Dundee United F.C.

Manager Peter Houston celebrating Dundee United's 2010 Scottish Cup Final win

The club was formed as Dundee Hibernian in 1909, playing from the outset at Tannadice Park. They were voted into the Scottish Football League in 1910. After being saved from going out of business in October 1923, the club changed their name to Dundee United in order to widen their appeal. Between 1925 and 1932 United were promoted and relegated between the first and second tier three times, winning the Second Division title in 1925 and 1929.[7]

The club took significant strides forward when Jerry Kerr became manager in 1959. Kerr's team won promotion in his first season in charge and became an established team in the top flight, where they remained until 1995.[8]

A key characteristic of Kerr's reign was the strengthening of the playing squad with Scandinavian imports,[8] most notably with the signings of Lennart Wing, Finn Dossing, Mogens Berg, Finn Seemann and Orjan Persson.

It was during this period that United qualified for European competition for the first time, eliminating Inter-Cities Fairs Cup holders Barcelona on their European debut in 1966.

Jim McLean took over from Kerr in 1971 and under his management the club enjoyed the most successful era in its history. McLean's era became known for his youth policy and the offering of long-term contracts that would see future Scotland international players such as Dave Narey, Paul Sturrock, Paul Hegarty, Davie Dodds, Eamonn Bannon and Maurice Malpas spend the majority of their careers at the club.[9]

United won its first major honour under McLean, capturing the Scottish League Cup in 1979 and again in 1980.[10] They were crowned Premier Division champions in 1982–83.

The club were also successful in Europe, reaching the European Cup semi-finals in 1984 and the UEFA Cup Final in 1987,[10] the latter campaign involving another elimination of Barcelona during the earlier rounds (maintaining a 100% record over the Catalans in competitive European ties).[11][12] Despite losing to IFK Gothenburg in the final, the club was awarded a FIFA Fair Play Award.[13]

McLean retired as manager in 1993, but remained as club chairman.[14]

United won the Scottish Cup for the first time in 1994 under McLean's successor Ivan Golac, but were relegated in 1995, before returning to the Premier Division a year later.

Following a number of board changes, the club was purchased from McLean in 2002 by former Morning Noon and Night co-founder and chief executive Eddie Thompson.[15] A lifelong United fan, Thompson invested heavily in the team in a bid to compete with significant spending which had developed following the formation of the Scottish Premier League, however little progress was made until Craig Levein became manager in 2006. Levein established United as a top six club, regularly achieving European qualification before he left the club to take the post as Scotland manager in 2009.

With the foundations of the side in place, United won the Scottish Cup for a second time in 2010 under the management of Peter Houston.

After several relatively successful seasons, a series of poor results in the Premiership led to United being relegated in 2016.[16]

Dundee United's first season in the Championship was under the management of Ray McKinnon. United won the Challenge Cup by beating St Mirren 2–1 in the final and they reached the play-off final for the Premiership. However they lost narrowly 1–0 to Hamilton. The second season in the second tier was less successful, as manager McKinnon was sacked and replaced with Csaba László; after a very disappointing season, United lost in the play-off semi-final to eventual promotion winners Livingston. After a poor start to the 2018–19 season the manager was once again sacked and replaced with Robbie Neilson. The team finished second in the Championship but lost in the play-offs to St Mirren, missing four penalty kicks in the process. United started the 2019–20 season in title winning form, maintaining the top spot since the opening weekend, but the season was postponed due to the global COVID-19 pandemic on 13 March 2020. On 15 April 2020, the SPFL plan proposing an end to the season was approved. A 14-point lead over second place Inverness CT saw United crowned champions and subsequently promoted back to the Premiership. On 21 June 2020, the club announced that they were parting ways with manager Robbie Neilson, who agreed a deal to return to newly relegated side Heart of Midlothian.

