games dipped under 7,000 fans.
United’s average attendance in the Championship was 8,408, compared to 9,461 in the prior campaign – with the latter figure inflated by the visits of Celtic and Rangers.
However, if one discounts the games against the Glasgow giants – with their guaranteed massive travelling support – that 2022/23 average slips to 8,977, only 6.4% per cent more than this season.
That is a remarkably small decrease given they also lost fixtures against Aberdeen, Hearts and Hibernian.
The Tangerines are comfortably the 6th best supported team in the country, with Dundee behind them in 7th, with an average crowd of 6,983 at time of writing.
Celtic, Rangers, Hearts, Aberdeen and Hibs are, predictably, the teams ahead of United.
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