WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER, REMEMBER

Driving back from Dundee’s Scottish Cup draw at Pittodrie last Saturday, the radio was tuned in to one of those most heinous of programmes, a football phone-in.

After the usual stream of Old Firm paranoia, the sound of a familiar accent came on air as a Dundee United fan bemoaned their cup exit at Dunfermline.

Reasonably eloquent, and without any of the latent bigotry that so often marks calls from the west, for a few seconds this Arab diehard talked well.

Just as the Touchline faith in fans was about to be restored, however, the punter launched into a long lecture to Tangerines’ striker Andy McLaren for reacting angrily to his own fans’ boos as the players trooped off disconsolately at the end of the 3-1 East End Park defeat.

Indignantly, he reminded McLaren that “we are all in this together” and, with the air of a condescending primary school teacher, proceeded to tell the attacker off for having the audacity to not accept being heckled.

As the fan’s 1.5 minutes of fame came to an end, two thoughts sprung to mind.

First, was that it does not take a genius to dial a phone. Second, that while we can all be guilty of it, no one does hypocrisy like the football fan.

If, like this punter claimed, fans and players are in it together, shouldn’t the former refrain from booing the latter, whether or not the game is over.

And shouldn’t they be understanding enough to accept that, at times, there can be mitigating circumstances for defeat.

Things like having to play on an unfamiliar synthetic surface, a pitch that not only gives Dunfermline a huge advantage because they work on it on a daily basis but which is also said by some to be one of the worst in the country.

And shouldn’t this one-for-all-and-all-for-one attitude include an appreciation that, when a team is crippled by the kind of injury problems United had last week, to expect them to compete against a useful outfit like the Pars is not being realistic.

That’s probably too much to ask for, but let it be stated right here and now, this is not a call for punters to stop booing United, or any other team.

You pays your money, you makes your choice and if that choice is to vent your anger at substandard displays, whatever the circumstances, then so be it.

Please, though, please, please, please, do not complain if those you are booing don’t thank you for it.

On the subject of McLaren, in particular, he has been in the headlines a couple of times recently after verbal clashes with those in the stands.

Two weeks ago, he had a full and frank exchange of views with home fans at Motherwell who thought it was acceptable to raise past problems in his personal life.

Without condoning his reaction at Fir Park, there has to be an element of what’s good for the goose . . . about that incident.

And as for last week’s reaction, at least it shows that a man who has been one of United’s better performers this season cares about what is happening.

Switching to the other side of the street, and while the moaning head is still on, at home games since Dundee went into administration in November, the odd Duthie farthing has found its way into Dee4Life collection buckets.

Now a reasonable sum has been collected, it would be good to see it being officially handed over to the administrators so it could be used in the task for which it was intended — saving Dundee Football Club.

PREDICTIONS

United v. Aberdeen — HOME.

Kilmarnock v. Dunfermline — DRAW.

Livingston v. Hibs — HOME.

Partick v. Dundee — HOME.

Rangers v. Motherwell — HOME.

Hearts v. Celtic — AWAY.