First Team
TEAM NEWS | PARTICK THISTLE (H)
3rd May 2024
As we continue our United for 100 Years celebrations, we’ve asking supporters to vote for their ultimate UTD100 starting XI - and the final piece of the jigsaw is the talismanic Davie Dodds!
The Dundee native joined United at the age of 14 from Hillside Boys Club in December 1972. He made his first-team debut in August 1976 with a memorable two-goal performance in a League Cup match against Arbroath.
The following season, Dodds embarked on a brief loan stint with the Lichties the following season, and by the start of the 1978/79 campaign, he was a regular in the starting XI at Tannadice.
The turning point in the frontman's career came in the 1980/81 season. He played a standout role in the League Cup Final against Dundee, helping secure a remarkable 3-0 victory and then scored in the Scottish Cup Final, despite a 4-1 loss to Rangers at Hampden.
Forming a prolific partnership with Paul Sturrock, Dodds' metronomical striking frequency sent United on their way to the Scottish Premier Division title, with no fewer than 28 goals - just one behind Celtic's Charlie Nicholas at the summit of the league's scoring charts.
His scintiallting form also propelled the Terrors into the latter stages of the 1983/84 European Cup, finding the back of the net against Standard Liege, SK Rapid and Roma on the road to the Last Four.
Aged 27, Dodds would make his Tannadice departure in 1985, boasting further stints with Neuchatel Xamax, Aberdeen, and Rangers before transitioning into coaching and retiring from the game in 1998.
Sitting third in our all-time scoring charts, he was inducted into the club's Hall of Fame in 2010 for his significant contributions in tangerine during an unforgettable period in our history.
ULTIMATE XI
The people have spoken! Below is Dundee United's Ultimate starting XI.
