Arabs Performance

[Steve Finan]

Friday night was a very good performance from the Arab legions. The team on the park played very well, but we Arabs had one of our very best games in recent years. The Eddie Lower always do quite well, and did so again, while the packed GF made great noise too. The real "biggie" was The Shed, though. It was one of those games where a group of like-minded Shed boys and girls find themselves together, remained standing for the entire match and as soon as one song finished, the next began. It was them who could be heard on TV.
I particularly enjoyed the attempt at The Platters' Only You (And You Alone) that went on for several verses. It was a pity more didn't take it up. It's one of those songs that we as a football crowd could sing for 20 minutes at a time.
It would be good if that became this play-off sequence's "the song", like Put Your Hands Up was the 2010 cup final "the song" and We Won The League At Dens, Fly The Flag was the 1983 "the song". Perhaps someone could post up the lyrics to it.
Credit must also go to the club for those flamethrower things. It was a surprise on the night, everyone had a sort of what-have-we-got-here smile on their faces at that, and a mild "woo-hoo" reaction when they went off. And while it might have looked a little unusual, it set the tone for the night. We Arabs utterly enjoyed it. It became the type of night you'll tell your grandchildren about. So the flames were a good piece of planning, and I take my hat off to whoever thought of it. It supercharged the positive vibe and I'm absolutely convinced that the atmosphere around the ground added to Siegrist's "I cannot be beaten tonight" attitude, and Bouhenna's "I can run all night" mentality. And had, indeed, an effect on all of the team. Every time Paul McMullen got the ball, there was a ripple of anticipation through the crowd, which must make him feel like he is "the man" and that the crowd believe in him. The adrenalin that pumps into him probably adds 10% to his speed.
I've been fascinated by the effect a crowd has since the Scottish Cup quarter-final replay of 1974. United were superb that night, beating Dunfermline 4-0. The crowd was electric, though. I'd never experienced anything like it before. I don't think I calmed down for about a week afterwards.
So we should do that again for the final v. St Mirren.
I have a couple of mates who are Dundee supporters and we've discussed their experiences in what has been described as the "toxic" atmosphere at Dens over the past few months. It must be very difficult to play, when the crowd clearly and loudly dislike what they are seeing. My friends have been quite honest about what a depressing time it has been, and I have sympathy for them. They follow their team, as we would do too, but it becomes a chore. Football should be fun.
We should take a lesson from that, and an even bigger lesson from last Friday - and make this coming Thursday a loud, colourful, positive, flaming experience.....all together now - "Only you..."
Lastly, with our new owners in attendance at the ICT game, they must have, just couldn't fail to, be impressed with the atmosphere, the reaction, the whole occasion. If that was my club, I'd be wanting to repeat the experience. I'd want to see what a European night was like, or what a cup final was like. I'd be "hooked" on it.
It was an Arabs Away sort of night. Well done comrades.

[shedka]

It won't be fondly remembered unless we go onto get promoted, good night as it was it'll just be one of many nights with good atmosphere can recall, the equivalent tu Falkirk at two years ago with the epic scenes in the seat end at the same stage, we then had over 9000 at the home leg v Hamilton a couple years ago and amazing backing away from home

The shed was decent, the eddie lower was its usual self for big games, very good, heard both on TV plenty, when they joined in the same song then it was excellent

As for arabs away, excellent book, however I feel a trick was missed, many big occasions ommited there must be pics of, mcdiarmid away 2001 unforgettable, Inverness away 2005 the same, Hibs semi 2005, Aberdeen semi at tynecastle 2008, the final with rangers 2008, many more

[JimmyGomis87]

Long shot but anyone got voucher p for tickets for 2nd leg of Final*PM me

[GUNBOAT]

Its a song mainly sung at away games(Only You) i may need corrected on some of the lyrics but its roughly....


Only you can make this world so bright,
only you United's dynamite,
and when you get the ball,and score a goal,
its magic that you do,
you're my dream come true,
my one and only you.

[Steve Finan]

As for arabs away, excellent book, however I feel a trick was missed, many big occasions ommited there must be pics of, mcdiarmid away 2001 unforgettable, Inverness away 2005 the same, Hibs semi 2005, Aberdeen semi at tynecastle 2008, the final with rangers 2008, many more

Aye mate. You are absolutely right. But it came down to cost. I tried to have a decent spread of material from games over the past 40-ish years, but also had to stay within the agreed-with-printer number of pages. The price of photo-quality paper is eye-watering. And we tried to keep the cover-price affordable.
Still, if this one sells wellthen there's plenty material for a volume 2!

Gunboat, cheers for the lyrics. As said, I'd enjoyed it (and will be going in the Shed on Thursday) hoping to hear it again. I reckon that we should all make a promise to belt it out just after our fourth goal goes in . . . or is it more of a fifth goal sort of song?