Source: TheGuardian
The forgotten story of ... Dundee United's glory years under Jim McLean | Daniel Harris
There has never been a manager like Jim McLean, the tactical genius, bully, visionary and ‘absolute bampot’ behind unimaginable success in the 1980sTony Soprano once noted that “‘Remember when’ is the lowest form of conversation”, but he was only partially right. We are nothing if not our memories, so it makes little sense not to glory in them, all the more when circumstances take a turn for the worse. And for Dundee United – for Scottish football in general – that is irrevocably the case, so, T, with all the love and respect, “vaffanculo”.Founded in 1909, Dundee United spent their first 62 years doing not very much: they won the second division title twice, but otherwise not even an international cap. Things improved when Jerry Kerr was appointed manager in 1959 – he established the club in the top flight and led them into Europe for the first time, but that was pretty much it. United did, though, achieve brief notoriety during the freezing winter of 1962-63, using a tar-burning truck to thaw the Tannadice pitch and removing all the grass in the process, before pouring on a load of sand and applying whitewash like a goth doing their eyebrows; such did they earn their nickname “The Arabs”. Related: Tommy Gemmell and Dundee United anniversary reminders of a lost world | Barney Ronay Related: It sounds vindictive but relegating your rivals can be as good as winning a trophy Related: When Aberdeen ruled Scottish football Related: The forgotten story of … Sampdoria's only scudetto | Rob Smyth Related: The forgotten story of ... Danish Dynamite, the Denmark side of the mid-80s | Rob Smyth and Lars Eriksen Related: Football: Rob Smyth on Real Madrid's record-breaking 107-goal 1989-90 season Related: The former Rangers winger Willie Johnston will be remembered as the original bad boy of Scottish football Related: Football: The forgotten story of ... the original Fergie Fledglings at Manchester United Continue reading......read full article
