Jim McLean

[Dons_1988]

An incredible manager who was a pain in our arse at a time when we were supposed to win everything. RIP. 

[Distant Doonhamer]

Had the real pleasure of enjoying a lot of big European matches at Tannadice. Great manager. RIP.

[third lanark]

As a kid I remember seeing on the tv those great Dundee United teams he managed 

without doubt one of the greatest ever managers in Scottish football 

RIP Jim - thoughts with his family and friends 

Dundee United and indeed Scottish football have lost a true legend 

[Dysart]

Jim McLean and Fergie were great rivals and also great friends. Fair to say that both would have won even more trophies if the other hadn't been around at the same time.

[BucksburnDandy]

Far too young for Jim McLean as manager of United sadly but absolutely appreciate the colossal job he did over 18 years. Took a bit of a joke also ran club to the League title, two League Cups, a UEFA Cup Final and within 90 minutes of a European Cup Final all while playing some remarkable football, developing players like Sturrock, Gray, Gough, Narey, Gallacher, Hegarty, Malpas among a myriad of others and leaving an indelible mark on Scottish football.

The term legend is throughly deserved and he was both a pain in the arse and massive asset to Aberdeen at the time.

Also had his spell working as number two to Jock Stein.

RIP to a true legend. Hope United fans around the world can raise a glass over the next few days to him.

[pozbaird]

1 minute ago, BucksburnDandy said:

Far too young for Jim McLean as manager of United sadly but absolutely appreciate the colossal job he did over 18 years. Took a bit of a joke also ran club to the League title, two League Cups, a UEFA Cup Final and within 90 minutes of a European Cup Final all while playing some remarkable football, developing players like Sturrock, Gray, Gough, Narey, Gallacher, Hegarty, Malpas among a myriad of others and leaving an indelible mark on Scottish football.

The term legend is throughly deserved and he was both a pain in the arse and massive asset to Aberdeen at the time.

Also had his spell working as number two to Jock Stein.

RIP to a true legend. Hope United fans around the world can raise a glass over the next few days to him.

...and they should have reached the European Cup Final itself, but corruption and cheating  robbed them.

[Marinello]

Motherwell fan here.

Deepest condolences to all Utd fans and above all Jim's family and friends.

A giant of the Scottish game. 

R.I.P.

[Guest Bob Mahelp]

Tremendously sad news.  He was a remarkable manager at an amazing time for Scottish football. 

A true legend of our game, who will long be remembered. 

[glenrothes 1884 saint]

Went as a neutral to see United demolish Borussia Moechengladbach from 2-0 down in first leg,5-0 fantastic game Eamonn Bannon scored one of the best I’ve ever seen,beat half the team from half way,rip Jim,one of a kind 

[microdave]

About ten years ago, he did match ratings in the daily record for big games and I remember one Scotland game where he gave a zero rating for one of the players. The description of how the player had performed only had one word. Hopeless. I wish I could remember which player or even who the game was against but I don't unfortunately. I loved his no nonsense approach. Football is poorer without him, but is are richer for having had him.

[tamthebam]

Dundee United once played Dunbar United in a pre-season friendly (I think there was a Belhaven beer sponsorship connection) and won 9-0. Jim decided the result wasn't good enough and kept the team in the dressing room for 45 minutes while he gave them a bollocking!

Apparently he was a decent player in his time too.

[ArabFC]

4 hours ago, PauloPerth said:

A legend. Not often you could say an individual is bigger than a club, but in his case probably true.  He took an average Scottish team to a European cup semi final and UEFA cup final.  No flash in the pan over a season or two, Utd were rarely out the top four for a decade and a half. RIP.

In 1988 we were rated as the 4th best team in Europe.

Over the entirety of the 1980s, Dundee United ranked 10th.

What Jim McLean achieved at Tannadice, no man will ever repeat.

Edited December 27, 2020 by ArabFC

[PauloPerth]

3 minutes ago, ArabFC said:

In 1988 we were rated as the 4th best team in Europe.

Over the entirety of the 1980s, Dundee United ranked 10th.

What Jim McLean achieved at Tannadice, no man will ever repeat again.

Incredible.

Out of interest, where did Aberdeen rank over the entirety of the 1980's?

[Ranaldo Bairn]

An absolute colossus of the Scottish game.

As a young lad I revelled in United's mazy dribbles through European competition, punched the air as they smacked Barcelona around, and was heartbroken after the Goteborg final.

RIP Sir.

[The_Kincardine]

What Jim McLean did for United was nothing short of incredible when you look back.  Taking United to a UEFA cup final is a huge achievement.

Then a European cup semi final where DU were cheated and kicked off the park against a horrible Roma side with a corrupt referee still sticks in the craw for me - and I am hardly a United fan.

A grumpy wee man - of a family of grumpy wee men (and I loved his brother Tam when he played for us) - but Scottish footballing royalty.

Sad to hear today's news.

[Grangemouth Bairn]

Was fortunate to watch Wee Jim’s teams at Brockville on several occasions in the 80’s and as I mentioned on another thread was part of the home support at Brockville who applauded Utd onto the pitch after a 5-0 demolition of Borussia Monchengladbach.

The man was quite simply a genius. Way ahead of his time and an absolute legend of the Scottish and European game.

RIP Jim - condolences to your family.

[IrishBhoy]

I can’t really remember him as a manager but he was someone who was often spoke about in high regard. The video with the BBC reporter is obviously legendary but this picture is the one that springs to mind when I think of Jim McLean. 

 

Edit - That photos not meant to be disparaging towards him, I just think it’s a brilliant picture, and I know there is a bit of background to it. 
 

After posting this I went and tried to find out a bit more about the game as I remember reading a bit about it on here before. Was there allegations of referee bribery between the 1st and 2nd legs? Not really finding out too much on Google apart from the obvious, I’m sure a Dundee United fan will know the goings on.

 I only started watching Scottish football in the mid nineties so reading about teams like Dundee United and Aberdeen going deep into European competitions and more than holding their own makes me wish I had been alive to see it, or even better that it was still something that happened these days. 

Edited December 27, 2020 by IrishBhoy

[ArabFC]

22 minutes ago, PauloPerth said:

Incredible.

Out of interest, where did Aberdeen rank over the entirety of the 1980's?

 

Struggling to find the relevent chart, but Aberdeen ranked around 20th if my memory serves me right over the whole decade, though I think they made it as high as 2nd following their CWC win.

[senorsoupe]

4 hours ago, keithgy said:

1.19 in Jim McLean did not send Les a Xmas card,RIP Jim McLean we will never se the likes of you again.

From those highlights, McLean was the third angriest person in the stadium that day after Partick's goalie and Paul Sturrock!

RIP to an absolute legend of the game. What he did with Dundee United was extraordinary

[Willie adie]

8 hours ago, ArabFC said:

In 1988 we were rated as the 4th best team in Europe.

Over the entirety of the 1980s, Dundee United ranked 10th.

What Jim McLean achieved at Tannadice, no man will ever repeat.

This is astonishing, to see only Juventus, bayern Munich, and anderlecht ahead of them is unbelievable obviously the English club ban played a part as Liverpool and Everton would have featured, but this chart shows what a provincial club managed by the right man was capable of. 

Condolences to all his family and friends