The first match in August was Dave Narey's Testimonial versus Tottenham Hotspur, with the likes of Paul Gascoigne, Paul Stewart and Paul Walsh coming to Tannadice for a 1-1 draw, with Narey himself scoring an own goal and Alex Cleland scoring for United. We advertised in the local paper, The Glenrothes Gazzette, for this match, which brought in a lot of new faces.
We had Toolan's Coaches from Glenrothes transporting us around the country that season, and it was undoubtedly the best bus we've ever had, with comfy seats and films such as Robocop and Rambo III on TV/video on the way through to the West Coast. Unfortunately by the end of the season they raised their prices and we had to change.
In September, the first Dundee derby of the season saw United win 3-0 with goals from Mixu Paatelainen (2) and Kevin Gallacher and a trip to Malta in the European Cup Winners Cup saw a disappointing 0-0 draw with Floriana. After a 1-1 draw with Hibs at Tannadice, Miodrag Krivokapic's clearance came through in time for the League Cup semi-final with Aberdeen at Dens, but goals from John Hewitt and ex-United legend Davie Dodds put United out. Another trip through to the West saw Ian Redford score two against Motherwell in a 2-1 win, but ex-St Mirren midfielder Ian Ferguson returned to plague United again with a late winner for Rangers at Tannadice.
October saw the first of four 0-0 draws with Hearts, and Raphael Meade came off the bench to score the winner against Floriana in the ECWC 2nd leg at Tannadice. A 4-0 win over Hamilton at Douglas Park was the last positive result for United in October, with 1-0 defeats to Celtic and St Mirren following in the League and a last minute Dinamo Bucharest goal at Tannadice giving them the advantage after the ECWC first leg. A 1-1 draw with Motherwell finished off a disappointing month.
In contrast, United were unbeaten in November, with Raphael Meade scoring at Easter Road for a 1-1 draw, and he scored again as United saw off Dundee 2-0 at Tannadice. In the ECWC 2nd leg in Romania, Dave Beaumont looked to have put United back in the match, but another late goal knocked United out on aggregate - but our very own Lawrence Lindsay made the long trip behind the Iron Curtain! Allan Preston scored at Pittodrie in a 1-1 draw, Billy Thomson saved a penalty for another 0-0 draw with Hearts at Tynecastle, and Dave Bowman scored the only goal of the game against Hamilton at Tannadice. Ian Redford left for Ipswich Town in a deal worth £200,000 after four years at Tannadice.
December brought United's season back on track with four straight wins. A Dave Beaumont goal gave United a memorable 1-0 win at Ibrox, before United destroyed Hibs 4-1 at Tannadice. Darren Jackson arrived from Newcastle United, but his debut against Celtic lasted only four minutes, limping off with an ankle injury. United went on to win the match 2-0 with a Mixu Paatelainen penalty and a Lex Baillie own goal, and we also saw one of the best fouls ever produced as Billy McKinlay caught Peter Grant with a flying kick! A Kevin Gallacher goal was enough for a win at Love Street on Hogmany.
Hamish French started January well after being out through injury, scoring in a 1-1 draw with Aberdeen at Tannadice and scoring the winner in the third Dundee derby of the season at Dens. Another big win at Douglas Park saw United beat Hamilton 5-0 with Kevin Gallacher scoring a hat-trick, and another 0-0 draw with Hearts at Tannadice saw United go unbeaten since October. The 3rd round of the Scottish Cup saw another Dundee derby, with Dave Bowman and Raphael Meade scoring in a 2-1 win, and Paul Sturrock returned from a long term injury.
In February, just days after Scotland's late, late winner against Cyprus in the World Cup qualifiers, it happened again at Tannadice as a 94th minute Gary Stevens own goal gave United a deserved 1-1 draw against Rangers. United were drawn against Aberdeen in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup, the game at Pittodrie finishing 1-1 with Mixu Paatelainen scoring a penalty. The replay at Tannadice just 4 days later saw United take the lead in extra-time with another Mixu penalty, but Brian Grant equalised to take the game to a second replay. Again at Tannadice, Mixu scored yet again to take United through to the quarter finals - although Rammy missed the eventual winning goal after being grassed up for having an air horn and spent the evening in a cell!
This was the first season we started running buses to Scotland games, and we travelled through to Hampden at the start of March to see the national team defeat France 2-0 in the 1990 World Cup qualifiers, with both goals coming from Mo Johnston. A friendly against Brondby from Denmark saw the likes of Brian Laudrup, Peter Schmeichel and Kim Vilfort coming to Tannadice before they were famous. United won 3-1 with goals from John O'Neil, John Clark and Mixu Paatelainen.
Back to the Premier League, and United started the month with a shock 4-1 defeat at the hands of St Mirren at Tannadice, with Maurice Malpas scoring for United and Paul Hegarty scoring an amazing own goal as John O'Neil made his debut. Miodrag Krivokapic scored his only goal for United in a 2-1 win at Fir Park over Motherwell, but the big televised match between United and Rangers in the Scottish Cup was called off due to unforeseen flooding at Ibrox! The match went ahead the following Tuesday night, and was a classic! United fans filled the top tier of the Broomloan Road Stand as Mixu scored a late equaliser for a 2-2 draw. The next two matches more or less finish United's season, as a 1-0 defeat at Parkhead saw the end of United's title hopes, and an Ally McCoist goal at Tannadice in the Scottish Cup quarter final replay knocked United out after 6 games in the competition!
In April, Jim McLean brought in Charlie Adam from Arbroath. United went down 1-0 to Aberdeen at Pittodrie to kill off any hopes of a revival in the League, but goals from Paul Sturrock and Kevin Gallacher at Tannadice meant United had five straight wins over Dundee that season, with Ray McKinnon making his debut that day in a 2-1 win. Paul Hegarty scored in a 1-1 draw with Motherwell at Tannadice and Alan Irvine (the winger) returned from injury to score in a 2-1 win over Hibs at Easter Road.
By May, United's season had already finished. The last three games ended with a 2-0 defeat at Ibrox, yet another 0-0 draw with Hearts where Paddy Connolly made his first appearance, and a shock 1-0 victory for relegated Hamilton at Tannadice as Paul Sturrock played his last ever match before taking up a coaching role with United.
Our Player of the Year Dance was held at the Abbottshall Hotel in Kirkcaldy with the likes of Paul Sturrock, and our then honorary chairman Maurice Malpas (a Fifer!) coming along.
We played one of our first ever Supporters Club football matches this season as we were invited to a Round Robin Tournament at the Glenrothes Institute organised by a local Rangers Supporters Club, and we came 3rd, beating a St Johnstone Supporters Club 3-1. The fourth team never showed up and of course the Rangers Club won it as they had organised it!
At
the end of the season, we had another trip through to Hampden for the
last match between Scotland and England for nearly 10 years, as we witnessed
the English fans fighting amongst themselves at half-time as their team
won 2-0 in the Rous Cup.