United Debut: v Hearts (H) 0-0 16/8/98.

Signed From: Luton Town 10/7/98.

Transferred to: Freed 7/6/00.

Manager Tommy McLean brought Northern Ireland international defender Patterson to Tannadice in the close season on 1998 after the departure of defenders Steven Pressley and Mark Perry. Patterson missed only 8 games until the turn of the year, as Paul Sturrock replaced Tommy McLean as manager, but he picked up an injury that kept him out of the first team until February. He scored on his return to the starting eleven, in a 2-2 draw with Clydebank in the Scottish Cup, this being his only goal for the club. After 23 appearances that season, he was used only a further 8 times by Paul Sturrock during the 1999/00 season, all in the 2nd half of the campaign, and was freed by the club in June, later signing for York City.