United Debut: v Motherwell (A) 2-2 29/10/83.

Signed From: Clydebank £60,000 28/10/83.

Transferred to: Dundee £75,000 13/12/86.

Jim McLean signed Coyne from Clydebank as cover for Davie Dodds and Paul Sturrock as United prepared for a season in which they would be competing in the European Cup for the first time. Coyne appeared 21 times in his first season, including a subs appearance in the 2-0 win over Roma at Tannadice, but only managed 3 goals during the season. Over the next two seasons Coyne found it difficult to displace either of the Sturrock/Dodds partnership, managing 9 goals in 40 appearances, including 2 against Linz in the UEFA Cup. After the departure of Dodds to Switzerland, it looked like Coyne would be the ideal replacement, but the signing of Iain Ferguson at the start of the 1986/87 season meant that Coyne was still not a first choice striker at Tannadice, and by December he was sold to Dundee for £75,000. Coyne proved a huge success at Dens, with a habit of scoring against United, and was eventually sold on to Celtic for £500,000 and was capped for the Republic of Ireland.