Dundee United

David Currie
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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The Tennent's Sixes returns for the first time in 26 years, albeit in a legends format, this weekend.

The original tournament featured first-team players and ran from 1984 until 1993.

Among the players who helped make the headlines was former Dundee United and Scotland midfielder Jim McInally.

It wasn't just the stars of Scottish football who graced the sixes pitch with their skills. On a couple of occasions, English clubs crossed the border to take part.

In 1988, twice European Cup-winning manager Brian Clough brought Nottingham Forest to Glasgow for the indoor football festival.

McInally spent much of the time trying to avoid Cloughie in the build-up to United's match with Forest in the group stage.

The Scot had spent two years at Forest under Clough before moving to Coventry City and then to Tannadice in late 1986.

"I was terrified of coming face to face with Cloughie as I had slaughtered his assistant in the press when I left," the 62-year-old tells BBC Scotland.

"My memory of that night was hearing him outside our dressing room door asking if I was inside.

"When he was told that I was, he walked in, gave me a big kiss and told me it was lovely to see me."

McInally was a Uefa Cup finalist and Scottish Cup winner with United under another formidable boss, Jim McLean.

"It was about the only tournament we could go down and enjoy as Jim didn't take it too seriously and you knew you couldn't be fined for anything afterwards," he added. "We didn't do very well."

Forest, with England internationals Stuart Pearce, Nigel Clough and Neil Webb in the ranks, beat United 3-2 en route to the quarter-finals before losing to Aberdeen in a penalty shootout.

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Dundee United's Miller Thomson has joined Scottish Championship leaders Stenhousemuir on a short-term loan until January.

Manager Jim Goodwin says the move is a "great opportunity" for the 22-year-old, who has endured injury problems in recent months.

The midfielder has made 42 appearances for United but has not featured for the Premiership side this season.

Goodwin hopes his switch to Stenhousemuir, who are eight points clear at the top of the second tier, will give Thomson "consistent game time under his belt as he returns to full fitness".

"He's had some bad luck in the past year with injuries," the United boss added. "This loan will hopefully get him the minutes and confidence to really kick on this season.

"We'll all be keeping a close eye on his development and look forward to tracking his progress at Stenhousemuir."

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Kilmarnock have signed former Dundee United goalkeeper Dave Richards on a deal until January.

The 32-year-old Welshman had been without a club since ending a two-year stay at Tannadice - where he made 22 appearances - in the summer.

Richards, who previously had a spell on loan at St Johnstone, bolsters Kilmarnock's options with first-choice keeper Max Stryjek reportedly facing a lengthy lay-off because of a knee injury.

Understudy Calum Ferrie, a summer arrival from Queen's Park, made his Premiership debut in Killie's 1-1 draw with Hearts in the final game before the international break.

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We asked you to rate Dundee United's season and tell us what Jim Goodwin should be focusing on during the international break.

Here are some of your comments:

Mac: We have started as a mixed bag. We've had some good results and other results have been questionable. The importance of the start of the season is as equally important as the end of the season. I just hope we can comfortably avoid a relegation scrap.

Euan: Inconsistent in matches with some excellent and exciting football alongside some awful players. We need to win at home and shore up our defence or ninth spot may be as good as it gets this season with the prospect of being embroiled in a relegation battle a very grim reality. Still, if we can be consistent and mimic our away form at home we should be alright.

Stewart: Points wise it's been a disappointment, but I don't think the performances (Dundee derby aside) have been that bad. Our away displays against Killie and St Mirren are promising, but I think it's a very strange league this year where everyone will beat everyone, and naturally everyone is finding their feet still. Reasonably confident we'll kick on and get top six come May.

Dave: Very mixed bag of a start. At times the players look like they have just met and are lacking belief and fight. At other times they look like world beaters. I do think there are signs they are coming together as a team and I would expect them to be vying for a top-six finish come season's end.

Will C: The Rangers game was a great start to the season then it all became a bit underwhelming until the St Mirren game. Despite the setbacks there has been encouraging signs and I think we are on the verge of having a very good team who will push for a European place.

