Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
Fans toasted night
But United’s hopes died in scandal-hit Rome return
IT was a night that seemed to bring the entire city to a standstill.
The European Cup semi-final first leg between Dundee United and Roma on April 11 1984 lives on in the memory as a bittersweet what-might-have-been.
United had beaten Hamrun Spartans of Malta, Belgium’s Standard Liege and Austrian champions Rapid Vienna to set up a sell-out for the Italians’ visit.
Souvenir T-shirts and jumpers designed in official club colours were being sold from Promark Leisure in Reform Street from between £4 and £9.30.
Sport shops reported anything and everything in United colours being sold in large numbers ahead of the game.
Norman Cunningham, manager of the Astral Sports department at Arnott’s, said the demand exceeded expectations.
“All we have left are a few scarves,” he said. “Everything else from flags to mugs have been snapped up. Tannadice should be a sea of tangerine.”
The big game was the main topic of conversation in the city’s pubs and clubs.
More than 2,000 Roma fans made the trip, while many of Dundee’s Italian community also bought away tickets in the Arklay Street terracing.
The Serie A club were desperate to reach the final that would be played in their own stadium and the players were on a £3,000 bonus if they beat United.
Terrors manager Jim McLean referenced the Old Testament when asked whether his team could win the gladiatorial contest against the Romans.
“Some folk are making this out to be a David versus Goliath match,” he said. “Well, we all know who won that battle!”
Something of a record was set at the committee meetings of
Dundee District Council under the pressure of a 7.30pm kick-off for the big match.
Starting at 7pm, the entire business of four committees was completed in 10 minutes, including official congratulations to the winner of the civic town planning prize.
The visitors had two reigning world champions on each wing in Italian internationals Bruno Conti and Francesco Graziani.
After a drab first half, United sprung into life in the second, turning in one of their greatest European performances.
Davie Dodds scored the opening goal just minutes after the restart.
Richard Gough broke down the right and sent the ball across to the far post.
Eamonn Bannon hit a fierce shot that was blocked on the sixyard line before Paul Sturrock turned the ball back to Dodds to score from close range.
United moved up a gear and got a second on 60 minutes when Derek Stark fired home an unstoppable effort.
Tannadice was rocking.
Milne was next to go close with a shot that was deflected wide, before a header by Paul Hegarty was saved by Franco Tancredi.
The Roma defence was buckling under the pressure before a late scare for United saw Hamish McAlpine save from Odoacre Chierico.
Courier writer Tommy Gallacher described the thrilling victory as the most famous in the club’s history.
United fans partied into the wee small hours.
Roma president Dino Viola alleged in the aftermath that United’s players were on steroids because of the energy levels.
But McLean said: “It just shows you what bad losers they are.
“It will get worse before our game against them in Rome.
“Actually, it is only a cover-up for their performance against us, and it suggests the Italians are running scared. That suits us.”
It set up a fiery return leg in Rome on April 25.
More than 500 United fans made the journey, with some supporters cancelling family holidays to be there.
The city made for an uncompromising host, with the kick-off scheduled for 3.30pm when Rome was at its hottest.
The night before, motorbikes also gathered outside the United hotel to peep their horns and rev their engines.
Roma fans began to gather at the Olympic Stadium from 9am and fruit rained down on the United players when they went to look at the pitch.
United supporters huddled around portable televisions or pub TV screens back home, including at the Ivanhoe Bar.
The Lochee pub was offering free drinks for every United goal scored. Sadly, it was not to be.
Ralph Milne fired over the bar before two first-half goals by Roberto Pruzzi and Agostino Di Bartolemi’s second-half penalty turned the tie on its head.
McLean was verbally abused by Roma’s players as he walked back to the dressing room with assistant manager Walter Smith.
Years later, there would be corruption added to the plot line.
In June 1986, Viola was banned for four years by Uefa for attempting to help “soften up” French referee Michel Vautrot with a £50,000 bribe.
It was an ugly footnote to United’s beautiful run in the competition.