2007–08 Dundee United F.C. season

Dundee United
2007–08 season
Chairman Eddie Thompson
Manager Craig Levein
Clydesdale Bank Premier League 5th
Scottish Cup Fifth round
CIS Insurance Cup Runners-up
Top goalscorer League: Noel Hunt (13)
All: Noel Hunt (18)
Highest home attendance 13,613 (vs Celtic, 22 May)
Lowest home attendance 5,845 (vs Inverness CT, 1 Dec)
Home colours
Away colours

Dundee United finished the Scottish Premier League 2007–08 season in 5th place with 52 points. Noel Hunt was the top scorer with 18 goals.

Contents

Review and events

The pre-season period began with two new permanent signings at the club, Polish goalkeeper Łukasz Załuska and Darren Dods having signed deals in June. Irishman Willo Flood also arrived from Cardiff City on a season-long loan deal. In July, former Ajax youngster Prince Buaben signed after a successful trial and was joined by a second Polish keeper, Grzegorz Szamotulski, in time for the league season. Englishman Jordan Robertson became the second long-term loan signing when he arrived from Sheffield United in late August.

A number of players who were out of contract left the club following the end of the 2006–07 season. Lee Mair signed a pre-contract deal with Aberdeen and Derek Stillie moved to England to pursue a law career. David McCracken and Collin Samuel were both released. Also leaving the club were a number of younger players who had failed to earn extensions to their contracts. These were Gregg Burnett, Barry Callaghan and Ross Gardiner. All had played at least once for the first team.

The first game of the season was home to Aberdeen in the SPL, and ended in a 1–0 victory.[1] As the season progressed, United maintained their high league table position, ending 2007 in 4th place.

The club lost to Rangers in the CIS Insurance Cup final in March, losing on penalties. The Scottish Cup campaign was ended by St. Mirren in the fifth round.

Chronological list of events

This is a list of the significant events to occur at the club during the 2007–08 season, presented in chronological order. This list does not include transfers, which are listed in the transfers section below, or match results, which are in the results section.

Match results

Dundee United played a total of 46 competitive matches during the 2007–08 season,[19] as well as four first team pre-season friendlies. The team finished fifth in the Scottish Premier League.

In the cup competitions, United were runners up in the final of the CIS Insurance Cup, losing on penalties to Rangers. United lost to St. Mirren in the Scottish Cup fifth round, after a replay.

Scottish Premier League

Home team Score Away team Additional information

Source: BBC Sport website: Scottish Premier
a.e.t. = after extra time; agg. = aggregation score; pen. = decision by penalties.

Scottish Cup

CIS Insurance Cup

Home team Score Away team Additional information

Source: BBC Sport website: Scottish Cups
a.e.t. = after extra time; agg. = aggregation score; pen. = decision by penalties.

Player stats

During the 2007–08 season, United used 30 different players on the pitch. The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.[20]

No. Nat Pos Player Total Clydesdale Bank Premier League Scottish Cup CIS Insurance Cup
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
1 GK Łukasz Załuska 18 0 14 0 2 0 2 0
13 GK Euan McLean 7 0 6 0 1 0 0 0
21 GK Grzegorz Szamotulski 21 0 18 0 0 0 3 0
2 DF Sean Dillon 39 2 32 2 3 0 4 0
3 DF Christian Kalvenes 23 2 18 1 1 0 4 1
4 DF Lee Wilkie 37 4 30 3 3 0 4 1
5 DF Darren Dods 39 2 32 1 3 0 4 1
8 DF Daniel Grainger 16 0 14 0 2 0 0 0
18 DF Garry Kenneth 20 1 19 1 0 0 1 0
24 DF Stuart Duff 9 0 9 0 0 0 0 0
24 DF Mihael Kovačević 5 0 4 0 0 0 1 0
6 MF Willo Flood 43 0 35 0 3 0 5 0
7 MF Mark Kerr 37 0 29 0 3 0 5 0
11 MF Barry Robson 24 12 21 11 1 1 2 0
11 MF Jim O'Brien 10 0 10 0 0 0 0 0
12 MF David Robertson 24 6 19 6 1 0 4 0
14 MF Steven Robb 13 0 12 0 0 0 1 0
15 MF Craig Conway 19 2 15 1 2 0 2 1
16 MF Morgaro Gomis 43 1 35 1 3 0 5 0
17 MF Greg Cameron 3 0 3 0 0 0 0 0
20 MF Prince Buaben 29 2 23 2 1 0 5 0
23 MF Danny Swanson 13 2 11 2 2 0 0 0
32 MF Fraser Milligan 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
9 ST Jon Daly 9 0 9 0 0 0 0 0
10 ST Noel Hunt 43 18 35 13 3 0 5 5
22 ST Jordan Robertson 18 4 14 3 1 0 3 1
22 ST Mark de Vries 17 3 13 2 2 0 2 1
25 ST Eric Odhiambo 4 0 4 0 0 0 0 0
26 ST David Goodwillie 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0
30 ST Johnny Russell 2 0 2 0 0 0 0 0

Goalscorers

Fifteen players scored for the United first team with the team scoring 64 goals in total. The top goalscorer was Noel Hunt with 18 goals.[20]

