IT'S THE BIG ONE!!

Last updated : 09 August 2004 By United Mad
SUNDAY 2PM



Recently a friend of mine, who I hadn’t seen for a while, asked me how Dundee United were doing these days – and my reply was – ‘we’re doing ok, managing to stay afloat’. I went on to tell him about ET selling his chain of shops, and about the state of Scottish football in general, and I rattled on for a good few minutes before I even mentioned league positions or anything ‘on-field’ at all! Such is football in Scotland just now.

Dundee (as a city) has been as much a centre of this fiscal confusion as anywhere, with our near-neighbours going so close to the brink last season, only coming out of administration last Friday. United have a debt too as is well-known, and here I am doing it again, money money money! Both clubs look like the worst is over though, I hope anyway, and with ET’s new-found wealth, I don’t think we have too much to fear there. A die-hard Arab at the helm would never let United go under, and ET is a smart cookie when it comes to business matters so I really feel all will be well, in the Board Room at least.


Fans

Before I get to the actual football, I want to talk about the fans. There’s been a lot of boycotting over the last year or so, and, it has to be said, by both sides. Sure there are Arabs who will never set foot in Dens, and Deez who will never set foot in a proper football stadium like Tannadice, but this all has to stop now! The clubs can’t force people to go, and as I say, there’s those that would never ‘cross the road’ regardless of circumstance, but IT’S OUR DERBY!! It ain’t anyone else’s! It’s ours. Our clubs need the cash. Your club needs the cash. If you boycott this (or any derby) you are shooting yourself in the foot as it just comes back in reverse, with us boycotting you! Just go! Don’t even think about it – just go! Go to Tannadice, Go to Dens. End of. It’s the biggest game of the season for all of us, and it needs a big gate, for atmosphere, and to generate revenue FOR BOTH CLUBS! It’s THE showcase sporting event in the City of Dundee, let’s give it crowd worthy of the name.


Football (finally)

I’m not an avid follower of those that play in dark blue, so I’ll keep this brief – they’ve lost Novo and Speroni. Good. Two good players, or ex-players anyway. But they’ve survived as a club, and imho, most Deez would have accepted that as a sacrifice. In short – they ain’t as good as they were last year, and they weren’t that good then!!

Ian McCall, who I still believe is the perfect man for the job at United, has yet to notch a derby victory, a fact he’ll be well aware of. Well you won’t get a better chance than this Ian! United have improved as a side under his guidance, whilst the ‘others’ have slipped down a notch or two what with their financial troubles etc – on paper it’s a United victory. But games like these never go to plan – and DFC, much as I hate to say it – will be bang up for this one. No question.

We have a new striker in ex-Dee James Grady, and I have a very strong feeling he’s gonna score this Sunday. Our youngsters are starting to come through well, especially the likes of Kerr and Wilson, and we also now have the very able Paul Ritchie to shore up the defence. We have the Rocket up front too, as well as fans’ favourite (and sponsored by the posters on this messageboard) – Jim McIntyre. All in all – a good squad. A good manager.

My prediction for this game? 3-1 United.

My last word? (even though I can’t make it myself, with good reason) - GO TO THE FECKING GAME!!!!