A story about a Shed. You'll see what I mean.... (Tannadice Park (Dundee United))

Member Name: goalmachine

Product:	Tannadice Park (Dundee United)
Date:	19/02/02 (430 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Home of the greatest football team in the world, scene of many great victories

Disadvantages: Huns and Tims spewing their bigotted filth when they "visit", the unsightly Heap across the road

You may be wondering just what the hell I'm about to write about, going by the title there. Well, sorry to tell you all, but it's a football op - but with a difference. I'm going to tell you all about what used to be the greatest place in the world - The Shed.

Tannadice Park, Dundee. Home of Dundee United. Before the national scandal that was the Taylor Report, football grounds were vibrant, exciting places, with singing and dancing and general fun atmospherics, before the advent of the all-seater "safer" stadium destroyed this completely. Tannadice was no different. One of the smaller Scottish Premier grounds, United's home had an official capacity of 24,000, of which only 2,000 were seated. The rest of the ground was safe (I'll repeat that - SAFE) terracing, with the home and away supporters segregated at the halfway line: this side of the ground had a large terracing cover over it. The away end was uncovered and open to the elements at the east end of the ground, and the home end had a low roof covering it, with a rusting steel framework and a corrugated metal covering. This was the Shed.

By the way, although I'm talking about the Shed in the past tense, it's still there - just not in the same capacity. More on that later.

Anyway, the Shed was United's home end, and was at the west end of the ground. Officially holding 7,000 people, the Shed was THE place to be at a United game. Arsenal had the North Bank, Manchester United had the Stretford End, Celtic had the Jungle: we had the Shed. Populated by the "Shed Boys". Now I have to admit that I was not "raised" a Shed Boy, as when I first went to United matches with my Grandad (first game was 4-0 win over Kilmarnock in the League-winning season of 1982-83) we didn't stand there. Later when I became a season-ticket holder (1989-90) I stood at the halfway line with some of my friends (known as "The Seggy" as that
's where the fans were segregated), but when the reconstruction of Tannadice began in 1991, I ended up in the Shed with ALL of United's hardcore support. It was an experience, to say the least.....

A bit of history for you. Dundee Wanderers were a Scottish league side in the early 1900s for the shortest of durations - one season. A few years later, a new side in the city, Dundee Hibernians (the last team founded in Scotland with a religious {i.e. catholic} heritage) successfully petitioned for League membership. Dundee Hibs took over tenancy of Wanderers old home, Clepington Park, and renamed it Tannadice (of course, Dundee Hibs would subsequently be renamed themselves - as Dundee United). Not much to look at, this playing field was set on a hillside with the pitch sticking out of it, surrounded by 3 grassy hillocks and with a small pavilion in one corner. As the years progressed, various upgrades took place. Cinder and timber terracing replaced the grassy hills, to be subsequently concreted. The small pavilion was eventually replaced with a unique 2,000 seat cantilever stand that bent around the bottom corner of the ground, and in the mid-50s, a roof was built over the west terracing. Many years later, this end of the ground became exclusive home to United fans (there had been no segregation previously), although the "home" end was for a time the other, uncovered end - United's board decided that if anyone was getting shelter from the rain and wind, it should be their own fans! Taking the name from a similar structure over the home end at Chelsea's Stamford Bridge, the United fans christened it "The Shed" - and the name stuck.

Unfortunately for the Shed Boys, a tragedy befell us in season 1994-95. Having completed work on the second new stand in the ground, at the "away" end, United decided the new facilities of the East Stand should be given to their own supporters. The Shed, now re-roofed and fille
d with 1500 seats, was given to the away support. The new 12,000 capacity all-seated Tannadice was finished (a final stand was completed a few years later to completely refurbish the ground with a 14,500 capacity), but the lack of enthusiasm was massive. Without the passionate backing of the Shed boys, now disbanded and distributed throughout the ground, Tannadice became a soulless place, and the team wilted without the vociferous backing of the Arab masses.

Dundee United were relegated from the Premier Division in May 1995, 51 weeks after beating Rangers in the Scottish Cup Final. Although we came straight back up, we are still suffering now. United have yet to recover, even 6 years later.

