| The duo, both of whom have been suffering from knee injuries, now look set to make Gordon Chisholm’s squad for the big Dens Park clash with city rivals Dundee, though the interim boss was counting no chickens.
“I’m hopeful they will make it and what I would like now is a fit squad with everyone working together for the rest of the season,” he said.
“However, in Derek’s case, it has been nine days now that he has not been training normally, so he might have a wee bit to go and we will see if either of them suffer any reaction.”
Whether it is from the start or on the bench, Gordon admitted he would dearly love to have Scotland’s pace in his armoury for the weekend.
“Jason is a good player who can turn a game and he has shown that recently. It was his goal that won the semi-final when he came on at Hampden, and having him ready for this one would be a boost.”
United’s other doubt is defender David McCracken, who has had time off following a family bereavement.
Meanwhile, there will be action at Tannadice on Monday afternoon, when the inaugural Neil Glen Memorial Tournament, a seven-a-side schools competition in honour of the former ArabTRUST chairman, who died last year, will be held.
The event has been organised jointly by United, ArabTRUST and local authority education sports co-ordinators. Neil was formerly a Dundee City councillor.
Primary schools taking part will be Ancrum Road, Blackness, Brackens, Craigiebarns, Macalpine, Mid Craigie and Mill of Mains from Dundee, Leuchars and Newport from north-east Fife, and Inchture from Perthshire.
Games will be played simultaneously on two pitches across Tannadice, with schools being split into two leagues of five teams with the league winners meeting each other in the final at 4 pm.
There will also be an exhibition game between Dave Bowman’s DUFC All Stars XI. and Scottish Ladies’ League Cup holders Forfar Farmington LFC on the full pitch prior to the final tie in the competition. The tournament will kick-off at 1 pm, while the exhibition match could start around 3.30.
United have agreed to a request from ArabTRUST to set aside a small number of cup final tickets, mainly for the benefit of those out-of-town or exiled trust members who have been unable to qualify for priority schemes.
The £25 West Stand briefs will be limited to two per member. Postal applications only will be accepted and should be sent to ArabTRUST, PO Box 10053, Dundee, DD3 6YX, together with a cheque made payable to Dundee United Football Club and quoting Trust membership number.
Tickets will be posted to the address held by the Trust to enable the club to be sure that briefs do not end up in the wrong hands. |