George: It's taking time for the plethora of new players to gel, as you would expect. There are some encouraging signs but also some worries around defending when not in possession. I hope they can kick on following the break. Just a shame so many are away on international duties.

Karlo: As fans you always want better results, hopefully we are starting to gel and have some great results ahead of us. Going out of the League Cup was very dissapointing.

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Lachlan Rose believes Dundee United are starting to show they "are a real force" in the Scottish Premiership.

Rose, 27, has scored four goals in 10 United appearances and helped the Tangerines amass eight points from their opening seven league games, including four in their past two fixtures.

Jim Goodwin's squad are training in Portugal during the international break.

And, speaking to club media from their overseas camp, Rose said: "It's all about building. You're building up to that end product.

"We have a plan You can see how we want to play. It might not have gelled as much at the start as much as what everyone wanted but it is coming, you can see it.

"You can see it against St Mirren before this international break [in the 3-0 win], how well we gelled as a team and it's starting to show now.

"We are a real force in this competition.

"We never got to do a pre-season camp away because we didn't have everyone in yet. to do this now at this period of time for us is so vital because we can really find out about each other."

Ronny Costello
Fan writer

Three weeks without Dundee United. It feels excessive.

The international break always drags but this one feels even longer because United had finally given us something to build on with that win over St Mirren.

For once, you wanted the next game quickly. Keep the momentum going and confidence high. Keep everyone talking about football rather than formations, recruitment and whether we are actually any good.

Instead, we wait.

A few United players have had international duty to keep them occupied, which is always a positive. Representing your country, picking up experience and hopefully coming back sharper can only help.

And for those not away with their countries, they got a week off on holiday but are now out in Portugal for a training camp. A bit of sun, plenty of work and 'team bonding' away from the usual routine.

That St Mirren win mattered because it stopped some of the early-season noise and gave United something solid to build on after a mixed start and showed what this team can look like when things click.

That is why the timing is frustrating. When you lose, a break can be useful. Reset, regroup, clear the head etc. When you win, you just want to play again.

Three weeks is a long time in football. Hopefully United remember where they left off...

Ronny Costello can be found at the Dode Fox Podcast, external

As the extended international break continues, we want to hear your thoughts on Dundee United's opening seven games in the Scottish Premiership.

United signed off before the hiatus with an impressive 3-0 win at St Mirren to mark the return of Jim Goodwin to the dugout after a three-game illness-enforced absence.

There's also been a derby defeat at Tannadice and United are yet to register a home win.

How do you rate United's start to the season and why? And what should Goodwin be focusing on during the extended break?

Share your thoughts here

Dundee United left-back Will Ferry says the three-week international break is "big" as he focuses on his fitness. (Record - subscription required, external)

Wednesday's Scottish gossip

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Dundee United midfielder Zidane Iqbal opened the scoring in Iraq's thrilling 3-2 victory over Kuwait on Saturday.

The 23-year-old stroked in his third international goal early in the second half.

A late penalty from Yousef Nasser levelled the Gulf Cup group game at 2-2 only for Iraq to prevail in the eighth minute of stoppage time as Karrar Nabeel crashed in a fantastic shot.

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Before the Champions League and Premier League titles, Scotland captaincy and Liverpool hero status, Andy Robertson was a skinny teenager starting his professional career at Tannadice.

Dundee United plucked the then 19-year-old left-back from fourth-tier Queen's Park in June 2013 and paid him a few hundred quid a week.

That wage was quickly raised as Robertson set about showcasing the talent that would take him to the top of the game.

He spent only a year with United, but it holds a special place in the Scotland skipper's heart.

Within months he had earned a first Scotland call-up and by the end of the season he was PFA Scotland Young Player of the Year and on the move to Premier League Hull.

Recalling his United spell, 32-year-old Tottenham defender Robertson told The Overlap Podcast:, external "I think my first contract with Dundee United was £300 or £350 a week.

"But to be fair to the club, I played the first month and they gave me a new contract quite quickly.

"At Dundee United I just loved training every day. I loved being able to play football every single day.

"And then everything just kind of fell into place for me. I had a really good season. We had such an exciting team, a young team, Ryan Gauld, John Souttar, Stuart Armstrong, Gary Mackay-Steven.

