Dundee United FC Season 2006-07

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article documents a current sports-related event.
Information may change rapidly as the event progresses.

Season kit



Home jersey



Away jersey

Recent results
Date	Comp	Opponents	Result
18 Feb	SPL	Hibernian	D	0-0
3 Mar	SPL	Inverness	L	1-0
10 Mar	SPL	Motherwell	D	1-1
17 Mar	SPL	Hearts	W	0-4
31 Mar	SPL	Celtic	D	1-1
7 Apr	SPL	Aberdeen	W	2-4

United are currently in 8th place with 40 points in the 2006/07 SPL season. The next match is away to Dunfermline in the Scottish Premier League in the first match after the split.

The League Cup campaign is already over after St Johnstone - aided by ex-United player Jason Scotland - won 3-0 in the third round. United also exited the Scottish Cup in the 4th round, losing 1-0 at Inverness CT.

Fans' favourite Craig Brewster left the manager's position in late-October, with former Hearts and Leicester City manager Craig Levein taking up the post.

1 Season review
2 Matches
- 2.1 Last match
- 2.2 Next match
3 Player stats
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Season review

[edit] Early season

United signed Craig Conway, Noel Hunt and Steven Robb in pre-season, with Derek McInnes, Jim McIntyre and Grant Brebner departing on free transfers. United started with a 4-1 win at Raith Rovers, with doubles for Lee Miller and Noel Hunt. A week in Denmark followed, with Steven Robb and Craig Brewster scoring in a 2-1 win over Herfølge BK. FC Nordsjælland then won 1-0 with a goal from ex-Rangers player Jukka Santala. Back in Scotland, United won 4-1 against Forfar at Station Park with Robb, Brewster, Miller and Collin Samuel getting the goals. The final friendly, the Evening Telegraph Challenge Cup, resulted in a disappointing 1-0 defeat to rivals Dundee at Dens. The round of pre-season friendlies meant none were played at Tannadice.

United started the campaign with a 2-1 loss to Falkirk at home on the opening day of the season and then drew at Rangers, despite being 2-0 ahead. Goals from new signings Noel Hunt and Christian Kalvenes had put United ahead but Rangers fought back to draw in Paul Le Guen's first home match as Rangers manager. David Proctor finally arrived from Inverness CT to end weeks of protracted negotiations. Successive 0-0 draws against Kilmarnock (where Lee Miller's only start was marred by an early sending-off) and Dunfermline were improved by an extra-time CIS Cup win over Airdrie United and a 3-1 win at newly-promoted St Mirren, where captain Barry Robson's 100th United match was event-filled, with two goals and a sending-off. The transfer window brought no new faces but stiker Lee Miller was surprisingly allowed to leave for Aberdeen on a free transfer, although it later transpired he had been disciplined days earlier for breaking club regulations.^[1] David Fernandez and Paul Ritchie were also freed before the deadline, with Fernandez signing for Kilmarnock and Ritchie joining Cypriot side Omonia Nicosia.

United started September with a 3-0 defeat at home to Hibernian but their unbeaten away run continued in Inverness with a 0-0 draw against Caley Thistle. United crashed out of the CIS Cup with a 3-0 defeat away to St Johnstone, with ex-United player Jason Scotland scoring the first goal. Further woe followed with only a draw at home to bottom-placed Motherwell. Free agent Grant Smith was recruited in late September to provide goals from midfield.

[edit] Brewster out, Levein in

October started with a 4-0 defeat to Hearts at Tynecastle and a 4-1 home defeat to Celtic, sending United to the bottom of the table. In-between these matches, former Dundee defender Lee Wilkie signed until the end of the season. A 3-1 defeat to Aberdeen at Pittodrie led Brewster to publicy admit his players were in danger of heading for the First Division ^[2] and the following 5-1 defeat to Falkirk did little to change this viewpoint. The low point of the season represented Brewster's final attempt to turn things around, illustrated by handing debut starts to no fewer than four players. United lost all four games in October, conceding 16 goals in the process.

