The symbolism was striking.
Dundee United’s first press call of the 2023/24 season took place on July 10. Relatively late, but the club were keen to keep a low profile. Focus on hard graft rather than hopeful platitudes.
Too many actionless words had been spoken in the prior campaign.
Ross Docherty was on media duty. The club’s first summer signing and the man who would ultimately go on to be named club captain – sporting a black eye.
The shiner was sustained in a behind-closed-doors friendly against East Fife, with Docherty taking a stray boot square in the face.
So, there he was: a walking metaphor for the new United. Combative; aggressive; willing to take a rap in the pus in a meaningless bounce match. Just what was needed after too many meek surrenders during the Terrors’ descent to relegation.
Jim Goodwin was determined to build a gutsy, characterful United side capable of handling the second tier.
Some 298 days later, a beaming Docherty was handed the Championship trophy – the very same one Jim McLean held aloft after winning the Premier Division in 1983 – by owner Mark Ogren.
As he hoisted it into the night air, the crowd roared, music blared and fireworks illuminated the scene. Job done.
If one were to simply scan the numbers – spotlighted by Courier Sport on Sunday – then they might conclude that Goodwin’s charges enjoyed a rather serene march to the title.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
The exodus
“Come and see me and we’ll rip up the contract and send them on their way,” said Goodwin. “I’ll not be difficult to deal with.”
The words were left to hang in the air – the starting gun for an inevitable exodus.
Around an hour had passed since Steven McLean’s full-time whistle at Fir Park confirmed United’s relegation on May 28, 2023 (in a peculiar quirk, Mr McLean was also the referee on Friday night as the Terrors restored their Premiership status).
However, Goodwin was already planning for the subsequent season. A revolution in personnel and mindset was required.
Ian Harkes, Ryan Edwards, Liam Smith, Peter Pawlett, Arnaud Djoum and Steven Fletcher left in short order. You can watch the latter strutting his stuff on Disney+ after he was tempted to Wrexham by a call from Ryan Reynolds.
Dylan Levitt and Aziz Behich – both at a World Cup six months prior – had no desire to play it the Championship, leaving United in an unenviable bargaining position.
A fee was paid by Hibs for Levitt, while Behich joined Melbourne City for an undisclosed sum; a deal that would earn the Tangerines a further £500,000 when he moved to Al-Nassr courtesy of an inspired sell-on clause.
Finnish duo Immi Niskanen and Carljohan Eriksson headed for Exeter City and Nordsjaelland respectively.
Charlie Mulgrew, understandably aware that he was being asked to annul what was likely his last ever playing contract and, consequently, a tough negotiator, did not leave until August.
The only real failure was Mark Birighitti remaining on the books, aside from a couple of emergency loans at Kilmarnock.
He was the subject of interest from Bolton, Hapoel Petach-Tivka and, in the January window, Crewe Alexandra, where it is understood he would have been installed as number one at a club chasing promotion from League Two.
United chiefs were left frustrated by his desire to stay put in the face of seemingly attractive opportunities to go and play regularly elsewhere.
Nevertheless, Courier Sport understands United succeeded in shaving around £2.6 million off the preposterous £6.9 million wage bill of 2022/23.
Indeed, while nobody at Tannadice desired relegation, there is now an appreciation that it did allow the club to rid itself of lavish contracts with more ease than the alternative.
A reset was possible.
The character profile
Without departed sporting director Tony Asghar and former head of recruitment Sean McGee, it was largely down to Goodwin and United chief executive Luigi Capuano to identify targets and build a squad.
They deserve immense credit for achieving that while overseeing necessary cost-cutting.
Docherty; Liam Grimshaw; Kevin Holt; Louis Moult; Declan Gallagher – been there, done it and ready for the scrap ahead. Dressing room Generals.
Goodwin made character profile a top priority throughout the recruitment process. “Too nice”, was his assessment of the relegated squad. He wanted leaders and fighters; players who despised losing.
Jack Walton would prove an inspired capture on loan from Luton Town, with the goalkeeper opting for United over several options in England’s League One.
Ollie Denham was a misfire, but one that was remedied with the signing of Sam McClelland on loan from St Johnstone in the winter.
While a slightly hackneyed sentiment, Tony Watt was like a new signing. His United career appeared to be circling the drain after being sent on loan to St Mirren in January 2023.
He was afforded a lifeline by Goodwin – apologising for an interview in which he expressed a desire to make the switch to the Buddies permanent – and grasped it with hard graft behind the scenes and efficacy on the pitch.
The former Celtic and Scotland striker notched 15 goals and served as Docherty’s vice-captain.
One of Goodwin’s guiding principles is that a dressing room should police itself and the way he has assembled, and managed, the right balance of personalities is one of his biggest triumphs.
