History - The New Millennium

Alex Smith The first full season of the new millennium saw the end of Sturrock’s United managerial career just as the league campaign got under way and Alex Smith took over. It was a difficult season and United just survived by winning the last four matches. The one that mattered was at St Johnstone, where United came back from a two-goal deficit to win 3-2 with a late Derek Lilley goal. 2001-02 was a much better term with a seventh place finish but by then it was obvious that circumstances were very different and the other Scottish top-flight clubs were all capable of achieving results against each other. Changes in the rules governing transfer dealings also made life much more difficult for every club with the exception of the Old Firm.

Eddie Thompson The start of 2002-03 was characterised by headlines relating to events in the Boardroom at Tannadice. Efforts to sell a majority shareholding in the club continued throughout the summer and ended when Eddie Thompson bought a controlling interest in late September. By that time, United had won only one of their eight SPL matches and the new Chairman lost little time in replacing Alex Smith with the 1982-83 Club captain, Paul Hegarty. However, the appointment was temporary and with just two more victories and a Scottish Cup defeat at the first hurdle (for the first time in 22 years), Hegarty's reign was brought to an end.

Ian McCall and Gordon Chisholm Ian McCall was appointed in late January 2003 together with his assistant from Falkirk, Gordon Chisholm. United had already reached the semi-final of the CIS League Cup and a 3-0 defeat by Celtic at Hampden highlighted the size of the new Manager’s task. His objective was clear – to avoid relegation. He achieved the target, but only in the second last match of the season with a 1-0 win at Partick Thistle. McCall spent the close season re-shaping the squad, bringing in eleven new players to replace a similar number who had left. Despite a difficult start to the season, United supporters looked forward to 2003-04 with renewed optimism and a fifth place finish was achieved. 2004-05 brought more managerial change with Gordon Chisholm being given the job as permanent Manager after a successful spell as caretaker in the wake of McCall’s departure.

Scottish Cup Final That season would see Chisholm save the Club from almost certain relegation with a last game of the season win at Inverness Caledonian Thistle. He also led the team to the Scottish Cup Final where they were unfortunate to lose by a single goal to Celtic. The cup final appearance took United into the UEFA Cup in 2005-06 but an early exit heralded a poor season and the end of Chisholm’s reign.

Craig Brewster Former player and 1994 Scottish Cup final hero, Craig Brewster made an emotional return as Player/Manager in January 2006. The optimism brought by the appointment proved to be short-lived and within ten months he left. His replacement was Craig Levein.

Levein turned 2006-07 around and although the Club finished in the bottom six, progress was evident. The 2007-08 season saw Levein combine his role as Manager with the position of Director of Football. A good league campaign was rewarded with a fifth place finish and in March 2008, United contested the League Cup final with Rangers, cruelly losing the match after a penalty shoot-out. Shortly after that the East Stand at Tannadice was renamed the Eddie Thompson Stand as a permanent tribute to the Chairman.