Two World Wars and one pandemic – the only things to have put an abrupt halt to a Dundee United season in their 111-year history.
Just like in the first half of last century, these are uncertain times for planet earth, but for entirely different reasons.
The recent coronavirus outbreak has cast doubt over the sporting landscape across the world, with United and the rest of Scottish football fully in the firing line.
The whole SPFL is in jeopardy after fixtures were suspended until further notice, with the situation only expected to get worse before it gets better in the weeks and months ahead.
The waters are murky, with many questions still to be answered over how this most-bizarre of campaigns finds its conclusion.
Global crisis aside, despite their position 14 points clear at the top of the Championship, it’s not exactly been a term without bumps in the road for the Terrors.
After racing ahead before the turn of the year, the wheels have come off slightly for the Tangerines in 2020 – winning just once in their last nine games – before last weekend’s clash at Morton was their first to fall to Covid-19.
Regardless, United supporters should be celebrating, right?
Sitting pretty at the second-tier summit and, potentially, set for a long-awaited return to the Premiership, Robbie Neilson and co have turned their team from perennial underachievers to a force to be reckoned with in a little over 18 months.
Instead, they are frustrated, as United have failed to hit the heights we saw earlier in the season as they went 14 unbeaten across league and cup.
Covering the Tannadice club, for most of 2019/20, it has felt like a triumphant procession to the title as they have led the way from day one – a potentially historic feat.
However, in recent times, the atmosphere has been far stranger and, on occasion, I can profess to have sympathy for the fans.
Their form of late has been disappointing to say the least, but performances have been as concerning.
Gone are the free-scoring days of 6-0 and 6-2 wins over Morton and city rivals Dundee and hard-fought successes at Arbroath and Queen of the South.
At their peak, which for me came at Firhill in early January where a makeshift side saw off Partick Thistle 4-1, it seemed like there was no stopping United.
Star man Lawrence Shankland scored a magnificent hat-trick that day but, in recent times, Arabs have had to make do with some rather turgid fare with the free-flowing football and goals less forthcoming.
They have stood by their team in huge numbers, though. That is to be expected as when on a run-in to a championship crowds naturally swell, but it should never be taken for granted.
The coronavirus has, obviously, put paid to anyone attending matches any time soon but, prior to the outbreak, it felt like interest was dissipating in the Terrors’ tale.
United were, and probably still are, in severe danger of limping over the line when they should have been wrapping things up in style and looking forward to a title party by now.
And the reasons for their form hitting the skids are easy to see when you scratch beneath the surface.
There is a natural tendency for teams so far ahead at the top of a division to take their foot off the gas and I do think, despite the noises coming from inside the camp, the Terrors have been guilty of that. Certainly, post-Inverness.
The 2-1 home win over second-placed ICT last month was hailed as the title-clincher as United seemed to step it up and move a huge 21 points clear.
Two points and just the one goal have followed in three matches since, as Robbie and his players remain bullish in the press.
However, it seems all the talk of the title, fatigue and persistent injury problems for key men like Nicky Clark, Calum Butcher, Louis Appere and Paul McMullan, has affected United.
From that point of view, this rarest of enforced breaks has come at a good time for United had we been in “peacetime”.
However, knowing what we know and after the season they’ve had, you can’t help but feel for a Dundee United who deserve their D-Day and victory on the Championship battleground.
Dundee United hoping ‘wait and see’ coronavirus period will soon be over amid title speculation
