Keen to add an experienced stopper to his squad, Ian admitted that, if a deal is done, Colgan could make his debut against the Dark Blues.

“I don’t know if we’re going to manage to do this, but, if we do, there is a chance he’ll play, although I might only have him on the bench,” he said. “Tony Bullock knows of the situation and now it’s a case of seeing what transpires tonight or tomorrow morning.”

United have already decided that current No. 2 Paul Jarvie can leave the club.Ironically, the news that he is surplus to requirements comes hours before the fixture in which he made a costly blunder that led to Dundee’s winner when the teams met at Dens Park back in November.

Meanwhile, defender Paul Ritchie refuses to take any easy options when he assesses what an acceptable result would be for Dundee United in tomorrow’s derby.

It’s almost three years since United won this fixture and, with two losses against arch-rivals Dundee already this season, many Tangerines might be happy just to avoid another defeat.

Both for the fans and the league placing, though, Ritchie believes only a win will do.

“Our league position is not acceptable and our record in derbies over the last two or three years is not acceptable either, so, for us, it is definitely time to win one,” said the former Hearts, Rangers and Manchester City man.

While he believes United are more than capable of getting a result, Ritchie has labelled the Dark Blues favourites in what will be his second Dundee derby. He knows the home side must make sure attitude matches ability if they are to upset the odds.

“Dundee will come here confident they can win and we have to go out there and prove we want to win as much as they do. If you look at the two squads on paper, I think you would maybe say Dundee United have the better squad.”

One of manager Ian McCall’s selection dilemmas for tomorrow is who should partner Ritchie in central defence. Last week, it was Lee Mair in the first half and David McCracken for the second, and it could be that, this time, he goes for the second option and uses Mair at right-back.

That would release Mark Wilson for the midfield, where James Grady is also likely to take over from suspended Barry Robson.

Both teams tomorrow will be wearing blue wristbands as part of a “beat bullying” campaign being run in conjunction with BBC Radio Scotland’s 90 Minutes programme. The initiative has been organised by United community manager Gordon Grady.

Meanwhile, free-to-leave defender Chris Innes has agreed to join Third Division Gretna.

Both the fact he opted to head for the Tangerines and not the Dark Blues when he returned to Scotland earlier this month, and the manner in which he reached his decision, has angered Dundee fans.

It also left Jim Duffy accusing his former protege of a personal betrayal, though, the Dens boss has since stressed he does not regard that issue as relevant to tomorrow. His team’s supporters do not see it that way, though, and are planning to give the 23-year-old a rough ride.

In-form Soutar, a hero a two derby wins already this season, will ignore what he regards as a side issue and focus on the attempt to win another much-needed three points.

“Lee Mair is a good friend of mine — I’ll wish him all the best before the game. After it, I’ll shake his hand and still be his mate and all the other stuff is irrelevant to me,” he said.

Soutar does accept his friend will get abuse from the stands, but feels he is big enough to take it — and has reminded the support not to forget to back the team.

“Lee is not going to be the last one to go from here to there or vice-versa and the ones who do will always get stick, but it will fizzle out as time goes on. James Grady got some in the first derby of the season because he used to play for us, but, to be honest, I did not notice it on the pitch.

“There have been other things that have bothered our fans in the last few derbies, like the talk of us going down there to play, and that’s affected the atmosphere. But, hopefully, they will still get right behind the team because you need them in games like this.”

Although you have to go back almost three years for the last United success in this fixture, Soutar still views this as an extremely tough game that could go either way.

“The two derbies I’ve played in have gone very well for us and, hopefully, it can be right for us again this time. But they have spent a lot of money, have brought in quality players and will want to do well at home.

“The fact we have not lost to them for a while goes totally out the window when the game starts because it is a derby and they’re all different. We can have confidence because we’ve won the last couple, but they will look to take something.”

Brent Sancho is back in the squad after injury, but Stephen McNally and Mark Fotheringham will need checks because of back and foot problems.

Meanwhile, Aberdeen will have to move quickly if they are to make a serious bid to get Fabian Caballero before the transfer window closes on Monday night. Dundee have now confirmed a general inquiry was received from the Dons, but that has not been followed up with any bid.

“About 10 days ago, when I was trying to get Scott Morrison on loan, Jimmy Calderwood asked me about Fabian’s situation. There has been nothing more since then and, until something happens, we do not have a decision to make,” said Jim.

Dundee Direct will open from 10 am-noon tomorrow for fans still requiring tickets.

Indeed, had it not been for Nottingham netminder Curtis Cruickshank, Stars might have taken something from the game.

As it was, all the home side had to show for their efforts was a Gary Wishart goal.

Coach Roger Hunt said, “We played very well and were beaten by a very good team. It was encouraging that we had the depth to cover the absence of Jason and Scott.”

Moving on to the weekend, Hunt said that he had confidence in his team and that the players themselves were confident.

Stars travel to play Guildford Flames in the league tomorrow and Basingstoke Bison in the National Cup at Dundee Ice Arena on Sunday (face-off 6.30 pm).

Hunt said, “It’s a big weekend, one of those all-important four-pointers and, at the end of the weekend, we could either be sitting four points behind Guildford, or level with them, which is where we’d rather be.”