Dundee Utd in the 80s

WilkinsBullet said:
Yes Hearts. In the 80s Rangers, Celtic, Aberdeen, Dundee Utd all won the league and Hearts only lost it on goal difference in 85/86 in the last five minutes of the last game of the season. They also lost to Aberdeen in the cup final, incidentally Aberdeen won both cups that year. Hearts went on to last 8 of UEFA cup even beating Bayern in first leg. As a Rangers fan of a certain age I look back on those titles we won at that time with great affection as they were won at a time when it was dog eat dog and very open. That 85/86 season we only finished 5th above Dundee on goal difference, yet next season we won it. It was a special time to be a winner.
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5th in a 10 team league! Early 80's were pretty grim for us but when you look at the sides we were up against. I blame our scouting system as there were loads of guys at the other teams who should have been signed by us. Miller/Mcleish at Aberdeen, not to mention their manager who we probably could have got when Wallace left in '78. Gough at United to name three. We even let Jim Bett go to Aberdeen FFS! Weird times.
 
GodStruth said:
Great side in the 80s. I remember Ibrox clapping them onto the pitch after they had beaten Barcelona at the Nou Camp - changed days indeed

God knows how they beat us in the 94 cup final
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The ultimate case of, the leagues done, coast it till the final and we'll turn it on that day.

I remember, as a 13 year old being beyond raging that day. An awful, awful display considering it was for a treble.

Much in the same vein as under Warburton after the Celtic semi victory, albeit miles apart in quality of our side then.
 
Big D said:
They did indeed use only 13 players for that one season, but they had a very good side which competed for titles and trophies both domestically and in Europe over a number of years. Point I was making was that if I was asked to name 10 Dundee Utd players from the 80s and 10 from the current squad, I only be able to name them from the 80s. Could say similar about Aberdeen tbh.
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They didn't use 13 players.
 
Noddy said:
They didn't use 13 players.
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Apologies. Urban myth that's become fact in my head! Looked back as a matter of interest and of the 20 they actually used, 5 of them only started 1 or 2 games (1 had a single sub appearance and no starts), while 2 others started 5 and 8 respectively. Holt started about half the fixtures and the remaining 12 played the vast majority of games.
 
Koba said:
5th in a 10 team league! Early 80's were pretty grim for us but when you look at the sides we were up against. I blame our scouting system as there were loads of guys at the other teams who should have been signed by us. Miller/Mcleish at Aberdeen, not to mention their manager who we probably could have got when Wallace left in '78. Gough at United to name three. We even let Jim Bett go to Aberdeen FFS! Weird times.
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To be fair Bett went to Aberdeen via Lokeren in Belgium.
 
Spart7 said:
Didn't really win anything but they were a very decent side with Robertson etc. Lost league last day of the season too. Back then 4 or 5 teams were in with a genuine shot at the league, not just the 2 year after year. Much, much more competitive era.
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Absolutely mental they won the league in 86, Utd and more so Hearts blew it, the filth never beat either of them in 8 league games that season
 
DC Anchor said:
They were a great team who really played some great football.
In McLean they had a brilliant 'bastard' manager who got the best out of his players.
For them to reach a UEFA & EC S/F is simply absurd ........ but that used to be beauty of the game pre corporate and TV takeover.
They really should have won more but had a Hampden hoodoo, especially against us!!
Always thought Ralph Milne was a quality player.
Also the bitterness that now exists in Scottish football, and Scotland, didn't back then and you were happy enough to cheer them on in Europe.
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He got a move to Man Utd under Ferguson iirc
 
I was at a few of their European games during that period. Best being borussia when United won 5-0. I was at primary school and my uncle was trying to convert me but my old man wasn't having any of it and thank %^*& for that.
 
L&D RSC said:
Remember cheering them on during their Euro runs as a 11/12yr old.

Would never do that nowadays..

But aye, they were a tremendous side then. Still amazing to think when they won the title, they only used something like 14 players over the whole league campaign.

More are used on the opening day now.
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I think Liverpool in 78 only used 13
 
Costigan85 said:
They were pretty strong and consistent with Levein in charge and Houston, a lot of good games high scoring games when we were a strong side
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Thats not untrue but I think both those fakes lucked in to arriving at the job when Dundee Utd had a decent pool of players vs the rest of the League at the time.

Ultimately both managers have been a disaster everywhere theyve gone suggesting whatever success they had at Utd was circumstantial rather than anything they did.
 
Anyone who is old enough will always remember the John clark header at the nou camp, changed times to wishing them all the worst these days
 
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