Football Season Guide

Championship

Scotland

Championship

2019/2020

Dundee United

In

Adrian Sporle (def) Banfield; Mark Reynolds (def) Aberdeen; Lawrence Shankland (att) Ayr United; Liam Smith (def) Ayr United; Deniz Mehmet (gk) Queen of the South; Adam King (mid) Swansea.

Out

Luc Bollan (def) Aberdeen; Aidan Nesbitt (mid) Greenock Morton; Morgaro Gomis (r) (mid) Falkirk; Stewart Murdoch (r) (mid) East Fife; Archie Thomas (mid) Cowdenbeath; Fraser Fyvie (sp) (mid); William Edjenguele (r) (def); Billy King (r) (mid); Thomas Scobbie (def); Lewis Toshney (def); Adam Barton (mid); Kieran Inglis (mid); Gavin Ritchie (def); Mati Zata (mid); Pavol Safranko (r) (att) Aalborg – end of loan; Ross Laidlaw (sp) (gk) Hibernian – end of loan; Charlie Seaman (def) Bournemouth – end of loan.

Dundee United will be hoping it’s 4th time lucky as they try to escape the Championship. With Csaba Laszlo in charge they had a steady start last season but, with expectations high, that wasn’t good enough and he was sacked. Robbie Nielson took charge and gave them some defensive steel. However, they simply didn’t score enough goals to present a consistent challenge to Ross County and they failed again in the play-offs. United’s marquee signing has been striker Lawrence Shankland from Ayr United. He was in big demand until injury struck last season, but he has turned down bigger wages in favour of United. Adrian Sporle also joins from Banfield in the Argentinian Primera Division although the young left-back lacks experience. Heading in the opposite direction are a host of players including club captain Fraser Fyvie. The tale of being a ‘big’ team wrongfully finding themselves in the Championship is wearing thin. New American owners with fresh money are unlikely to have much patience. The longer United remain in the Championship the harder it is to escape. It seems like a win or bust season for United. With Nicky Clark now joined by Lawrence Shankland, United shouldn’t lack for goals. Fit-again Osman Sow should also be finding the net and offers something different up front with his physical presence. Failure to gain promotion in recent seasons has taken a psychological toll around Tannadice. Another slow start could see the crowd quickly turn against them.

Target

Automatic promotion. It will be difficult with rivals Dundee also in the Championship, but Robbie Nielson guided Hearts to the Premier League and has the players assembled to do it for United.