Big week for Dundee United on and off the field as fans and shareholders seek answers

In modern day football, when criticism is such a daily part of life, there’s rarely a good time to hold an agm.

Dundee United owner Mark Ogren at Tannadice on Saturday. He looks set to experience a stormy week of meetings (Photo by Mark Scates / SNS Group)

But when Dundee United last month announced plans to stage theirs on a Tuesday morning in mid-February, there was little expectation that it would fall on the back of a five-game losing streak that has put their top-flight status under considerable threat and increased unrest in the stands.

Chairman Mark Orgen and sporting director Tony Asghar can never have anticipated being given an easy ride, despite the improvement in the financial results which saw United post a profit of nearly £300,000 for the year ending June 2022.

A season in which United have fallen to their biggest-ever home defeat while also suffering their worst result in Europe meant there was always going to be scrutiny applied by shareholders to the club’s hierarchy.

This need to hold feet to the fire has been intensified by the manner of United’s fifth straight defeat. Having managed to gain a foothold against St Johnstone with a late equaliser, they instantly threw this away via a defensive mix up that looks set to deprive manager Liam Fox of injured first-choice goalkeeper Mark Birighitti for the remainder of what is proving a chaotic campaign.

A reckoning of sorts will arrive at 11am in Lounge 87 at Tannadice Park today in what will be a big week for Dundee United on and off the park. Another meeting, with the Dundee United Supporters’ Group (DUSG), is scheduled for Thursday night at the stadium. Ogren is set to attend this as well although his son, Scott, a director, has not made the trip.

“The Ogrens are aware of the supporters’ concerns at the way things are going and the current scenario on the field with regards the manager and the sporting director and the lack of activity within the transfer window,” Davie Lowe, chairman of the Federation of Dundee United Supporters’ Clubs, told The Scotsman last night.

“However, the club are hosting a meeting of the DUSG on Thursday night and we are hoping that we will get some answers there.” Two members of the Federation will be in situ at Tannadice for the agm after a weekend of contrasting emotions for Dundee United fans. They hailed the title-winning heroes of 1983 on a legends’ day organised by the club before watching their side’s position at the bottom of the league grow more perilous after the 2-1 defeat to St Johnstone.

Dundee United’s journey to face Ross County on Saturday has now assumed enormous importance. It’s the cup final before the cup final, with Rangers facing Celtic in the Viaplay Cup final the following afternoon.

It’s understood Ogren will attend Saturday’s match in Dingwall before flying home to the States. It remains to be seen whether he will have felt the need to make some major decisions personnel-wise before departing. As one shareholder put it on the eve of the agm, “I am expecting a full room and some very testing questions”.

Whatever happens, it promises to be a long way removed from the era when Johnston Grant, Dundee United chairman for 16 years until his death 1984, would wrap up the main business of the agm with the suggestion, “let’s all have a cup of tea”.