Building from the back
To describe United’s failed Premier Sports Cup campaign as a false start would be an understatement.
Following their 1-0 defeat against Spartans, club directors were subjected to a barrage of abuse from furious travelling fans at Ainslie Park and Dave Bowman became embroiled in a heated debate with a couple of punters.
It is understood that the United coach felt that some of the vitriol – particularly certain comments aimed at the Tangerines’ younger players that day – went over the score. He made that known.
But when the Championship commenced, Goodwin’s outfit looked well-oiled and rampant. Every inch the title favourites. They emerged unbeaten from the first quarter, accruing 21 points and conceding just FOUR goals.
Via smart signings and a diligent set-up, Goodwin oversaw a hell of a turnaround given the almost comical ineptitude of United’s defending the previous season.
There was only one thing stopping United from running away with the title: Raith Rovers.
Raith Rovers rivalry
Ian Murray’s free-flowing Fifers were clinging onto the coattails courtesy of some delightful football and an otherworldly penchant for stirring comebacks and last-minute goals.
Underdogs on the pitch and disruptors off it; Rovers were always ready with a cutting tweet or pithy cartoon. United would have the last laugh but Raith had a giggle along the way.
Most of it was shrugged off. A bit of fun. Indeed, even Watt was known to be tickled by their image of him as a Corinthian figure, being knocked over by Shaun Byrne.
But there were spicier moments along the way.
The ‘Sliding into…’ tweet, which showed Walton being scythed down by Jack Hamilton during Raith’s 2-1 win in February, went unappreciated by some at United who felt that luxuriating in a reckless foul was out of order.
And the public back-and-forth regarding Rovers’ allocation being “cut” in February was a furore over nothing. Anyone who has taken their place in the Carling Stand of late will note that there are two turnstiles not in operation. That limits capacity.
It will be factored into work on Tannadice scheduled for the summer.
Less being rattled, more logistics.
Rovers, however, felt the reasoning could have been communicated more clearly and at an earlier date.
On the park, United finally got the upper hand over their persistent foes with a 2-0 win in March. It was comfortable, comprehensive, and marked the start of a superb run of five wins in six games.
The Tangerines hit their stride when it mattered and, in doing so, banished the memories of a fairly underwhelming third quarter, during which Goodwin by his own admission “got things wrong”.
The lap of honour
As the players and staff completed their lap of honour last Friday night, plenty deserved their flowers.
Goodwin, generally inscrutable when the tapes roll, will never let on just how much pressure was associated with guiding United back to the Premiership.
After a nightmare end to life at Aberdeen and relegation with the Terrors, what was next if he failed in this role? Thankfully, now a moot question. That trophy in his hands was a weight off his shoulders.
Lee Sharp, Goodwin’s long-time assistant and friend, suffered the tragic loss of his partner Angela following a period of illness in December. This was professional success amid unimaginable personal heartbreak.
Moult went from playing 24 games in the previous FOUR seasons to scoring 20 goals and silencing the doubters. Watt’s redemption arc. Kai Fotheringham rippling the net 15 times in his maiden campaign as a United regular.
Walton setting a new club record for league clean sheets in a single campaign. Docherty’s leadership. Craig Sibbald and Scott McMann, the poster-boys for consistency. Glenn Middleton, the assist machine.
There are others not mentioned due to the pursuit of brevity rather than a lack of merit.
That ship called Dignity
“Would bring a tear to a glass eye,” tweeted one United fan, reflecting on Tannadice’s rendition of “Dignity” by Deacon Blue and, of course, penned by die-hard Arab Ricky Ross.
As an aside, if United take one lesson from this campaign, then it should be: get that tune played whenever the occasion, atmosphere or result calls for it. It was spine-tingling stuff.
It remains to be seen whether Ricky takes Tony Watt up on his offer to perform on the band’s next tour and, if so, what effect that has on ticket sales…
But on the subject of “the money in his kitty”, owner Ogren was an understated – if visibly thrilled – presence on Friday night.
Captain Docherty invited him to the podium with the trophy (always good to stay in the big boss’ good books) but he declined. He didn’t appear keen to hog the spotlight.
Nevertheless, he will be centre-stage in the coming weeks; the man charged with green-lighting the club’s Premiership plans.
Being steward of United doesn’t get any easier. Or cheaper.
What are the expectations for next season? How much will Goodwin be allowed to spend? Will swirling rumours of external investment come to fruition? Will there be another big ticket project with the Dundee United Supporters’ Foundation?
Perhaps there will be scope to put those questions to the Minnesotan businessman during his time in Scotland. Despite being an amiable chap when casually chatting, he has little fondness for facing the media.
Regardless, a fascinating period lies ahead and, unlike last year, all Arabs can approach it with excitement and intrigue rather than trepidation and despair.
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