Nobody could have grudged Jim Goodwin a sense of satisfaction as the Dundee United fans sang his name at full-time in Paisley.
I think that moment marked the point when the manager won over even the most hard-to-please supporters.
The sort of organised, resilient, physical, but most importantly dramatic and entertaining football United are playing this season is pretty tough to resist.
Even when they’re playing poorly – like against Hearts a few weeks back – they still look capable of taking something from games.
When they’re firing – and enjoy the rub of the green, as they did at St Mirren – wins are increasingly the inevitable outcome.
Paisley is a really tough place to go. Speak to any player or manager in the Premiership, they’ll tell you exactly that.
To take anything there, you first have to match the home team in terms of effort and fight.
That’s exactly what United did on Saturday; they dug deep and refused to back off, right until the very end.
That sort of performance epitomises what Dundee United have become this season under Jim Goodwin.
They find extra points in places most teams would settle for less, particularly late in matches.
The Tangerines have now scored 11 goals in the 85th minute or later. That’s an incredible statistic.
It shows how fit the manager has made his players, first of all. But it also shows the incredible team spirit he’s managed to instil.
For me, that all comes from organisation on the pitch – and the confidence it breeds.
United’s players know how to be in the right place at the right time.
And they know that if they get beat while defending, there will be another defender there to back them up.
Hats off to the players and the coaching staff for making that sort of resilience their calling card.
It gives United an instant foothold in any game; a platform from which they can go and claim victories.
Hats off too to the manager for getting everyone to buy in, including the fans.
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