It may have all turned sour, but there were some good times for Jackie McNamara prior to his leaving in the wake of Dundee United’s 2-1 defeat at St Johnstone.
Here Courier sports writer Ian Roache looks back on the best of the good times:
* 1 3-0 v Rangers. February 2, 2013. This was his first game in charge of United as the Light Blues visited in the Scottish Cup fifth round. It was a dream start to his time at Tannadice as Johnny Russell opened the scoring after just a minute. Jon Daly added a second on 37 minutes and then Russell finished off Rangers with a third 10 minutes from time.
* 2 4-1 v Kilmarnock. December 14, 2013. This match at Rugby Park has been selected to represent the purple patch that saw United score four or more goals in five successive matches, this result being the last in that incredible sequence. The wins before it came against Motherwell (4-0), Partick Thistle (4-1), Kilmarnock (5-2) and Hearts (4-1).
* 3 5-0 v Inverness Caley Thistle. March 9, 2014. The Tangerines romped to victory in this remarkable Scottish Cup quarter-final in the Highlands. Nadir Ciftci started things off with a double then goals from Gavin Gunning, Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong rounded off a brilliant victory at a tough venue.
* 4 3-1 v Rangers. April 12, 2014. This Scottish Cup semi-final provided arguably the most memorable moment of McNamara’s reign. It was the pre-goal celebration of Ciftci before he had actually put the ball in the net for the Tangerines’ third at the “neutral” venue of Ibrox. All three scorers that day Armstrong grabbed the first and Mackay-Steven got the second – would subsequently be sold to Celtic.
* 5 3-0 v Aberdeen. August 10, 2014. This season-opening win over a Dons side that many had been tipping for great things ranks among United’s best away results of the modern era. It was unexpected but all the better for that shock value. Tactically, it was one of McNamara’s finest matches as his players picked off the hosts at will and scored through Ryan Dow, Mackay-Steven and Chris Erskine in front of a packed Pittodrie.
* 6 6-2 v Dundee. January 1, 2015. The Tangerines were just seconds away from recording their greatest-ever result in a Dundee derby in this New Year’s Day match against the neighbours. Had Luka Tankulic not scored a last-gasp consolation for the visitors the margin of victory would have matched that of the 5-0 Dens Park massacre of 1965 and would have bettered it as a result due to the six goals scored by Armstrong, Mackay-Steven (two), Erskine, Jarek Fojut and Charlie Telfer. As it was, it was still a demolition of the Dark Blues that will live long in the memories of the United supporters.
* 7 2-1 v Aberdeen. January 31, 2015. This result marked the end of the good times, with the club selling Mackay-Steven and Armstrong to Celtic just days after this League Cup semi-final victory over Aberdeen at Hampden. It was a gutsy and stylish display as, once again, United belied their underdogs’ tag against the Dons. After falling behind they levelled through a Callum Morris header then netted a winner from Ciftci with just six minutes remaining to clinch a place against the Hoops in the final.
Needless to say it wasn’t all plain-sailing. Check out some of McNamara’s worst results here.