Flood urges fans to form a United front
WILLO FLOOD has called for unity at Tannadice as the spectre of supporter unrest threatens to destabilise Dundee United’s promotion bid. Ten minutes into Friday’s top-ofthe-table clash against Hibs, a minor protest against owner Stephen Thompson reared its head. A smattering of ‘Thompson Out’ banners were raised in the stand named after the chairman’s late father Eddie but the accompanying chants were soon drowned out by those intent on backing their team.
Flood knows it was a minority who dissented and, while he doesn’t dispute their right to an opinion, he does question their decision to voice it on such a crucial night for the team.
United lost the game 1-0 but Flood believes Ray McKinnon’s team showed enough fight in the match to suggest they will remain live contenders for a Premiership return, even if it involves a play-off.
Ever the candid talker, the Dubliner does not wish to see dissatisfaction at the stewardship of the club become a regular and growing side issue as the campaign enters its closing stretch.
‘That was our biggest game of the season and, for me, the timing was all wrong,’ said the midfielder afterwards. ‘The protest went out of the window quite sharp because we started the game so well.
‘I didn’t even notice it on the pitch. Some of the lads asked if I’d heard them and I said no, so obviously it wasn’t that loud.
‘It was a small minority but we need everybody to stick together and come together. We don’t want a divide in the camp. If people want to protest there’s a time and a place — this is not the time or the place.’
Thompson has been in situ since taking over from his father in 2008 and, while the Scottish Cup was secured two years later, disenchantment has grown at the club’s direction of travel over the past few seasons.
The club owner admitted he was looking for fresh investment following the club’s relegation last year and, while apparently open to the idea of a sale, has been unable to find a buyer willing to meet his terms.
The recent announcement that the club had run an annual loss of £1.55million during the club’s relegation season was accompanied by a statement from Thompson that the club was in the midst of process of cost-cutting.
Against that unsustainable backdrop, the need for a quick return to the top tier of Scottish football is clear.
‘We’ve still got a lot to play for and we need to get this club back where it belongs,’ continued Flood. ‘I will be fighting until the very end to make sure that happens and I’m sure all the rest of the lads will be.
‘It doesn’t matter how we get up. If it has to be play-offs, we fancy our chances. If we go on a run between now and the end of the season, then we’ll see where it takes us.’
United’s football was not impressive on Friday night but there is encouragement for McKinnon in his players’ desire to dig in after being reduced to ten men in the wake of Lewis Toshney’s first-half sending off.
At 31, Flood is both long enough in the tooth to know what is required in the circumstances and fit enough to provide drive from midfield.
However, with Jason Cummings’ winning goal leaving Hibs six points clear at the top after the weekend action, and Falkirk and Morton also in the mix, United look certainties for the play-offs.
Flood said: ‘Are Hibs catchable? We’ll soon find out. We just have to go and win our next game against St Mirren on Wednesday, then the next one and see where it takes us.
‘I thought we showed a lot of bottle against Hibs — a lot of grit and determination.
‘It was quite a scrappy game — a typical top-of-the-table clash but, until the sending off, I thought we were the better team. We had to change our whole game plan and although we dug in, the boy Cummings comes out with a worldy goal.
‘There was a togetherness about us and we need to make sure that stays with us for the rest of the season.
‘We need to maintain the physicality, grit and determination and add a bit more quality in the final third. It’s a lack of composure in front of goal, sometimes you just need to be a bit patient.
‘We need to roll our sleeves up against St Mirren because they are a good team.’
That was our biggest game of the season and, for me, the timing was wrong. We do not need a divide in the camp