It was a beautiful Sunday for Dundee United as they booked their place in the Active Nation Scottish Cup final on a glorious spring day at Hampden Park.
The Tangerines will return to the national stadium on May 15 to take on the tournament’s shock side Ross County.
There will be no one at Tannadice taking it for granted-however the opportunity to lift the silverware is a golden one.
Manager Peter Houston and his players deserve their day in the sun, having coped with the loss of then boss Craig Levein to Scotland before the turn of the year and transforming themselves into the form team in the country.
A superbly executed opening goal from David Goodwillie on 28 minutes eased nerves before classy captain Andy Webster nodded in a Craig Conway corner two minutes short of the hour to see them through.
Raith contributed a lot to the semi-final and were the better team until Goodwillie’s goal.
However when United’s players began stringing passes together the SPL team looked the likely winners.PoignantThere was poignancy aplenty, with the 10,000 plus Tangerine army singing the name of late chairman Eddie Thompson, with his son and successor Stephen watching on proudly from the main stand.
“I’m sure my dad will be looking down just now and having a big smile about what’s happening at the club,” said Thompson, who only jetted back from Canada on the morning of the match.
“We are in a cup final, we are third in the SPL and hopefully we’ll keep going and maybe challenge for second.
“This is what he wanted for the club and it would be great if, after the heartache of what happened against Rangers in the CIS Cup final a couple of seasons ago, we could go on to win it.
“The fans were singing ‘There’s only one Eddie Thompson’ and it was a bit strange to hear, especially for my mother (Cath).
“But it just shows the regard they held him in and I think everyone feels that if we can go on and win it then it would be a great tribute to his memory.
“For me, I’m absolutely delighted and so proud of everyone. I’m thrilled for Peter, his staff and the players — they really deserve to get all the praise.
“Most of all, though, I’m delighted for the fans because there were about 10,000 of them at Hampden and they made some noise.”
As for the monetary benefits that a final appearance brings, Thompson added, “I don’t know what it means financially.
“We took about 17,000 to the last final we were in and I think Ross County will probably bring about 12,000. So it’s hard to figure out the money but right now it’s all about just being there.
“In sport your first concern is always winning, with the money aspect coming after that.
“We’ve got ourselves into a position where we’ve got a chance of winning the Scottish Cup.
“But we know it’s going to be very difficult because Ross County were superb against Celtic so it’s set up for a very competitive final.”
Another interested spectator was Levein, who will be delighted for Houston but gutted for another of his pals, Raith boss John McGlynn.
Also watching was central defender Lee Wilkie, who will be retiring from the game due to his knee injury troubles.
Should United triumph Wilkie will not have the chance to lift the famous old trophy, with that duty likely to fall to Webster, his replacement as skipper.
Webster a pre-match doubt because of a calf injury said he had resorted to unorthodox measures in order to ensure he played.
“I was willing to try anything to make sure I did not miss this massive match,” he said.
“I had the calf problem and didn’t want to spend any unnecessary time out of the team.
“Hopefully I have caught the injury at the right time and it wasn’t that bad.
“I have been toughened up mentally because of my injuries and I appreciate everything when it goes well.
“I don’t take anything for granted and that includes reaching this final.
“When you see the other side of football you do wonder about things. “It has been a great opportunity for me to come to United and play football and I am enjoying it.
“We have some major games coming up. Hopefully we can kick on in the league and we have the cup final now too.
“We played Ross County earlier this season in the CIS Cup and we know how difficult it is against them.
“It was a great achievement for them to beat Celtic. Nobody who gets to a cup final is going to find it easy and that will be the case for us.”
The other goalscorer, Goodwillie, looked back on a result in a previous round as being the turning point.
“I remember how our fans got behind us in the fourth round at Partick Thistle and I think that win there has turned out to be significant for us,” he said.
“They were brilliant again today and gave us great support.”
Playmaker Danny Swanson, who sent Goodwillie clear for the opener, revealed some of his colleagues had been a bit stunned at full-time.
“Some of the boys were not as excited as I was after the game and I am not too sure if it has sunk in with a few of them yet,” he said.
“It will do as the final approaches.”Still fightingFor Raith what remains is a fight to stay in the first division, but they should take great solace from their cup exploits.
Captain Iain Davidson said, “It was a great chance to get to a cup final but it wasn’t to be.
“We got a foothold in the game during the first 25 minutes but it was always going to be a hard task if they got a goal.
“United are not third in the SPL for nothing. They are a right good side and may even finish second in the SPL the way they are going.
“As for us, we have to make sure we stay in this division.
“We got a good win down at Ayr United on Wednesday and have Airdrie in midweek.
“Every game is massive for us now.”
“We took about 17,000 to the last final we were in and I think Ross County will probably bring about 12,000. So it’s hard to figure out the money but right now it’s all about just being there.
“In sport your first concern is always winning, with the money aspect coming after that.
“We’ve got ourselves into a position where we’ve got a chance of winning the Scottish Cup.
“But we know it’s going to be very difficult because Ross County were superb against Celtic so it’s set up for a very competitive final.”