On 29 October, Brewster and assistant Malky Thomson left by "mutual agreement", with widely-tipped Craig Levein appointed less than 24 hours later. Levein's first match, a televised Sunday affair at home to Rangers, was watched from the stand as he completed a touchline ban from his time at Raith; it made little difference, as United came from behind to win 2-1 and record their first home league win of the season. The following weekend, Levein matched Brewster's record of two league wins, doing so in just two matches with a 1-0 win over Kilmarnock (Noel Hunt scoring). Mark de Vries - who played under Levein at Hearts and Leicester City - made public his desire to play for United.^[3] Levein's third match in charge brought a disappointing late 2-1 defeat at Dunfermline but November finished with three home wins in a row with a 1-0 win over St. Mirren. Three wins from four was enough to hand Levein a Manager of the Month award in his first month (something also achieved by Gordon Chisholm in April 2006 during his caretaker spell).

[edit] Turn of the year

December started with a battling 2-1 defeat at Hibs but a fourth consecutive home win followed with a 3-1 victory over Inverness. In-between these games, Cowdenbeath midfielder Morgaro Gomis agreed a deal to join in the transfer window for a nominal fee. On the 15 December, defenders Ross Gardiner and Lee Wilkie agreed one-month loan deals with Arbroath and Ross County respectively. United won 3-2 at Motherwell, despite having defender Christian Kalvenes sent off in the first half. A narrow 1-0 defeat to Hearts ended Levein's impressive home form but plaudits were gained again following a 2-2 draw away to Celtic, although for the second time this season, United threw away a two goal lead away to the Old Firm. 2006 ended on a high with a 3-1 win over 2nd-placed Aberdeen.

If 2006 ended on a high, then 2007 could not have begun any worse - a second 5-1 defeat to Falkirk, this time at Tannadice. New signing Morgaro Gomis made a late debut with Irishman Jon Daly becoming Levein's next signing, the big target man arriving from Hartlepool United on January 5. The following day, Levein confirmed Grant Smith's contract would not be renewed but Sean Dillon's move from Shelbourne was eventually completed, with the Irish full-back arriving on January 11. Prior to this, a flu epidemic had seen the Scottish Cup game against St Mirren postponed. The after-effects may have been present as United slumped to a 5-0 defeat at Ibrox, with Daly and Dillon both making debuts. Shortly afterwards, it was announced that Inverness captain Darren Dods had signed a pre-contract agreement to join in the summer, ending a lengthy pursuit for him that had been started by former manager Craig Brewster some months previously. The re-arranged cup match against St Mirren was full of excitement, with United throwing away a two-goal lead before David Robertson secured the win with an injury-time winner. United lost a third consecutive league match, going down 1-0 at Rugby Park, with David McCracken - who had earlier been told he would be leaving in the summer - absent. Shortly afterwards, Alan Archibald and David Proctor were also informed they were free to leave. January's final match resulted in a disappointing goalless draw at home to Dunfermline.

[edit] Post-transfer window

Alan Archibald left to rejoin Partick Thistle on deadline day, while Che Bunce - who had spent a few days at Tannadice on trial - opted to sign for Coventry City instead. United exited the Scottish Cup, losing 1-0 to Inverness. David Proctor became the second player to move with special FIFA dispensation to a third club of the season (after Javier Mascherano), moving on loan to Airdrie United. On the pitch, United finally picked up a league win in 2007, completing a fourth successive victory over St Mirren this season, courtesy of Barry Robson's strike. The following week saw another clean sheet with a 0-0 draw at home to Hibs, only for a last-minute goal to give Inverness a 1-0 win up north. Off the pitch, there was plenty of excitement with a rumoured summer friendly against Barcelona,^[4] although the excitement failed to materialise onto the pitch as United were held 1-1 at home to Motherwell. The following weekend, Craig Levein's return to Tynecastle brought much cheer with a resounding 4-0 win, including Barry Robson's first senior hat-trick. United closed out March with a credible 1-1 draw at home to Celtic, although Barry Robson's second red card of the season spoiled John Daly's first goal for the club.

[edit] Season close

April began in emphatic fashion, with a 4-2 win at Aberdeen which saw five goals in the opening seventeen minutes. Greg Cameron's first goals for United were enough to clinch victory.

[edit] Matches

[edit] Last match

April 7, 2007
	Aberdeen	2 - 4	Dundee United	Pittodrie Stadium, Aberdeen Ref: Mike Timulty Attendance: 12,148
	Lovell 8' Mackie 10' p		Daly 1' p Hunt 14' Cameron 17', 51'