United Debut: v Hearts (H) 0-1 4/3/00.

Signed From: St Johnstone £50,000 17/2/00.

Transferred to: Montrose 7/2/02.

Manager Paul Sturrock returned to his former club to bring ex-Dundee defender McQuillan to Tannadice, and the player missed only three games between his debut in March and the end of the season, his second game being a Scottish Cup quarter final defeat to Aberdeen at Tannadice. The team went through a bad run at this time, winning only 2 of their last 15 games of the season. After Sturrock's resignation just two games into the 2000/01 season, McQuillan remained in the first team under Alex Smith, playing a further 18 times before being displaced by youngster Jamie McCunnie at the turn of the year, as the side fought out a relegation battle with St Mirren. McQuillan was loaned out to Alloa Athletic in February 2001 and was eventually transferred to Montrose midway through the 2001/02 season.