Funeral of Terrors fanatic ‘Stevie Dundee’ to finish in time for kick-off

WHEN Steven Ferrier was given a devastating terminal cancer diagnosis in September 2017, the Dundee United fanatic wanted to make sure his funeral didn’t i nte r fe r e w it h h i s beloved club’s fixture schedule.

The man known to his friends as “Stevie Dundee” wanted the service to be held on a match day, but he didn’t want to spoil his mates’ enjoyment of that afternoon’s game.

With that in mind he arranged his own send-off last January, and made sure it had an early kick-off so as not interfere with the match.

Steven, 51, died in Strathcarron Hospice in Denny, Stirlingshire, on January 11.

Originally from Douglas, he attended Balerno Primary School and Craigie High School, worked for a time with HMRC in Dundee and was a shop steward with the PCS union.

It was through the trade union movement that he met his wife, Rachael.

Although the couple had recently moved to Cumbernauld for work, Steven would regularly travel home to Dundee and further afield to watch the Terrors in action.

Speaking at their Douglas home yesterday, Steven’s parents, Anne and Bob Ferrier, said the devoted Arab never missed a game, even when he was ill.

Anne said: “Although he didn’t know it at the time, the last game he attended was at Tannadice on November 16, when United beat Queen of the South 3-0.

“It was a great result for his final game which he attended with Rachael and his sister Sharon.

“He loved his team and after he was given a terminal diagnosis he set about organising his own funeral so that his mates could go along but then attend a match afterwards.

“As a result it is to be held at 10.30am next Saturday and then everyone will be able to go to Tannadice for the afternoon kick-off in his memory.”

Steven’s funeral will be held at Dundee Crematorium on Saturday January 25. United then face Greenock Morton at Tannadice at 3pm.

Mourners have been asked to wear casual and bright clothes – especially tangerine. Football shirts are welcome.

It’s also expected that trade union banners will be brought to the funeral.

Steven’s wife Rachael said: “He was a loyal United supporter and had been a season ticket holder for decades.

“He had held his seat in the

Eddie Thomson stand since it was built. He was a member of Shed 57 football supporters club which runs buses from Glasgow and surrounding areas to every home game.”

Steven was first diagnosed with gall bladder cancer i n 2016.

He received chemotherapy and was doing well but was later given the terminal diagnosis.

Anne added: “He was very brave and very determined but I know he was in a lot of pain at the end.”

Rachael said: “Steve and I met through the trade union movement. He was a massively respected man.

“When we were first told his cancer was terminal in September 2017, he was given a life expectancy of about 12 months but he defied that continually and treated his prognosis with courage, humour and positivity right until the end.”

Rachael added that Dundee United had agreed to allow some of Steven’s ashes to be scattered on the Tannadice pitch at a later date.

A spokesman for the PCS North Scotland branch said: “Without Stevie this branch would not have had the successes we have had.

“He was integral in forming and sustaining a culture of robustly representing and defending our members.”