On This Day

[JamesMcClean]

Ok an hour early as I’m away to bed!

Dundee United 5 (W.Pettigrew 4, Sturrock) Funny Lot 1

January 30th 1980

SC 3rd Round Tannadice Park

In a game postponed from the Saturday due to a frozen pitch, magnificent United completely dismantled the Funsters in possibly the biggest horse-ing they’ve ever dished out - and I’ve seen a few fours, fives, and of course, sixes, in my time.

Funster Manager Tommy ‘By The Lights Of The Silvery Moon’ Gemmell sent out his Funny Lot with one tactic - kick phuck out of United. They ended up with two red, ump**** bookings and it could have been more. Hegarty was forever christened ‘a cheat’ for the crime of losing a central incisor after a punch in the puss from Sinclair as the Funsters totally lost the plot.

Wullie Pettigrew helped himself to four, yes, FOUR goals with Luggy chipping in with another one after the ball came off Ian Redford’s ar@e. But the biggest cheer from the Arab hordes was reserved for ‘King’ Billy Pirie’s sensational strike to make it, er, 5-1.

Following on from the League Cup win (at Dens) just a few weeks earlier, this result really rubber stamped that the tide was turning in the City. Irrevocably. It genuinely felt like a changing of the guard.

As a ten year old Arab I’d personally never felt a night like it to that date. Not even in the Final a few weeks earlier. It was just unbelievable with a sensational atmosphere. I really can’t believe it was forty years ago now- it still feels like yesterday. What a phucking night.

FTD.
P2BAA.

[GFLower]

great night. As you say something changed that night even more than the final at Dens. Dundee fan at work told me next day he'd walked oot at four first time he'd ever walked oot a derby game. Has had a lot more experience of that since.

[stokearab]

It's always nice to hear great memories like this. I wasn't at that game as I'd moved to Engerland with work by then got to games when visiting family but couldn't really choose the fixtures far in advance. For me personally there were two main results that changed things. The Massacre of '65 was a real marker that we were in business as a force in the city, although the Dee still had occasional good teams after that. But by 1979 and our first trophy win at Dens it was pretty much game over for them.

They've assembled some right dirty teams over the years, that John Brown one being up there with the worst. Yet they have the brass neck to claim it's the other way round. That's them Dees for ya!

[JamesMcClean]

Apologies - just noticed that I’d meant to attach the match report which highlights the Funster ‘tactics’ for the evening!

[JamesMcClean]

It's always nice to hear great memories like this. I wasn't at that game as I'd moved to Engerland with work by then got to games when visiting family but couldn't really choose the fixtures far in advance. For me personally there were two main results that changed things. The Massacre of '65 was a real marker that we were in business as a force in the city, although the Dee still had occasional good teams after that. But by 1979 and our first trophy win at Dens it was pretty much game over for them.

They've assembled some right dirty teams over the years, that John Brown one being up there with the worst. Yet they have the brass neck to claim it's the other way round. That's them Dees for ya!

It’s fair to say Stoke that the massacre o’ 65 set a benchmark of our progress following promotion but through the 60s and mid 70s the Funny Lot still produced decent teams until their relegation. Even though we’d progressed from that first Premier League season following our own near miss from going down, the Funsters still felt that they were The Big Team despite our first trophy and our League performances under Wee Jum.

This result proverbially crushed such ideas. Permanently.

[JamesMcClean]

Bumpety- bump. What a phucking night and a much more preferable 5-1 to remember than thon shambles on Wed night. If today’s lot show even 10% of the guile and application we demonstrated that night against the Funny Lot against Hibs today, then we’ll win nae bother.

Whaur’s Wullie P’s phone number?

[Shedboy1971]

Apologies - just noticed that I’d meant to attach the match report which highlights the Funster ‘tactics’ for the evening!

thats superb never seen that before James

[AraBrian]

Apologies - just noticed that I’d meant to attach the match report which highlights the Funster ‘tactics’ for the evening!

Notice in the attendance 18,604 gate money £22,000 probably be about 300,000/400,000 with a crowd that size now.

[JamesMcClean]

I distinctly remember the back page headline of the following evening’s Tully - ‘Gemmell Slams United Playactors!’

[GUNBOAT]

FFS James!,you just had to come on here today cheering a chunt up.