Dundee United supporters were convinced they would win the league after defeating Celtic on April 20 1983 – and even Jim McLean was smiling.
McLean said he had never been prouder of his players following the 3-2 win that he described as his side’s best away performance since taking charge of United in 1971.
Having lost 2-0 at Celtic Park a fortnight before, United returned to Glasgow for a fixture against Billy McNeill’s champions that had been rescheduled from February.
This was the night that Celtic lost their grip on the title.
United won against the odds and moved to within a point of Celtic with four games to go despite having to complete the last 30 minutes of the match with 10 men.
Celtic: Bonner, Sinclair, Reid, Aitken, McAdam, McLeod, Provan, McStay, Nicholas, Burns, McGarvey. Subs: McCluskey, Crainie.
Dundee United: McAlpine, Stark, Malpas, Gough, Hegarty, Narey, Bannon, Milne, Holt, Sturrock, Dodds. Subs: Clark, Britton.
Champagne Charlie Nicholas – plain old Charlie back then – was back to strengthen the Celtic attack but it was United that came flying out of the traps in a rip-roaring clash.
United almost took the lead on six minutes when Eammon Bannon’s corner was nodded on by Richard Gough but Paul Sturrock managed to head over from close range.
The tackling was intense, to say the least, in the opening exchanges as both sides seemed to realise the importance of the table-top battle, which had started at a frantic pace.
McLean’s men drew first blood
United went into a deserved lead through Paul Hegarty after 15 minutes.
Hegarty stuck out his right leg to knock the ball home after goalkeeper Pat Bonner and his captain Roy Aitken got themselves in a tangle following a corner from Bannon.
This setback brought Celtic to life and it took a stunning save from Hamish McAlpine to prevent a long-range effort from Murdo McLeod from equalising three minutes later.
United almost went further ahead on 27 minutes.
Sturrock turned a Gough header just wide following another Bannon corner.
United continued to play well and Bonner showed his class when he used his fingertips to push a header from Sturrock just over the bar from Derek Stark’s cross.
Celtic equalised against the run of play before half-time.
Nicholas scored from the penalty spot after Stark had obstructed Tommy Burns.
Both sides went in level at half time after a hard-fought first 45 minutes.
United upped their game after the break.
Gough was booked for a tough tackle on George McCluskey on 49 minutes, as United served notice that they wouldn’t be pushed around by the home side.
United took the lead again on 52 minutes.
Bannon scored from the penalty spot after McLeod fouled Davie Dodds in the box.
Gough dismissal tough to take
Things got tougher for United on 58 minutes.
Gough was sent off by referee David Syme following a clash with Davie Provan.
Celtic went all-out attack against United’s 10-men and went level on 78 minutes when McCluskey beat Malpas and squared for Burns who swept it beyond McAlpine.
United might have attempted to cling on for a point in a game Courier journalist Tommy Gallacher described as “one of the most action-packed games I have ever seen”.
Far from it.
Gallacher wrote: “All told there were four bookings, an ordering off and two penalties, one for either side, to add spice to a game in which United twice led, were twice pulled back and Ralph Milne got the vital goal, which narrows the gap between the two sides to a single point, six minutes from the end.
“And it was a goal worthy to win the championship.
“Milne took a Bannon cross on his chest and hooked the ball over Bonner into the Celtic net before the ball touched the ground.
“A fitting climax to a game that had everything, with United keeping their nerve and earning a fitting reward for their efforts.”
How good was Milne’s goal?
Milne described the winning goal at Celtic Park in his 2009 memoir.
“With only a few minutes remaining Eamonn Bannon tore down the wing, cut back onto his right and crossed it,” he said.
“I got in front of their defender Mark Reid, took it on my chest and hit a left foot volley right over keeper Packie Bonner and straight into the net!”
The Dundee United fans chanted at full-time: “We’re going to win the league.”
So what was Jim McLean’s take on the victory?
“I felt our players were magnificent in overcoming Celtic, and that justice was done in the end with the better side coming out on top,” he said.
“Now we must keep our feet firmly on the ground, maintaining the confidence and arrogance displayed against Celtic.
“If we do this we have as good a chance as any of winning the title.
“Too often in the past at Ibrox and Parkhead we have let our travelling support down and I was greatly appreciative of Wednesday’s magnificent support, which for once was duly rewarded.
“I might be prone to exaggeration but I have never been prouder of the players than on Wednesday night particularly taking into account all the circumstances.
“Thankfully that result put all the pressure on ourselves and deservedly so.
“We have put ourselves right back into the title frame and an awful lot rests in our hands.”
When Alex Ferguson‘s Aberdeen defeated Celtic three days later, United moved to the top of the table after a 4-0 home win over Kilmarnock.
United never looked back.
Three more wins saw the title going to Tannadice for the first time.
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