Duffy hails hot prospect Hopkin
l The financial woes being faced by United have been laid bare after the club sold off their Gussie Park training facility to provide a major injection of “working capital”.
The club completed the sale of the GA Arena to director and shareholder Mike Martin for a fee reportedly in the region of £1 million. The agreement includes an option for United to repurchase the land in the future at “no commercial gain” to Martin.
Lying fourth in the table in their second season out of the Premiership, the Dundee United Supporters Federation claims the sale of the GA Arena “only adds to the financial uncertainty at the club”.
A statement from the club, which last March posted a worrying loss of £1.55 million, indicated the transaction would “offset the financial challenges of a second successive campaign in Championship football” and allow United to focus on “the absolute priority” of promotion. Morton manager Jim Duffy reckons his in-form side are facing a high-flying secondplaced Livingston team managed by one of the hottest properties around in David Hopkin.
Duffy explained: “David has had two great seasons where he has won a league and led a promotion push. He will be on the radar of clubs as he has won games and made astute moves in the transfer market. This will be a tricky game.”
Lions boss Hopkin as asking for the same again. He said: “All I can ask the players to do is play like they did to get the wins over St Mirren and Dundee United. If they do that then I will be delighted.”
Brechin City boss Darren
0 David Hopkin: On the radar. Dods is determined that his bottom placed side grab their first win by beating visitors Dunfermline. He said: “We are 17 points behind Dumbarton so there is no point in playing for a draw. Every game is a chance to get that first win so we will attack.”
Pars boss Allan Johnston is looking for his men to start finding the net again after goalless draws against Livingston and Queen of the South.
Johnston said: “We are creating chances and goals will come. We have players who can find the net and we just need to show our clinical side again.”
As Dumbarton host Inverness Caledonian Thistle, and Sons boss Stephen Aitken is not looking to gain a psychological advantage ahead of next month’s Irn-bru Cup final between the teams.
Aitken said: “The final feels a long way away and it will be competed for by two different line-ups due to players being cup-tied and suspensions. This game is about points and we want the three of them.”
Invernessmustshutupshop again in a bid to kick-start their promotion push after Saturday’s 2-0 defeat by Morton left them ten points off the promotion pace. Manager John Robertson said: “Earlier this season we went on a ten-game run of not losing a goal and the challenge now is to get back to that form.”