The powers-that-be at Tannadice Towers have learned from this mistake, though. These days the "new" home end, the East Stand, can raise a good song when required. More importantly, we have been given the Shed back. For games where the travelling support isn't going to be big (i.e. unless we're playing Dundee, Aberdeen, Celtic or Rangers), United fans inhabit the Shed - season ticket holders for any part of the ground can get in to the Shed. And it works - even though there are less than a 1000 arabs in the Shed now, the noise and atmosphere generated is phenomenal. It's no surprise that our dismal record at home has improved markedly since this change in policy. For once United have listened to the wishes of the MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE AT THE CLUB - THE FANS, and now they are benefitting.

There have been many great moments in the Shed. Kevin Gallacher's 2nd minute fluke that beat Barcelona in the Uefa Cup quarter-final: John Clark's goal in the Uefa Cup Final of 1987: the valiant defeat at the hands of Man United in 1985: Billy McKinlay's 25-yard howitzer that beat the Huns in 1990, along with Terry Butcher's hilarious farewell to Scottish football (he scored a 40-yard own goal header in the same game, and it was h
is last for Rangers): The fourth goal in our 4-0 hammering of Aberdeen on New Year's Day 1992: Craig Brewster's world-cup finish against Motherwell in the Scottish Cup run: Guido Van De Kamp saving a penalty against Dundee (the most mental jumping-about frenzy I've ever been personaly involved in), recently Charlie Miller's 35-yard bomb against St.Mirren that put us on the road to salvation from relegation last year, and the barrowload of abuse hurled at Paul Gascoigne in a pre-season game against Everton last year. Magic moments all.

There have been mant great players to have played in front of the Shed too. Names like Mark Hughes (for Man U and Barcelona), Gary Lineker, Arnold Muhren, Rudi Voller, Gordon Strachan, Gary McAllister, Trevor Brooking, Glenn Hoddle - all have played at Tannadice, been verballed by the Shed - and been well and truly stuffed by United!

Not forgetting, of course, the great United players too. Dennis Gillespie, Duncan Hutchison, Orjan Persson, Finn Dossing, Lennart Wing, Andy Gray (yes, THAT Andy Gray), Paul Hegarty, Dave Narey, Richard Gough (spit), Hamish McAlpine, Eamonn Bannon, Ralphie Milne, Paul Sturrock, Duncan Ferguson (yes, THAT Duncan Ferguson), Craig Brewster (thanks for 94 Big Man), Jim McInally, Dave Bowman, and our current stars, Paul Gallacher, Jamie McCunnie, Danny Griffin and Charlie Miller. And, of course, the greatest ever in the Tangerine And Black, Maurice Malpas.

In its (ie United's) prime, the Shed could strike fear into the heart of any opposition striker or goalie, and occasionally still does. Even when confined to the East stand, Arabs continually proclaim that "We are The Shed!" and that "Shed Rule!" to this day. Hopefully, one day, a more enlightened Government that the shower we're lumbered with now (and their predecessors) will realise that all-seated grounds are the unsafe ones, and that properly marshalled SAFE terracing is the best fo
r all concerned - and we'll get the Shed back. Permanently.

So, that's the Shed covered (no pun intended). Perhaps I'd better fill you all in on the rest of the ground:

Tannadice Park is situated on Tannadice Street, which is just off Arklay Street. To get there, follow the A90 from the west/east/north (delete where applicable) until you reach the Clepington Road turnoff (it's all signposted), then follow Clepington Road until you reach Arklay Street. Parking is in the surrounding streets, I'm afraid. If you've taken the train, then the number 18 and 21 buses will take you right there from the city centre. Thre are plenty of hostelries around the area if you need a pint - I would recommend Frew's at the Five Ways Circle, or Ferrari's on Dura Street.

The home support is housed in the East Stand (enter via Tannadice Street), the George Fox Stand (enter via Sandeman Street) and most of the time in the Shed (now the West Stand, enter via Tannadice Street or Sandeman Street). Away supporters are housed in the Shed for "big" games, the Main Stand (Tannadice Street) and the Fair Play Stand (Tannadice Street). Entry costs differ for different games, but are typically £14 for lower tiers and £16 for top tiers, with concessions starting at £8. Inside the ground the facilities are modern and comfortable, with the usual smattering of food outlets. And I get free nosh, because I know the canteen staff!

So there you have it - the greatest stadium in the world. Now, if we could only get rid of The Heap across the road (a.k.a. Dens Park), we'd be laughing. Having said that, we laugh at it as things are! Hehehehehe.....

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