Another Happy December Anniversary!

[JamesMcClean]

Following a drab, driech, goalless draw through at Hampden, the Scottish League thought it would be a right good laugh to wind up the Funsters and rearranged the League Cup Final Replay for the following Wednesday 12th December 1979 at Dens.

Running out at a stadium completely unsuitable for modern football even back then, United grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and proceeded to rip apart a strong SSB team managed by Sir Alex and featuring top quality such as Alex McLeish, Gordon Strachan, fourth official Willie Miller and,er, Doug Rougvie.

With nerves settled by a first half Wullie P opener in the pissing rain, Bannon then had a stormer of a second half and United proceeded to an easy win with further goals by Wullie P again and Luggy with the assistance of the fourth official.

Great,great scenes that night as Heggy raised our first ever trophy and I do remember grown men with tears down their cheeks as United put the first of the Funster jibes - ‘You’ve Never Won A Trophy’ - firmly to bed. Just like them.

What a night and of course soon to be followed by even greater triumphs that were probably more deserving of a greater stage than thon schitheap up the road, but hey ho.

As a footnote, Sir Alex was apparently properly fizzin’ after the match and furiously told his squad on the bus hame that they would never lose another Cup Final while he was boss. And they never did. I love Wee Jum, but I so wish he’d had just a wee bit mair of a ‘swagger’ like that as he undoubtedly was the better tactician. But for memories like that night and the many,many others, even in defeat, I thank you for all you did for our wee cornershop. What a colossus.