Prior to the start of the Premiership season, Dundee United hired Tranmere Rovers manager Micky Mellon to replace Neilson, and began their campaign at home to Tayside rivals St Johnstone, drawing 1–1.

c. 1909

c.1929–30

1986–87

1990–91

1993–94

1994–95

2006–07

2008–09

2009–10

2010–11

2011–12

2013–14

2014–15

2015–16

2016–17

2017–18

Alternative

1985–86

1989–91

1995–96

2002–03

2009–10

2013–14

2014–15

2016–17

2020–21

Dundee United's first trophy came in 1925, when they won the 1924–25 Division Two championship. After two seasons in the top tier, they were relegated, but they won the Division Two title for a second time in 1928–29. Immediate relegation followed and the club finished runners-up in 1931–32.[7] Another runners-up spot was claimed in 1959–60, in manager Jerry Kerr's first season, and from then club remained in the top division for the next 35-years.[8] Under Jim McLean's management, the club won the Premier Division title for the only time, in 1982–83, resulting in European Cup football the following season. The title win was United's last major league success, although they finished runners-up in the First Division in 1995–96, after nearly avoiding relegation the previous season, and in third place in their first season back in the Premier Division. A third lower league title was added in 2019–20, after the curtailment of the campaign with United clear in 1st place.

The club had to wait several decades before their first realistic chance at cup silverware, when they began the first of a six-game losing streak of Scottish Cup Final appearances in 1974, losing 3–0 to Celtic. Towards the end of the 1970s, things began to change, with three successive appearances in the League Cup Final. United won their first major trophy with a 3–0 replay victory over Aberdeen in the 1979–80 Scottish League Cup Final.[27] The club reached both cup finals in the following season; while they retained the League Cup by winning 3–0 against rivals Dundee,[27] United lost out again in the Scottish Cup with a replay defeat to Rangers. United reached a third consecutive League Cup Final in 1981–82, but failed to make it a hat-trick of wins as they lost 2–1 to Rangers.[27]

United (in red) versus Kilmarnock at Tannadice in the 2013–14 Scottish Cup.

United suffered the agony of reaching three out of four Scottish Cup finals in the mid-1980s, only to lose them all by a single goal. First came a 2–1 defeat to Celtic in 1984–85, compounded by a 1–0 League Cup final loss to Rangers in the same season; then a 1–0 defeat in extra time to St Mirren in 1986–87; and finally, a last-minute 2–1 loss against Celtic the following year, despite being a goal ahead.[10] A three-year gap ensued before the 1990–91 Scottish Cup final, which pitted Jim McLean against his brother Tommy, at Motherwell. The final was won 4–3 by 'Well, with United again losing in extra time.[14] The sixth Cup Final loss was also the club's fifth final appearance in eleven years.

These defeats in cup finals at Hampden Park led to the Scottish football media claiming that United suffered from a Hampden hoodoo, as they had failed to win ten cup finals played at the ground between 1974 and 1991.[28] When the club reached the 1994 Scottish Cup Final, manager Ivan Golac dismissed talk of the hoodoo, even though opponents Rangers were strong favourites to complete a domestic treble in the 1993–94 season.[28] United broke the supposed hoodoo and won the Scottish Cup for the first time when Craig Brewster's goal gave them a 1–0 win.[14][28]

Eleven years passed until the next Scottish Cup final appearance, when United lost 1–0 to Celtic in 2005. Sandwiched in the middle of these appearances was a defeat on penalties to Stenhousemuir in the Scottish Challenge Cup (when United failed to concede a goal in the whole competition) and a 3–0 defeat to Celtic in the 1997 Scottish League Cup Final. United then lost the 2008 Scottish League Cup Final on penalties to Rangers after the match had finished 2–2 after extra time. Dundee United won their next major trophy in 2010, under the guidance of manager Peter Houston, when First Division side Ross County were defeated 3–0 in the 2010 Scottish Cup Final.[29] David Goodwillie scored the first goal and Craig Conway scored the second and third goals.[29]

United's 10th appearance in the Scottish Cup final came in 2014, but the team lost 2–0 to St Johnstone at Celtic Park. The Tangerines reached the League Cup final the following year, but lost to Celtic in the final.

Two years later, after the club's relegation from the Scottish Premiership, they faced St Mirren in the 2017 Scottish Challenge Cup Final. United won the game 2–1, marking the club's first silverware since 2010.

