The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Full-back Gordon on Tangerines’ wanted list
Dundee United could bring Ziggy Gordon back home to Scotland as they prepare to rebuild their squad, writes Ian Roache.
Manager Csaba Laszlo started his big clear-out on Saturday, just a day after the Tangerines crashed out of the Premiership play-offs to Livingston.
With a host of players having been told they don’t have a future at Tannadice, the race is on to find replacements in time for next season’s Championship campaign.
Full-back Gordon is understood to be one they are interested in but they could face competition from relegated Ross County and English side Plymouth.
The 25-year-old former Hamilton and Partick Thistle player left Scotland in January of last year for Polish Ekstraklasa side Jagiellonia Bialystok before heading to Pogon Siedlce last February.
Gordon, who could play for Poland as his mother Barbara was born in Krakow, is now poised to return to these shores, with just four games left to play in Pogon’s season.
Meanwhile, Harry Lewis spoke of his “heartache” at missing out on promotion with United.
The 20-year-old keeper was distraught as he headed back down south for the summer after the pain of Friday night’s play-off elimination at the semi-final stage.
Lewis is returning to Southampton.
He said: “It’s the first time I’ve really experienced heartache in football.
“In the aftermath of Friday night, it was difficult to find words to describe the feeling of disappointment.
“We let down the club and the supporters. We have to be honest about that.
“I desperately wanted to get Dundee United back to the Premiership because that’s where a club that size should be.
“People say that loan players don’t care as they’re going back to their parent club at the end of it all.
“But let me tell you that doesn’t apply to me. I was absolutely gutted because I had built up a great rapport with the club.
“It will take a while to get over. We all know the importance of United getting back among the big boys.
“Off the field, I feel like I’ve made proper friends here. I will miss them and the club massively.
“From a personal point of view, it’s my first season really playing week in, week out so I’ve learned so much.
“It has been a wonderful experience coming to another league and being away from home for the first time at such a young age.
“Scottish football is so competitive and physical – especially in the Championship – that you soon learn you have to handle yourself and I don’t think I could have received a much better grounding moving forward, even though it all ended in disappointment.”