A United win at Hibs will be a step nearer to a top six place and a chance of European football next season.
The international break will have allowed tired bodies and minds valuable rest ahead of the final push to achieve both things.
Ten months into his reign as Tannadice boss Tam Courts is close to being able to confound remaining doubters of his capabilities.
Last time I looked, 40 players had appeared in a United first team shirt this season and while there have been bumps along the road, good progress has been made in giving youth the chance to shine in a team which is also not short of experienced hands.
Some fans have been less than impressed at the quality of football on display at times, with one die hard who follows the team home and away describing it to me as ‘making your eyes bleed’.
🔋 Recharged and ready to go again…#UnitedTogether pic.twitter.com/Ysp5FuolLg
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) March 29, 2022
That’s the subjective nature of football: one fan’s meat is another’s poison.
Ultimately results are the key determinants in football and come five o clock on Saturday, United supporters may well be celebrating a top half finish allowing them to go into next week’s derby in a very relaxed and celebratory mood.
They’re playing now for their own and the club’s future.
It’s been clear for a while that they and St Johnstone were in a two-way scrap for the automatic drop spot and the play-off shot.
Saints hold the balance of the advantage with a four-point cushion with just seven games remaining.
There’s no margin for error for the Dark Blues and the Perth men have every incentive to keep the boot on their rivals’ throat by continuing the form which has taken four from six points in their last two games.
Can't. Stop. Watching. 😍 pic.twitter.com/oLqn0esMzr
— St. Johnstone FC (@StJohnstone) March 21, 2022
I’m no fan of the Championship which is where one and perhaps both clubs are heading.
That’s not a dig at the quality of the second tier, but ambitious clubs must always want to play at the highest level in front of big crowds and with better income streams which in turn attracts better players.
There will be plenty of time for recriminations and soul searching at both Dens and McDiarmid Park once the season is over.
But the next few weeks require an almighty effort and heave from both squads to give themselves a fighting chance of avoiding the drop.
Like a puppy, relegation isn’t just for Christmas.
It can become a long barren series of gloomy winters.
Crowds dip and all the hard work of building a squad can be thrown away as the better players who can move look to get out, while it becomes a struggle to attract the quality of player needed to get back to the top flight.
In Dundee’s case, although I’m sceptical about the proposed new stadium actually happening, dropping into the Championship may make the likelihood of leaving Dens even more remote.
Relegation leaves a stain on any CV.
It’s a badge of dishonour for players to avoid.
RAB DOUGLAS: You couldn’t pick a worse time to undertake a new stadium project for Dundee FC
