Dundee United appoint Jim Goodwin in shock twist as Craig Levein concerns prompt change of direction

Dundee United chairman Mark Ogren urged fans to unite behind new manager Jim Goodwin after a surprise twist in the search for Liam Fox’s successor saw the Tannadice club turn to the sacked Aberdeen boss.

The 41-year-old has been hired initially until the end of the season with the single aim of keeping United in the Premiership. Goodwin will team up with long-time assistant and former Dundee left back Lee Sharp and current United defender Charlie Mulgrew, who will continue as first-team coach. The move stunned fans who had been expecting Craig Levein to return as manager after intense speculation linking him with the post.

But Levein backed out after talks with chief executive Luigi Capuano, which led United to Goodwin’s door just a month after he was sacked by Aberdeen in the wake of the Pittodrie side’s 6-0 defeat against Hibs.

“Alongside the other board members, Scott Ogren and Jimmy Fyffe, I wholeheartedly have confidence that Jim is the man to take us into this vital part of the season,” said Ogren. “As soon as we spoke, I sensed the desire and hunger to succeed for the benefit of Dundee United. His knowledge of the league and the opposition was an important factor, and he really impressed the board with his passion for the challenge we face.

Jim Goodwin has been appointed manager of Dundee United less than a month after being sacked by Aberdeen. (Photo by Craig Williamson / SNS Group)

“As a club, I would ask everyone of a tangerine persuasion to unite behind his leadership of the squad as we look to end the season positively.”

Having been teased with the prospect of Levein, a popular former manager of United between 2006 and 2009, the recently sacked Aberdeen manager was not who the Tannadice fans had in mind in the hunt for someone to inspire the team off the bottom of the Premiership table.

This challenge begins on Saturday against Aberdeen of all teams at Tannadice in a 6pm kick-off. Goodwin was in charge the last time Aberdeen visited in October and his side were on the end of a 4-0 hammering.

In a dizzyingly quick turn of events, he will be officially unveiled as the new Dundee United manager at their training complex in St Andrews this afternoon.

"I'm delighted to be given the opportunity to manage this fabulous club which has a rich history and a passionate fanbase,” Goodwin said on the club's website. "I recognise the job at hand - the sole aim for the remainder of the season is to maintain our Premiership status.

"I realise it is a huge task but I wouldn’t have taken the job on if I didn’t believe in the players, staff and my own abilities to be successful here. I’m incredibly excited to get started on my journey with Dundee United."

The United faithful have been left dismayed by a week of roller-coaster emotions. They had demanded change and got it in the form of Fox’s dismissal on Sunday night and then, 48 hours later, news emerged that the under-fire Tony Asghar had stepped down from his role of sporting director, something many anticipated was the sign Levein was close to being appointed.

However, it’s understood the former Scotland manager felt underlying issues had not all been solved by the sporting director’s departure.

Hence why United turned to Goodwin in a dramatic change of direction yesterday. The Irishman was last seen trying to negotiate vaulting an advertising hoarding at Easter Road having been sacked 19 minutes after the final whistle of Aberdeen’s humiliating six-goal defeat to Hibs on 28 January.

This scoreline was the last straw in a tenure that had been unravelling for a number of weeks and which had plumbed to a new depth with the 1-0 humbling by junior side Darvel in the Scottish Cup, reckoned by many to be Scottish football’s biggest-ever cup shock.

Now Goodwin has been granted an unexpectedly swift opportunity to begin rebuilding his managerial reputation at Dundee United over the course of the next 12 matches. He will also realise he must start winning over the Tannadice fans, starting against Aberdeen this weekend. As one posted on social media: “I thought it was 1 March, not April Fools’ Day.” Another wondered why not just return to Jack Ross's door since the club are still paying the former manager, who was sacked in August.

Others are prepared to give Goodwin a chance and have little option if he is the one holding the key to their Premiership survival.

Goodwin has won 107 of almost 300 games as a manager since starting out at Alloa Athletic seven years ago. He was handpicked by Aberdeen to replace Stephen Glass after leading St Mirren to their highest top flight finish for 30 years.

“I am really pleased to welcome Jim to Dundee United as manager,” said Capuano, the Tannadice club’s chief executive. “The conversations with Jim have been very positive, and I look forward to working with him for the remainder of this season. Everyone connected with the club has worked extremely hard to return Dundee United to the Premiership and we now have 12 matches remaining to ensure that is still the case come the end of the season.”

As for Levein, while many had anticipated him being in the dugout on Saturday evening against Aberdeen, he is now free to attend Brechin City’s Highland League Cup semi-final against Inverurie Locos at Harlaw Park earlier that afternoon.

The 58-year-old has been working for the Angus club in a Director of Football-style role since 2021.

Reports of a takeover bid for Dundee United involving local businessmen continue to circulate and it does not seem impossible that Levein could end up back at Tannadice eventually.