"So we had really good young Scottish players who were making their way. Jackie McNamara was a young Scottish manager. So everyone was watching us that season and we were just loving it.

"It was simple, just get yourself forward and try to help out. I had John Rankin, an experienced player that helped me out and covered at left-back. I loved it at United."

Although he want on to become a Liverpool favourite, Robertson revealed he almost moved to Everton from Tannadice.

"Everton put a bid in for me in the January," he said. "They didn't bid enough. I think they bid £750k.

"Dundee United wanted £1.5m and the manager was saying, 'I'm not losing him'. And to be fair it was a good decision for Dundee United because they ended up getting £2.85m in the summer."

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Kilmarnock defender George Stanger made his New Zealand debut and Dundee United forward Jesse Randall was among the goals in a 2-2 draw with Palestine.

Stanger played the full 90 minutes of the friendly in China while Randall marked his 15th cap by firing the All Whites 2-1 up 10 minutes before the interval.

Former Aberdeen striker Oday Dabbagh levelled for Palestine to wrap up a lively first half.

Tyrone Smith
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Could Dundee United and Lyall Cameron be the perfect fit for each other?

There is no doubt the midfielder is a real talent, which he proved during his time at Dundee.

That earned him a big move to Rangers last summer, but his career has not kicked on since.

Cameron failed to make his mark in Govan - mustering only 10 appearances, five as a sub - during the first half of last season before heading to Aberdeen on loan.

At Pittodrie he struggled to establish himself following the appointment of head coach Stephen Robinson in March.

Now he has gone out on loan again and the early signs in his Tannadice stint are encouraging. In his second outing Cameron - who grew up a United fan - netted his first goal for the club in Saturday's 3-0 win at St Mirren.

At 23 years old, Cameron is at a crucial stage in his career and needs to be playing regularly to fulfil his promise.

If he can get a run of games at United his confidence and talent are likely to flourish. If that happens, it will be win-win for player and club.

Paul McNicoll
Fan writer

They say there's no place like home. So far this season, though, Dundee United seem to be taking the opposite view.

We're heading into October and the team are yet to register a home league win. You could make a case we should have beaten Rangers and Falkirk at Tannadice, but we didn't. And let's not even bother mentioning the Dundee derby.

On the road, however, we're sitting at a 50% win rate. An in-form Hearts saw us off comfortably, while we had to contend with only having 10 men for the best part of 80 minutes against Motherwell. Tough asks, both.

The trips to Kilmarnock and St Mirren, though, produced two magnificent performances. For a newly-assembled team, that's hugely encouraging. When it clicks, it really clicks, and it's an absolute joy to watch.

Which got me thinking, is there simply less pressure on the players when they're away from home?

Tannadice on match days can be an unforgiving place. An early mistake can be greeted with an audible groan from a crowd that is, understandably, expectant.

Unfortunately, that reaction doesn't always help. Some players can retreat into their shells and once that happens, confidence can be difficult to find.

Away from home, the atmosphere feels different. The travelling support seems a little more sympathetic, a little more forgiving of mistakes, and perhaps that gives the players the freedom to play without quite so much weight on their shoulders.

There's something to be said for that.

If only we could bottle up the atmosphere from Kilmarnock and Paisley, stick a cork in it and crack it open at Tannadice every other Saturday, because there's clearly a good team in there. We've seen it.

Now we just need to convince them that home really can be where the heart is.

Paul McNicoll can be found at the Dode Fox Podcast, external

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Republic of Ireland international Will Ferry has put contract talks with Dundee United on hold. (Courier - subscription required, external)

Ferry, 25, is not prepared to make a decision about his future in September. (Record - subscription required, external)

And Ferry has not ruled out remaining at Tannadice beyond next summer. (Sun, external)

Tuesday's Scottish gossip

Sportscene host Steven Thompson and analyst James McFadden assess Dundee United's 3-0 win at St Mirren (UK only).

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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin praised Idjessi Metsoko for making the most of a rare opportunity in the 3-0 win over St Mirren.

