LOAN REPORT | OCTOBER 2024
5th November 2024
We hope this message finds you well and fired up after a fantastic start to the season!
Together, we’ve made strides on and off the pitch, and we wanted to take a moment to reflect on a busy summer and our return to the William Hill Scottish Premiership.
We want to thank you for your incredible backing so far!
Building The Foundations
It’s been a great start to the campaign after reclaiming our place at the top table of Scottish football with last term’s Championship title triumph.
The foundations and work for this campaign began in earnest well before that enjoyable May evening.
That work was the beginning of a 24-month short-term strategy put together to ensure promotion from the Championship. This, coupled with an intense recruitment drive, improved the squad to provide the stability and strong foundations required for the club to continue our growth back in the Scottish Premiership.
During the process, squad development has witnessed a massive turnaround including the extension of five contracts within the existing squad - significantly including long-term deals for academy graduates Miller Thomson and Ross Graham.
It also saw 15 players leave the club after the 23/24 season to make way for 13 new additions; nine of those on permanent deals and four - including the returning Jack Walton - on loan deals. Subsequently, a further three players have moved on to pastures new before the end of the most recent transfer window.
The squad has settled in well so far and currently can claim the following:
- Unbeaten in the league
- Third place in the table
- Three consecutive clean sheets
- Into the last eight of the Premier Sports Cup
As importantly, we can enjoy six Dundee United players’ international recognition this weekend, four at senior level with Miller Thomson and Emmanuel Adegboyega receiving inaugural call-ups to under-21 duty for Scotland and the Republic of Ireland respectively.
Indeed, it has been several years since the club enjoyed such an array of recognition at international level.
A blockbuster Dundee derby raised the curtain on league business after our successful Premier Sports Cup Group B campaign and set the pace for the new season. Almost 14,000 supporters packed into the Calforth Construction Arena at Tannadice Park to watch both halves of the city of Discovery go blow-for-blow in the first iteration of the fixture in over two years, as an enthralling 2-2 draw unfolded in DD3. This event was lauded across the country and it was a real reminder of both what we had missed and how important the fixture is to the Scottish calendar.
Since then, we remain undefeated in the William Hill Premiership, having subsequently clashed with Ross County, St Johnstone and Heart of Midlothian respectively, whilst also securing progression to the Last Eight of the Premier Sports Cup with victory over St Mirren.
Indeed this is the first United side to traverse through August without losing since our Scottish Cup-winning squad of 2009/10.
All of our exciting summer recruits have played an integral role in our bright start, with all but one of our seven competitive goals throughout the month directly involving a new signing in one way or another.
At the other end, United currently boast the third-best defensive record in the division, and only the sides directly above us in the table, Aberdeen and Celtic, have leaked fewer goals.
Improving Our Home, Together
Your support is what makes Tannadice our home, and we've been working hard to create a better environment to be enjoyed on matchdays. In partnership with CalForth Construction, we've made great strides in enhancing the aesthetics of the stadium and the matchday experience.
A fresh coat of paint has revitalised the stadium's appearance and reinforced our iconic presence on the street. We’ve improved roofing, accessibility, and emergency lighting, making the stadium safer and more welcoming for all. Work has also been ongoing on turnstiles, with a number modernised with automated technology and further mechanical and electrical enhancements to ensure safe and plentiful access to the stadium. Additionally, new astro turf has been laid around the pitch side, contributing to the stadium's professional appearance as well as providing better environments for players at corners.
Further upgrades include enhancements to the home dressing room from Spaces Taylored, creating a more modern and comfortable habitat for the players before they take to the field to battle for you.
Our Ticket Office and Club Shop have also been refreshed, with more work still to come, making sure the first places you see on matchdays welcome you to Tannadice.
While there is still a long way to go, these updates show our commitment to creating a first-class experience for everyone who visits our home stadium.
An Energised Revamp
We’ve also made upgrades to our commercial areas to enhance the atmosphere on matchdays. The new Fancave, sponsored by Carling, and our Beer Garden have been a hit, adding to the buzz around the stadium and showcasing the very best of DUFC Hospitality.
Commercial revenue has seen great growth and seasonal hospitality numbers have exceeded past seasons remarkably and this has an impact on availability for future games - so don’t miss out by contacting the commercial team now!
Retail and Club Shop Updates
We’re now into the second year of our partnership with Italian kit manufacturer Erreà, where we have collaborated on distinctive, high-quality kits that honour the club’s heritage while embracing modern designs. These kits have been among our best-sellers, with training, travel and leisure wear also flying off the shelf this season. Feedback and sales are key indicators of the success of this partnership and it is a delight to continue to work with Errea as we embark on the journey of next year’s designs already.
We have many more exciting ranges and products to come this season – including our third kit, and retro throwbacks to name but a few.
Keep an eye out for these exciting additions in the new year!
You at the Heart!
This season, we’ve set a new record with over 6,400 season tickets sold – an amazing show of support from all of you. This incredible backing reflects the passion and loyalty of the Dundee United family and fuels our shared ambition for the season ahead. There is still time to become one of our season ticket holders and pro rata offers are available now to enable you to secure your seat for the big games ahead.
We also witnessed just under 10,000 fans attend the recent St Johnstone home victory and with exciting fixtures just around the corner, it is clear that a large United following can continue to help us achieve our collective targets. Tickets for the upcoming Rangers home Premiership tie and the mouth-watering Premier Sports quarter-final tie at Motherwell are currently on sale.
CLICK HERE to join the Tangerine Army!
There's a fantastic atmosphere around the club right now, and none of this would be possible without you. From the players on the pitch to every one of you in the stands, we’re all in this together.
We can’t wait to hear your cheers at the upcoming fixtures.
Let's keep pushing forward. Enjoy what remains of the international weekend, keep an eye on the fortunes of our globetrotters and let’s keep moving forward together - United.
CLICK HERE for Rangers tickets!
CLICK HERE for Motherwell tickets!
