McLean: ‘I should have spent more family time’

FOOTBALL legend Jim McLean revealed his biggest regret as Dundee United manager in a “lost” interview from 20 years ago.

McLean, who died on Saturday at the age of 83, said he should have spent more time with his wife Doris and their sons, Gary and Colin, during his 22 years in charge at Tannadice.

Pat Kelly – author of the book Dundee United Who’s Who – sat down with McLean to have a chat for the club’s official Tangerine and Black magazine in 2000.

McLean was chairman of the club at the time but he stepped down from the boardroom just days later after an altercation with BBC sports reporter John Barnes and the interview was never published.

Pat said: “I asked him about the good and bad times at Tannadice Park and we spoke about some of the many memorable games that he was involved in.

“Jim told me during the interview that he had many regrets in life.

“The main one was not spending enough time with Doris and his boys.”

During the interview McLean also passed on some words of wisdom to young players coming through the system.

“It’s wonderful to be paid for something you love doing,” McLean said.

“Sadly, too many professional players fail to realise that in the modern game sacrifices have got to be made.

“There is far more to achieve as a professional player than kicking a ball about for 90 minutes.

“On and off the park players must be professional in all things.

“Training, professionalism, commitment and hard work are the most important part of the game.

“Great Dundee United players like Paul Sturrock, Davie Dodds and Dave Narey all worked hard on and off the park.

“That is what made them great professionals in every sense of the word.”

But Pat also got to see another side to the man whose temper was legendary.

Pat said: “Not long before this interview I told Jim that one of the club’s biggest fans had only a wee while left to live due to his terminal cancer.

“Jim said: ‘Do you know where he lives Pat?’

“I said: ‘Yes, he lives in the Hilltown’.

“At that point Jim said: ‘Let’s go and pay him a visit’.

“We turned up at the old gentleman’s door and spent about an hour in his company.

“The man kept saying every few minutes: ‘I can’t believe Jim McLean is sitting in my house.’

“But that was a side of Jim McLean that no one ever saw.

“He was a genuine kind man that only wanted the best out of his players.

“Jim McLean was the ultimate professional and we will never see his likes again.”

Hundreds of fans have been paying tribute to McLean by laying scarves, flags, banners and other mementos at the Tannadice gates since the news of his death emerged.

The flag at the ground has also been at half mast in recent days as a tribute to the club’s greatest ever manager.

Author Pat Kelly