It was a night that seemed to bring the entire city to a standstill.
The game was the European Cup semi-final first leg between Dundee United and Roma on April 11 1984.
It lives on in the memory as a bittersweet what-might-have-been.
United had beaten Hamrun Spartans of Malta, Belgium’s Standard Liege and Austrian champions Rapid Vienna to set up a sell-out for the Italians’ visit.
Souvenir t-shirts and jumpers designed in official club colours were being sold from Promark Leisure in Reform Street from £4 to £9.30.
Sport shops in Dundee reported anything and everything in United colours being sold in large numbers ahead of the game.
Norman Cunningham, manager of the Astral Sports department at Arnott’s, said the demand exceeded all reasonable expectations.
“All we have left are a few scarves,” he said.
“Everything else from flags to mugs have been snapped up and Tannadice should be a sea of tangerine tomorrow night.”
European game was only show in town
The big game was the main topic of conversation in the city’s pubs and clubs.
More than 2,000 Roma fans made the trip to Scotland while many of Dundee’s Italian community also bought away tickets in the Arklay Street terracing.
The party of 37 Roma players and officials were staying at the Swallow Hotel.
The Serie A club were desperate to reach a final being played in their own stadium and the players were on a £3,000 bonus if they beat United.
United manager Jim McLean referenced the Old Testament when asked whether his team could win the gladiatorial contest against the Romans.
“Some folk are making this out to be a David versus Goliath match,” he said.
“Well, we all know who won that battle!
“The result will depend on how we play, not Roma, and the real key could be the form of our front men, who haven’t been impressive in recent games.”
Council business finished in 10 minutes
Something of a record was set at the committee meetings of Dundee District Council under the pressure of a 7.30pm kick-off for the big match.
Starting at 7pm, the entire business of four committees was completed in 10 minutes, including official congratulations to the winner of the civic town planning prize.
A lot of the build-up to the match had been taken up by speculation over whether or not Roma’s injured Brazilian superstar Roberto Falcao would make it.
The mind games and manipulation continued when Falcao began loosening up in the corridor to give the impression he would make the starting line-up.
He didn’t but the visitors still had two reigning world champions on each wing in Italian internationals Bruno Conti and Francesco Graziani.
Tannadice witnessed one of United’s finest displays
After a drab first half, United sprung into life in the second, and turned in one of their greatest European performances.
Davie Dodds scored the opening goal just minutes after the restart.
Richard Gough broke down the right and sent the ball across to the far post.
Eamonn Bannon hit a fierce shot that was blocked on the six-yard line and Paul Sturrock turned the ball back to Dodds to score from close-range.
United moved up a gear after going ahead and the darting runs of Bannon and Ralph Milne caused havoc for a spell in the Roma defence.
Roma used every trick in the book and there followed numerous unseemly incidents off the ball which the German referee failed to get to grips with.
Derek Stark brought the house down
United got the second goal on 60 minutes when Derek Stark fired home an unstoppable effort past Franco Tancredi.
Tannadice was rocking.
Stark’s shot was memorably described by Arthur Montford as “a thumper”.
It was hard to disagree with the legendary Scotsport commentator.
Milne was next to go close with a shot that was deflected wide, before a header by Paul Hegarty was saved from Tancredi on 66 minutes.
United might have scored more.
The Roma defence buckled under pressure before a late scare for United saw Hamish McAlpine save from Odoacre Chierico.
Courier writer Tommy Gallacher watched from the press box.
He described the victory as the most famous in the history of the Tannadice club.
United fans went absolutely wild and partied into the wee small hours.
Italian fans returning downhearted to the Angus Hotel after the match were treated to haggis and neeps before a Scottish ceilidh.
The result seemed to be the final straw that broke the Romans’ patience.
Roma president Dino Viola alleged in the aftermath that United’s players were on steroids because of the energy levels.
McLean said: “It just shows you what bad losers they are.
“I am sorry to say it will get worse before our game against them in Rome.
“Actually, it is only a cover up for their performance against us, and, as far as I am concerned, it suggests the Italians are running scared.
“That suits us.
“It is all done to whip up the emotions of the Roma fans for our game at the Olympic Stadium.”
Rotten fruit thrown at United players
It set up a fiery return leg in Rome on April 25.
More than 500 United fans made the journey to Italy, including four winners from a Courier competition with £100 spending money.
Some supporters cancelled family holidays to instead head for Italy.
The capital made for an uncompromising host.
The kick-off was scheduled for 3.30pm, when Rome was at its hottest.
The night before the match, motorbikes gathered outside the United hotel to peep their horns and rev up their engines.
Roma fans began to gather at the Olympic Stadium from 9am and fruit rained down on the United players when they went to look at the pitch.
Supporters with time off huddled around portable televisions or pub TV screens back home including the Ivanhoe Bar.
The Lochee pub was offering free drinks for every goal Dundee United scored.
Sadly, it was not to be.
Ralph Milne lashed an early chance over the bar.
It was to be a costly miss.
Two first-half goals by Roberto Pruzzi and Agostino Di Bartolemi’s second-half penalty turned the tie on its head.
McLean was verbally abused by the opposition players as he walked back to the dressing room with assistant manager Walter Smith.
United fans supported Liverpool
The 3-0 defeat denied United what would have been a fairytale final against Liverpool.
“Obviously I am very disappointed but the better team of the two over the two legs is going through to the final,” said McLean.
“They outclassed us here whereas we didn’t really outclass them in Dundee.
“The way we played was suicide.
“I have no excuses.”
With home advantage for the final the Italians faced Joe Fagan’s Liverpool.
United fans painted the town red that night after Liverpool won on penalties.
Years later there would be corruption added to the plot line.
In June 1986 Roma’s president was banned for four years by Uefa for attempting to help “soften up” French referee Michel Vautrot with a £50,000 bribe.
It was an ugly footnote to United’s beautiful run in the competition.
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