The club's first experience of Europe came in 1966–67 season when, helped by a clutch of Scandinavian players, United defeated Inter-Cities Fairs Cup holders FC Barcelona both home and away. Although Juventus proved too strong in the next round with a 3–1 aggregate victory, United made headlines and were asked to compete as Dallas Tornado in the United Soccer Association league in North America during the summer of 1967.[8]

In 1981–82 they began a period in which they were competitive in European competition. In a six-year spell they reached one UEFA final, another semi-final and two quarter finals. After their only Premier Division win in 1983, the team reached the resulting semi-final of the European Cup in 1984, losing 3–2 on aggregate to Roma. In 1987, the club went one better, reaching the final of the UEFA Cup. Despite the 2–1 aggregate loss to IFK Gothenburg, the club won the first-ever FIFA Fair Play Award for their supporters' sporting behavior after the final defeat.[13]

• Scottish league, first tier:
  • Winners: 1982–83[30]
• Scottish league, second tier:
  • Winners: 1924–25, 1928–29, 2019–20[30]

• Scottish Cup:
  • Winners: 1993–94, 2009–10[30]
  • Runners-up (8): 1973–74, 1980–81, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1990–91, 2004–05, 2013–14
• Scottish League Cup:
  • Winners: 1979–80, 1980–81[30]
  • Runners-up (5): 1981–82, 1984–85, 1997–98, 2007–08, 2014–15
• Scottish Challenge Cup:
  • Winners: 2016–17
  • Runners-up: 1995–96
• Summer Cup:
  • Runners-up: 1964–65

• UEFA Cup:
  • Runners-up: 1986–87[30]
• European Cup:
  • Semi-finalists: 1983–84

• Forfarshire Cup:
  • Winners (21): 1910–11, 1914–15, 1919–20, 1928–29, 1929–30, 1947–48, 1950–51, 1953–54, 1960–61, 1962–63, 1964–65, 1968–69, 1971–72, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77, 1979–80, 1984–85, 1986–87, 1987–88, 2004–05
  • Runners-up (12)
• Scottish War Emergency Cup:
  • Runners-up: 1940
• Evening Telegraph Challenge Cup:
  • Winners: 2005
  • Runners-up: 2006

• SFL Youth League
  • Winners: 1996–97
  • Runners-up: 1997–98, 1999–00
• Scottish Youth Cup
  • Winners: 1990, 1991,
  • Runners-up: 1989, 1998

As of 1 February 2021[31]

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK   SUI Benjamin Siegrist 2 DF  SCO Liam Smith 3 DF  ARG Adrián Sporle 4 MF  USA Dillon Powers 5 DF  IRL Mark Connolly 6 DF  SCO Mark Reynolds (captain) 8 MF  SCO Peter Pawlett 9 FW  SCO Marc McNulty (on loan from Reading) 10 FW  SCO Nicky Clark 12 DF  ENG Ryan Edwards 14 MF  KVX Florent Hoti 15 FW  SCO Logan Chalmers 17 DF  SCO Jamie Robson 18 MF  ENG Calum Butcher 19 GK  TUR Deniz Mehmet

No. Pos. Nation Player 20 MF  ENG Luke Bolton (on loan from Manchester City) 21 MF  SCO Declan Glass 22 DF  SCO Kieran Freeman 23 MF  USA Ian Harkes 24 FW  SCO Lawrence Shankland 25 FW  SCO Kai Fotheringham 26 MF  SCO Chris Mochrie 27 FW  SCO Louis Appéré 29 DF  SCO Ross Graham 30 DF  SCO Lewis Neilson 31 GK  SCO Jack Newman 32 MF  SCO Archie Meekison 34 DF  SCO Nathan Cooney 36 FW  SCO Darren Watson 66 MF  CMR Jeando Fuchs

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 7 MF  SCO Paul McMullan (on loan at Dundee) 16 MF  SCO Adam King (on loan at Raith Rovers)

No. Pos. Nation Player 28 DF  SCO Jake Davidson (on loan at Arbroath)

This is a list of former and current players who have played at full international level while with the club. They are ordered by nationality and year of United debut below. Additionally, two goalkeepers – Pat Onstad (Canada) and Kémoko Camara (Guinea) – were both capped while at Tannadice yet never played a first-team game for United.

The club launched its official Hall of Fame in 2008, with seven inaugural members. A further six players were inducted in January 2009[32] and seven more in January 2010. Since then six players have been inducted each year.

• SWFL First Division (North)
  • Winners (1): 2017–2018
• SWFL Division 2 East
  • Winners (1): 2016–2017
• SWFL Division 2 Cup:
  • Winners (2): 2008, 2016