2017 marks the 30th anniversary of the year that Dundee United FC delivered on what many believed to be an impossible goal; reaching the final of the UEFA Cup. Tannadice ’87 tells the remarkable story of this European adventure, a year in which dreams became reality, and Dundee, a city with a reputation for jam, jute and journalism added a fourth ‘j’ to its trademark: jubilation.
Broadcast on BBC ALBA in 2016.
In 1987, Dundee United FC achieved what many believed to be an impossible dream; they reached the final of the prestigious UEFA Cup, beating European giants Barcelona and Borussia Mönchengladbach en-route to a two legged finale against Gothenburg.
With Jim McLean at the helm, one of three legendary footballing brothers from Larkhall near Glasgow, United rose from mediocrity to monumental status when for a sustained period in the 1980s they constituted greatness.
Scottish League Champions in 1983, despite the dominance of Sir Alex Ferguson’s European Cup Winners’ Cup celebrants Aberdeen FC, McLean’s United reached the semi-final of the European Cup in 1984 and pushed on to their finest hour just three years later.
The UEFA Cup final was watched by a TV audience of over 70 million viewers and at the second leg, Dundee, a city with a reputation for jam, jute and journalism added a fourth ‘j’ to its trademark: jubilation. Tannadice ’87 tells the remarkable story of Dundee United’s European adventure of 1987, a journey that ultimately ended in defeat, but resulted in a win for Scotland when FIFA created their now infamous Fair Play Award in respect of the Dundee United fans’ admirable sporting behaviour. In ‘87, dreams became reality.
Writer / Producer / Director: Margot McCuaig
Filmed: Neil MacConnell
Editor: Steven Meechan
Presenter: Alex O’Henley
