United squad pay emotional tribute on return to work

DUNDEE United manager Craig Levein and his players held an emotional minute's silence on the training ground yesterday in their first day back to work following the death of chairman Eddie Thompson.

Levein gave the team two days off to come to terms with Thompson's passing and, with today's match with Rangers postponed, led his men in a light training session. But, more important than doing the physical work was the opportunity to get the team together to reflect on the week's events and show their respects.

Thompson, 67, died following a long battle with cancer and will be laid to rest next Wednesday in a ceremony in the city.

Levein formed a bond with Thompson which transcended the normal employee-employer relationship and he was clearly still shaken as he paid tribute to a man he describes as the best chairman in Scottish football.

"I gathered the players this morning and we all had a minute's silence to show our respect for the chairman," said Levein.

"Everyone had great admiration for him and knew how much this football club meant to him. The players were close to him because his office is right beside the canteen and he'd be in and out all day.

"He'd be sitting in the directors box on a Saturday calling them every name under the sun but he'd be the first to pat them on the back when he saw them.

"He always asked about the players and wanted to know all about them because he was one of those folk who had a great interest in people."

United have been inundated by messages of condolence from fans of clubs across the country and the Thompson family, who lost son-in-law Ken Mitchell in a motorbike accident last weekend, have taken great comfort from this.

Levein agreed the appeal of Thompson to many fans is that he was simply one himself.

"The tribute fans have put outside the stadium just shows what people thought of him," added Levein.

"There is stuff sitting there from fans of all clubs across the country and that says something.

"The thing which is most touching is that not many of these people knew him beyond what they saw in the newspapers and on television, but they thought he was a top bloke. They're not wrong in that. This football club will miss him and I'll miss him personally as well. I think we had the best chairman in Scotland. Supporters of every club looked at us and wished they had someone like him in charge.

"He looked after the fans because he thought they came first at any club because he was a supporter himself. Basically the chairman was a fan who made himself a few quid and chose to spend it on the club he loved."

Levein's enduring memory will be the way Thompson refused to allow his illness detract from his passion until the end. He said: "After he was diagnosed that his cancer was terminal he'd be up at the hospital getting treatment but he'd always come back in to Tannadice afterwards.

He was incredibly brave and courageous throughout his illness.

He was honest, unbelievably loyal, hard-working and had an incredible integrity. That's why people admired him."