United rage as Scotland denied new work permit

JASON Scotland, who scored the goal last season which took Dundee United into Europe, has been refused a work permit to continue playing in Britain, after the Tannadice club were told he "would not make a significant contribution to the Scottish game".

United, who had hoped to sign the Trinidadian on a new two-year deal, were stunned when they were told yesterday of the decision, made by a panel of five former players and an SPL representative at Hampden.

The club believe Scotland, who came on as a substitute and scored the goal which booked their place in the Tennent's Scottish Cup final and the forthcoming season's UEFA Cup, is crucial to their plans and that they have been deprived of a valuable player.

A club spokesman said: "Dundee United are astonished at this decision by a panel consisting mainly of ex-footballers who have just taken away the right of one of their fellow professionals to work in this country. Basically they have deprived this player of his livelihood and Dundee United of an extremely valuable squad player.

"We have been told that Jason was refused his work permit because he was not of the highest calibre and would not make a significant contribution to the Scottish game. However, they seemed to overlook that today's football is very much a squad game and Jason was a key element of our team - he had that superb ability to turn a match by using his undoubted exceptional skills.

"This is the same player who featured in the whole 90 minutes of the Scottish Cup final."

United are also understood to be upset that the panel consisted of five former Hibs players - Tony Higgins, Pat Stanton, Peter Cormack, Murdo MacLeod and Tommy McIntyre, along with SPL secretary Iain Blair. The Easter Road club were eliminated from the Scottish Cup as a result of Scotland's winning goal in United's 2-1 semi-final victory at Hampden.

The spokesman said: "This panel of five ex-players and the one SPL representative came to what we believe to be an incredible decision considering the player's record since he came to Scotland.

"Jason is deeply upset by this panel slamming the door on him. He loved his life in Scotland and playing football in Scotland and they have taken that away from him. We have now put the matter in the hands of our legal representatives.

"He came on and scored the winner that took United into the cup final and into Europe. Does this sound like someone who is not making a significant contribution to the Scottish game?"

United officials had expected the hearing to be nothing more than a formality and manager Gordon Chisholm had hoped to convince the player to pen a new contract. Instead, they were left stunned when the news he could no longer play in the United Kingdom was confirmed in a letter from the Home Office yesterday.

Meanwhile, United goalkeeper Tony Bullock has completed his move to Gillingham, where he rejoins his former manager at Ross County, Neale Cooper. Bullock, whose family will remain on Tayside, rejected United's offer of another 12 months at Tannadice.