Former Dundee United captain Mark Reynolds left a poignant message on social media as he quit Tannadice last month.
“Try to leave things better than you found them,” wrote Reynolds on a photo of him holding the Scottish Championship trophy above the city of Dundee.
Reynolds time at United didn’t end the way he wanted it to.
A substitute appearance in the 3-1 Premier Sports Cup defeat to Hibernian in September saw him, unfairly, concede a penalty.
A month later, he relinquished the captain’s armband, with Ryan Edwards taking over.
It was clear Reynolds’ time at the club was coming to a close.
Dundee United: An unforgettable journey
— Mark Reynolds (@reyn01ds) January 14, 2022
But what wasn’t clear was just how dearly Reynolds holds the club to his heart.
During three years at United, Reynolds played 77 times and captained them to the Scottish Championship title in 2020.
He also completed a degree in mechanical and offshore engineering as he prepares for life after the game.
His departure from United – which allowed him to sign for Cove Rangers – was entirely amicable.
In fact, Reynolds is gushing in his praise for United, manager Tam Courts and sporting director Tony Asghar.
“I’ll always be grateful to Dundee United for my time at the club,” Reynolds told Courier Sport.
“Do I have any regrets? The only regret I have is not being able to share our title win with the fans because of Covid.
“That image of me holding the trophy above Dundee was iconic and it was our way of showing we’d won it to the city.
“It was a unique title win but it’s a real shame that the supporters couldn’t enjoy the party with the players.
“Dundee United will always be special to me.
🆕 | Join us at 6pm for an exclusive feature with former club captain @reyn01ds!
Mark sits down to talk us through his time at the club – including winning the Championship, the future of United and his own new challenges.
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) February 16, 2022
“Tony Asghar was my link to the club and when I say he sold the dream to me it’s not pie in the sky stuff.
“I bought into what he and the owner Mark Ogren wanted to do for United.
“It was a project to get United back up and to start competing at the top end of the Scottish Premiership.
“I’m all about projects and what a great journey it was at United.”
Mark Reynolds: I asked Tam Courts to hand over captain’s armband
Reynolds stepped down as skipper last October.
His game time had become severely restricted and he made just one Scottish Premiership start.
Ryan Edwards took on the role as captain in October but Reynolds maintained a watertight relationship with United’s head coach.
“I have a great relationship with Tam Courts,” said Reynolds.
“I wasn’t playing but we were always very open and honest with each other.
“When you aren’t playing it’s easy for a manager to forget about you or stonewall you but that was never the case.
“The manager recognised I had so much to give, even from the side lines.
“Being captain is about more than what you do on the park.
“It’s about creating a culture behind the scenes and fostering a team spirit.
“People often just make assumptions from what they read on social media but don’t see behind the curtain.
“We had a great relationship. I suggested to the gaffer he handed over the armband to someone else, several weeks before he did.
“But he is meticulous in everything he does. He took the time to get it right and has made an excellent choice in Ryan Edwards.”
Mark Reynolds: Dundee demolition derby win was special
Reynolds cites the 6-2 Dundee derby win in 2019 as the highlight of his United career.
Reynolds skippered United as a Calum Butcher double and strikes from Louis Appere, Lawrence Shankland, Ian Harkes and Cammy Smith clinched a convincing win over their city rivals.
“We put a real statement down with that win over Dundee,” added Reynolds.
“We led the league from the first day when Lawrence Shankland scored four against Inverness. But the Dundee game was extra special.
“In ten years’ time we’ll still be looking back on that with fond memories.
“It’s one the fans will never forget. When you join a club you are only ever a custodian for three or four years.
“You are on a journey that won’t last forever.
“But fans live it every single day so being able to give the Dundee United fans something back is special.”
What does the future hold for Mark Reynolds?
🔵 𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 𝙩𝙤 𝘾𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙍𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙈𝙖𝙧𝙠 𝙍𝙚𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙨
We are delighted to announce the signing of Mark Reynolds, who joins on a one-and-a-half year contract!#CRFC | @reyn01ds
— Cove Rangers FC (@CoveRangersFC) January 19, 2022
Reyolds has gone part-time with Cove Rangers as he continues to plan for his future away from football.
He completed his university studies in 2019 and is likely to move into engineering.
“United were great with me during my studies,” added Reynolds.
“It was a unique situation because I was training then hitting the books for a few hours after it.
“They always supported and encouraged me. Football won’t be forever and I want to make sure I have plans in place for the future.
“Cove is another very exciting project for me. They are very ambitious and I want to help them on their journey.”