Another interested spectator was Levein, who will be delighted for Houston but gutted for another of his pals, Raith boss John McGlynn.
Also watching was central defender Lee Wilkie, who will be retiring from the game due to his knee injury troubles.
Should United triumph Wilkie will not have the chance to lift the famous old trophy, with that duty likely to fall to Webster, his replacement as skipper.
Webster a pre-match doubt because of a calf injury said he had resorted to unorthodox measures in order to ensure he played.
“I was willing to try anything to make sure I did not miss this massive match,” he said.
“I had the calf problem and didn’t want to spend any unnecessary time out of the team.
“Hopefully I have caught the injury at the right time and it wasn’t that bad.
“I have been toughened up mentally because of my injuries and I appreciate everything when it goes well.
“I don’t take anything for granted and that includes reaching this final.
“When you see the other side of football you do wonder about things. “It has been a great opportunity for me to come to United and play football and I am enjoying it.
“We have some major games coming up. Hopefully we can kick on in the league and we have the cup final now too.
“We played Ross County earlier this season in the CIS Cup and we know how difficult it is against them.
“It was a great achievement for them to beat Celtic. Nobody who gets to a cup final is going to find it easy and that will be the case for us.”
The other goalscorer, Goodwillie, looked back on a result in a previous round as being the turning point.
“I remember how our fans got behind us in the fourth round at Partick Thistle and I think that win there has turned out to be significant for us,” he said.
“They were brilliant again today and gave us great support.”
Playmaker Danny Swanson, who sent Goodwillie clear for the opener, revealed some of his colleagues had been a bit stunned at full-time.
“Some of the boys were not as excited as I was after the game and I am not too sure if it has sunk in with a few of them yet,” he said.
“It will do as the final approaches.”Still fightingFor Raith what remains is a fight to stay in the first division, but they should take great solace from their cup exploits.
Captain Iain Davidson said, “It was a great chance to get to a cup final but it wasn’t to be.
“We got a foothold in the game during the first 25 minutes but it was always going to be a hard task if they got a goal.
“United are not third in the SPL for nothing. They are a right good side and may even finish second in the SPL the way they are going.
“As for us, we have to make sure we stay in this division.
“We got a good win down at Ayr United on Wednesday and have Airdrie in midweek.
“Every game is massive for us now.”
“We took about 17,000 to the last final we were in and I think Ross County will probably bring about 12,000. So it’s hard to figure out the money but right now it’s all about just being there.
“In sport your first concern is always winning, with the money aspect coming after that.
“We’ve got ourselves into a position where we’ve got a chance of winning the Scottish Cup.
“But we know it’s going to be very difficult because Ross County were superb against Celtic so it’s set up for a very competitive final.”
Another interested spectator was Levein, who will be delighted for Houston but gutted for another of his pals, Raith boss John McGlynn.
Also watching was central defender Lee Wilkie, who will be retiring from the game due to his knee injury troubles.
Should United triumph Wilkie will not have the chance to lift the famous old trophy, with that duty likely to fall to Webster, his replacement as skipper.
Webster a pre-match doubt because of a calf injury said he had resorted to unorthodox measures in order to ensure he played.
“I was willing to try anything to make sure I did not miss this massive match,” he said.
“I had the calf problem and didn’t want to spend any unnecessary time out of the team.
“Hopefully I have caught the injury at the right time and it wasn’t that bad.
“I have been toughened up mentally because of my injuries and I appreciate everything when it goes well.
“I don’t take anything for granted and that includes reaching this final.
“When you see the other side of football you do wonder about things. “It has been a great opportunity for me to come to United and play football and I am enjoying it.
“We have some major games coming up. Hopefully we can kick on in the league and we have the cup final now too.
“We played Ross County earlier this season in the CIS Cup and we know how difficult it is against them.
“It was a great achievement for them to beat Celtic. Nobody who gets to a cup final is going to find it easy and that will be the case for us.”
The other goalscorer, Goodwillie, looked back on a result in a previous round as being the turning point.
“I remember how our fans got behind us in the fourth round at Partick Thistle and I think that win there has turned out to be significant for us,” he said.
“They were brilliant again today and gave us great support.”
Playmaker Danny Swanson, who sent Goodwillie clear for the opener, revealed some of his colleagues had been a bit stunned at full-time.
“Some of the boys were not as excited as I was after the game and I am not too sure if it has sunk in with a few of them yet,” he said.
“It will do as the final approaches.”Still fightingFor Raith what remains is a fight to stay in the first division, but they should take great solace from their cup exploits.
Captain Iain Davidson said, “It was a great chance to get to a cup final but it wasn’t to be.
“We got a foothold in the game during the first 25 minutes but it was always going to be a hard task if they got a goal.
“United are not third in the SPL for nothing. They are a right good side and may even finish second in the SPL the way they are going.
“As for us, we have to make sure we stay in this division.
“We got a good win down at Ayr United on Wednesday and have Airdrie in midweek.
“Every game is massive for us now.”