May 14 1983 is a date engraved into the psyche of every Dundee United fan.
Some experienced Dundee United’s league title win at Dens Park first-hand.
The majority of Arabs have had to forge their memories from old television footage on YouTube alongside the spine-tingling commentary by Archie Macpherson.
These forgotten images, which have lain in DC Thomson’s archives, chart what happened off the pitch as the United supporters took up every vantage point available.
They have been published to mark 100 years of the club playing as Dundee United.
Some have never been seen before.
After wins against Celtic, Kilmarnock, Morton and Motherwell, United would have to cross the road and beat their rivals in the biggest Dundee derby ever held.
What the other two challengers – Aberdeen and Celtic – did meant nothing.
The league was United’s to lose.
It was ‘sardine city’ inside Dens Park
It was the era of perms, moustaches and ill-fitting shorts.
Nerves were jangling and excitement was building ahead of 3pm as the United supporters surged in a black and tangerine tide towards the ground.
The chanting started at least an hour before kick-off.
By the time the players ran on to the field, 29,106 were in the ground while some watched from the roof of the TC Keay textile engineering factory behind the goal.
The fans were crammed in like sardines.
Those who were present still feel the hairs standing up at the back of their necks when they recall the deafening roar that greeted the teams’ arrival on to the pitch.
Author, poet and musician Gary Robertson was 16 years old and had left school only two weeks previously with no real hope of a job in Thatcher’s Britain.
“I didn’t really care,” he said.
“I was a skinhead with fire in my belly and my beloved Dundee United were about to become legends.
‘Jam-packed derby fanaticism’ at Dens Park
“We walked up Tannadice Street to Dens Park and didn’t have a hope in hell of getting in the TC Keay end behind the goal.
“We had to settle for a spot somewhere behind United’s dugout.
“It was ‘sardine city’ and the view was bordering on crap but I was inside and I didn’t care.
“I’ll never forget the goose bumps up my arms as I looked around and took in the magnificent portrait of jam-packed derby fanaticism.”
Lifelong Arab and former club historian Tom Cairns said, on reflection, it was amazing that the police allowed pay at the gate to be an option given the magnitude of the game.
“Everyone of a tangerine persuasion wanted to be at the game,” he said.
You just had to be there that day. You could feel the tension in the air.”
Pat Kelly
“A childhood friend who was working at the British Embassy in Islamabad travelled home for the game but found himself admitted to hospital in Dundee overnight.
“He still made the game!
“Obviously there was also a large turnout of Dundee supporters and the extremely large police presence ensured limited people were lifted over the turnstiles.
“Many supporters were in the ground by 1.45pm for the 3pm kick-off.
“It was huge — the most important game in United’s history.
“We all had a confidence that we would become champions based on having Jim McLean as our manager and a first-team pool of superb players and not one weak link.
“At the game the atmosphere was electric.”
Ralph Milne got things off to a great start
The journalists sharpened their pencils and prepared to record the match.
And so came the big game.
Ralph Milne took a pass from Paul Sturrock and held off Stewart McKimmie.
Then, as the Dundee defence retreated, he saw Colin Kelly off his line and chipped the ball over his head to give United the lead on four minutes.
Seven minutes later David Narey was brought down in the box and referee George Smith pointed to the spot.
Kelly saved Eamonn Bannon’s shot but the winger netted the rebound.
Then, just before the half hour, Iain Ferguson lashed the ball past Hamish McAlpine from 18 yards out and it was 2-1 at half-time.
With Rangers leading Celtic 2-0 at Ibrox, the United fans sat back, confident even a draw would take the title across the road to Tannadice.
However, Celtic scored four goals after the break and were leading 4-2 after 86 minutes.
It was now a question of United holding on.
They did.
Tom said: “At the final whistle it was absolute bedlam — the joy and relief interspersed with United fans running onto the pitch to congratulate their heroes.
“The players left the field then returned with Jim McLean lifted on to their shoulders.
“A champion among champions.
“Police tried to eventually empty the ground and we were some of the last to leave, not wishing the afternoon to ever end.
‘Atmosphere was electric’ as Dundee United chased title
“My family and friends made our way home to my house in Hill Street for tea then on to Fairmuir Park for a kick-about, imagining we were Milne, Narey and Sturrock.
“We then drove through the town watching the celebrations taking place on the streets and were lucky enough to see United striker Davie Dodds looking resplendent in a massive tangerine and black top hat leaving a pub in Rosebank Street.
“We all returned home to celebrate with champagne and watch the TV highlights.”
The title success was crowned in glorious fashion.
Thousands of United fans partied until the wee small hours and some parties in the city’s pubs even spilled out on to the streets following the triumph.
Pat Kelly – author of the book Dundee United Who’s Who – said: “There were far more in Dens Park that day than the official figures say.
“Every United supporter knew the magnitude of what was at stake.
“You just had to be there that day. You could feel the tension in the air.
“The atmosphere was electric from the first kick of the ball.
“When Dundee scored every United supporter felt nervous, no matter what they say.
“When the final whistle blew it was amazing. It took a few minutes for it to sink in.
“It was off to Ferrari’s for a few beers with my mates to celebrate – it took days to recover but it was worth it!”
Dundee United fans ‘knew we were witnessing history’
Dundee journalist Craig Millar said he’d never seen anything like it before.
“I watched the match from the enclosure under the main stand at Dens,” he said.
“The old TC Keay terracing behind the goal was rammed with flag-waving and swaying United fans in a way that I had never witnessed before at either Dens or Tannadice.
“It immediately conveyed the feeling that everyone in the ground was witnessing a historic event.
“Ralph Milne’s opening goal was breath-taking.
“But, to me, it was Eamon Bannon’s penalty, at first thwarted by the Dundee goalie, Colin Kelly, but then rammed home on the rebound that really caused an eruption amongst the United supporters.
“Quite awesome to see a so-called provincial club winning the league.
“The next night, as a journalist with The Scotsman, I was at Dundee City Chambers to see the United players and fans receive civic acclamation.”
Monsoon rain and even thunder and lightning failed to stop the party.
There were 5,000 United supporters in scenes rarely witnessed in Dundee.
The players, soaked like the fans, seemed similarly oblivious to the downpour as they responded to every cheer.
A weekend which made the team instant heroes.
And something those who were there will never forget.
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