Name League Cups Total
Hunt, NoelNoel Hunt 13 5 18
Robson, BarryBarry Robson 11 1 12
Robertson, DavidDavid Robertson 6 06
Robertson, JordanJordan Robertson 3 1 04
Wilkie, LeeLee Wilkie 3 1 04
Buaben, PrincePrince Buaben 3 03
de Vries, MarkMark de Vries 2 1 03
Dillon, SeanSean Dillon 2 02
Dods, DarrenDarren Dods 2 02
Swanson, DannyDanny Swanson 2 02
Conway, CraigCraig Conway 1 1 02
Kalvenes, ChristianChristian Kalvenes 1 1 02
Gomis, MorgaroMorgaro Gomis 2 02
Flood, WilloWillo Flood 1 01
Kenneth, GarryGarry Kenneth 1 01
Own goals 1 01

Discipline

During the 2007–08 season, nine United players were sent off and 15 received at least one caution. In total, the team received nine red cards and 56 yellow cards.[20]

Name Cautions Dismissals
Wilkie, LeeLee Wilkie 10 1
Kenneth, GarryGarry Kenneth 05 1
Gomis, MorgaroMorgaro Gomis 04 1
Flood, WilloWillo Flood 03 1
Robson, BarryBarry Robson 03 1
Robertson, JordanJordan Robertson 02 1
Dillon, SeanSean Dillon 01 1
Swanson, DannyDanny Swanson 1
Szamotulski, GrzegorzGrzegorz Szamotulski 1
Dods, DarrenDarren Dods 10
Hunt, NoelNoel Hunt 05
Kerr, MarkMark Kerr 05
Buaben, PrincePrince Buaben 04
de Vries, MarkMark de Vries 02
Robertson, DavidDavid Robertson 02
Daly, JonJon Daly 01
Grainger, DannyDanny Grainger 01
Kalvenes, ChristianChristian Kalvenes 01
O'Brien, JimJim O'Brien 01

Transfers

In

United signed ten players during the season with an eleventh after the season had finished. Four players were signed on loan.

Date Player From Fee (£)
11 Jun 2007 Załuska, ŁukaszŁukasz Załuska Korona Kielce Nominal[21]
12 Jun 2007 Flood, WilloWillo Flood Cardiff City Loan[22]
22 Jun 2007 Dods, DarrenDarren Dods Inverness CT Bosman[23]
20 Jul 2007 Buaben, PrincePrince Buaben Unattached (ex-Ajax) Free[24]
25 Jul 2007 Szamotulski, GrzegorzGrzegorz Szamotulski Unattached (ex-Sturm Graz) Free[25]
28 Aug 2007 Robertson, JordanJordan Robertson Sheffield United Loan[10][26]
01 Jan 2008 Swanson, DannyDanny Swanson Berwick Rangers £0,040,000[27][28]
01 Jan 2008 Grainger, DanielDaniel Grainger Gretna £0,015,000[28][29]
01 Jan 2008 Odhiambo, EricEric Odhiambo Leicester City Loan[30]
18 Jan 2008 Kovačević, MihaelMihael Kovačević Koper £0,040,000[28][31]
25 Jan 2008 de Vries, MarkMark de Vries Unattached (ex-Leicester City) Free[32]
31 Jan 2008 O'Brien, JimJim O'Brien Celtic Loan[33]
03 Mar 2008 Camara, KémokoKémoko Camara Unattached Free[34]
15 Apr 2008 Kevin Smith Unattached (ex-Aldershot) Free[35]

Out

Five players left United during the season, with a number of young players spending time on loan with lower league clubs. Two player also agreed moves at the end of the season.

Date Player To Fee
28 Aug 2007 Andreoni, MarcoMarco Andreoni Montrose Loan[26]
28 Aug 2007 Easton, WilliamWilliam Easton Stirling Albion Loan[26]
31 Aug 2007 Proctor, DavidDavid Proctor Inverness CT Released[36]
26 Oct 2007 Cameron, GregGreg Cameron Partick Thistle Loan[37]
02 Nov 2007 Goodwillie, DavidDavid Goodwillie Raith Rovers Loan[38]
02 Jan 2008 Andreoni, MarcoMarco Andreoni Airdrie United Loan[39]
03 Jan 2008 Easton, WilliamWilliam Easton Ayr United Released[40]
17 Jan 2008 Duff, StuartStuart Duff Aberdeen Released[41]
18 Jan 2008 Cameron, GregGreg Cameron St. Johnstone Loan[42]
31 Jan 2008 Szamotulski, GrzegorzGrzegorz Szamotulski Preston Contract expiry[7]
31 Jan 2008 Robson, BarryBarry Robson Celtic £1,250,000[43]
15 May 2008 McLean, EuanEuan McLean St. Johnstone Free[44]
27 May 2008 Robb, StevenSteven Robb St. Mirren Free[45]
30 Jun 2008 Kalvenes, ChristianChristian Kalvenes Contract expiry Free
30 Jun 2008 Kerr, MarkMark Kerr Contract expiry Free

Playing kit

Home colours
Away colours

The jerseys were sponsored for a second[46] (and final) season by Anglian Home Improvements (who again sponsored Motherwell). The sponsor logo is displayed as a simple font across the chest, with white logo for the home top and black logo on the change strip.[47] The shorts were again sponsored by Ole International after the Spanish property firm extended the deal for a second year.[48] The shorts logo is displayed on the right hand side, above the club badge.[48] The expiry of both deals at the end of the season means the club will have at least one new sponsorship for 2008-09, as the option of a third year of shirt sponsorship[46] was passed for a new one-year deal with JD Sports' Carbrini Sportswear label for 2008-09.[49][50]

The club has no third strip, with the last third strip used in the 2002–03 season.

Awards

Craig Levein (October 2007)
Lee Wilkie (October 2007), Barry Robson (January 2008)
Danny Grainger (January 2008), Garry Kenneth (March 2008)
Willo Flood (2007–08)

References

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External links