Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Mellon urges United to see his cup bow as Euro door
MICKY Mellon has challenged his Dundee United stars to target the Scottish Cup as a route back to Europe.
Mellon is relishing his cup bow after moving back to his homeland last summer.
He is well aware of the tournament’s history – and of United’s storied relationship with it.
Primarily, though, he sees the nation’s top knockout tournament as a pathway to European qualification.
And if he can lead United there – either this season or in the future – he will be a proud man.
“I am delighted the Scottish Cup is back on,” said Mellon.
“It is a tournament you want to be involved in and to do well in.
“I have never been involved in the Scottish Cup, never, so that will be another first for me.
“It means so much to everybody and we will go and attack it and give it our best shot and we can see where it takes us.”
On the carrot of European football, he added: “It would be great.
“Everybody wants to win the cup and play in European competition.
“It is difficult because the big two are two unbelievable clubs competing against you all the time.
“Everybody knows how difficult a challenge it can be. We all take it on and have a go at it.
“The prize is massive and we know it is a long, long way away but it would be great to get Dundee United back in Europe again.
“That is definitely one of the things that the club will be looking to do somewhere down the line.
“A club the size of Dundee United, if it keeps moving forward and progressing the way it is, then they would like to be in amongst those prizes.”
While Mellon has never led a team in the Scottish Cup before, he has enjoyed some big FA Cup moments.