The Togo international was handed just a second league start following his summer move from Viktoria Plzen on a season-long loan and provided the assist for Lyall Cameron's goal.

And Goodwin revealed Metsoko had caught the eye with an all-round purposeful display.

He said: "I'm really pleased for Metsoko. I thought he was a real handful all afternoon and his link-up play was nice and clean.

"All the players that we've brought here and recruited over the summer, they've all come here to play. So, Jessi has had to be patient.

"We felt this was a good opportunity to put him in from the start and see how he coped against an extremely physical backline. Alex Gogic is one of the most physical defenders in the league and I thought Jessi was excellent up against him.

"Not just his all-round physicality but also his willingness to stretch the game at times, to run in behind, plus he's got good pace and mobility.

"His tidiness in possession in terms of his link-up play with the midfielders around him was excellent. I thought his all-round game was very, very good."

This was just United's second league win of the season but Goodwin insists he was never worried even during a tough start.

He added: "I don't tend to put too much focus on the actual league table until the first round of fixtures has passed. I don't think we've performed terribly over the course of the campaign.

"The one criticism I could say is that we haven't been clinical or ruthless enough. And for us to be able to contain a team of St Mirren's quality and not allow them a single shot on target at 90 minutes, I think is great credit to the team."

Dundee United score three first-half goals to secure a Scottish Premiership win in Paisley (UK only).

Hearts recover from a disallowed first-half goal and a concession to draw with hosts Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership (UK only).

Dundee United fans, we asked for your opinions on the brilliant 3-0 victory over St Mirren in Paisley. Here's a taste of what you had to say...

Matt: A surprisingly frustrating game, because it raises the question of why we can't do this every week?! I don't expect us to be world-beaters but I do wonder why the clinical nature of the squad today isn't being replicated very regularly. I'd say I'm hopeful we can kick on but I've said that too many times with this team to believe it.

Ian: Dominant display by United. The best performance so far this season. The midfield were outstanding, controlling the game for 90 minutes. That said, the whole team played well. This is what we need to see, week-in, week-out. Well done lads!

Gary: Need to be doing this every week. Good all-round performance. Daniel Bennie is too lazy, would rather Lachlan Rose was in there. Still missing players, too. We have a strong enough squad to get into top six, maybe more. Support needs a big mention too, they are our twelfth player.

John: Quite simply an outstanding performance. Every player showed up. With the strength on the bench too, the only way must be up. Only fear is the manager not taking the game to the top teams when he has the arsenal to take them on. Great day out!

Stephen: That's more like it! The signs have been there, especially with the Killie away result, that there is a team in there capable of performances like this. The key is to do it regularly now and build on this. No getting carried away, fans or players alike, but got to be happy - and a bonus to see Jim Goodwin back on the touchline where he belongs! Welcome back, Gaffer!

Garry: I thought we were excellent first half and very good second half, probably took the foot off the gas but after Lyall Cameron went off, we didn't control the game as much. Michael Forbes was outstanding, he is a proper defender and will only get better.

Karlo: Jim Goodwin has built a squad that are enjoying their football. There is a good future for this team, and it was nice to see Tangerine Jim back in the dugout.

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Dundee United manager Jim Goodwin: "We controlled the game from start to finish.

"They got off to the best possible start, being a couple of goals up inside fifteen minutes.

"The only criticism I could have in the second half is that we haven't added to the three goals that we scored.

"Really pleased with the overall performance.

"For us to be able to limit a team of that quality to zero shots on target, speaks volumes to the shape of the team.

"We're not getting carried away, it's a result we believed we were capable of getting before the game. We have to now kick on once we come back from this break.

"We've got some really good quality players. It's been well documented that we've tried to change the style of play and the recruitment has been built around that.

"I thought Dylan Tait and Zidane Iqbal in the middle of the park were absolutely outstanding. They completely dominated that area of the pitch and showed real good quality in possession along with Lyall Cameron. I thought it was a really good team performance.

"The boys will be working hard in the next three weeks and we'll be readied and prepared for Hibs."

Dundee United emphatically dispatched St Mirren to earn just their second Premiership win of the season on manager Jim Goodwin's return following a health issue.

Read the full match report here

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