By Graeme Strachan

DUNDEE UNITED’S 1983 league championship winning side got back together last night to mark the 25th anniversary of the club’s greatest achievement.

United hosted a dinner for the squad at the Hilton Hotel.

The players raised the league trophy again last night along with a glass to celebrate.

Jim McLean, who managed the league winning team, was a notable but perhaps not unexpected absentee given his well documented tense relationship with Eddie Thompson, who was at last night’s event.

Richard Gough said the 1982-83 title win with United was still his most special, despite going on to win nine consecutive league titles with Rangers.

“It’s the most special and I don’t think it will ever happen again with the money in the game today,” he said. “We had a group of very special players and it’s good to see them all here.

“I think we were all a very good age, from 19-26, and Walter Smith and Jim McLean had us very fit and I think that helped a lot.”

During the winning season Eamonn Bannon missed only five games, and found the net 10 times—including a goal in the 2-1 win against Dundee that clinched the league title.

“From my own perspective I went an entire season without any injuries, but we also didn’t have many suspensions because we were a well-disciplined squad. Above all else we were supremely fit,” he said.

“The goal against Dundee was special, but my biggest memory was beating Celtic at Parkhead with three games to go. Ralph Milne scored, and Richard Gough scored, and suddenly from being not fancied we became the favourites,” he said.

“Only when you look back do you really appreciate the quality of the side we had. We were all mates and we still see each other once a year.”

Ralph Milne opened the scoring against Dundee in the final game of the season but also picked another match during the run-in as his highlight of the campaign.

“We came back from a UEFA Cup game in Prague in March and had to go to Aberdeen and win, otherwise the season was over— and, as usual, Luggy (Paul Sturrock) was injured,” he said.

“Wee Jim (McLean) had me up front against Willie Miller and Alex McLeish. Anyway, we ripped them apart, I scored both goals and I got sent off.

“We won 2-1 and the bonus was £500 so, instead of getting fined a week’s wages, which was normal for me, I just never got the bonus.

“Then we had to go to Parkhead. We won 3-2 and I scored a 20-yard volley in that game.

“We had to go to Morton and I got another goal.

“Then we went to Dens knowing that we were going to win the league—well, I did.”

Maurice Malpas was the youngest member of the triumphant 1983 team and the only part-timer.

He said he didn’t think the side got the credit they deserved for the league triumph, but he believed conquering Europe in the years which followed the title win had been a greater achievement.

“They are all team mates but the proudest thing I can say is they are all friends now,” said Malpas.

“We never appreciated what we did winning the league. We just thought it would happen every year.

“That was us being a bit young and naive, I suppose.

“Getting to the final of the UEFA Cup was another highlight, but probably my biggest thing was getting to the semi-final of the European Cup.

“That got me a cap for Scotland and my career really kicked off from then. For me that was a bigger achievement than winning the league.

“But we were definitely never given enough credit for what happened. For a provincial club to have five players in the national team, that shows you how good we were.”

Dundee United chief executive Steven Thompson was a 17-year-old fan watching from the TC Keay end at Dens Park when they won the league in 1983.

He said he had great memories from that day at Dens and was happy to see everyone back together again to celebrate.

“I’m absolutely delighted by the turnout,” he said. “It’s great to get everybody back together to mark what was a truly wonderful achievement.”