2019–20 Dundee United F.C. season

The 2019–20 season was Dundee United's 111th season, having been founded as Dundee Hibernian in 1909. It was their fourth season in the Scottish Championship, having been relegated from the Scottish Premiership at the end of the 2015–16 season.^[1] United also competed in the Challenge Cup, League Cup and Scottish Cup. On 15 April, the SPFL voted to end the lower leagues in Scottish football due to the coronavirus pandemic and as a result Dundee United were declared champions and secured promotion to the Premiership after four years in the Championship.^[2]

Dundee United

2019–20 season
Chairman	Mark Ogren
Manager	Robbie Neilson
Stadium	Tannadice Park
Championship	Winners
Scottish Cup	Fourth round
League Cup	Group stage
Challenge Cup	Third round
Top goalscorer	League: Lawrence Shankland (24) All: Lawrence Shankland (28)
Highest home attendance	14,108 vs. Dundee
Lowest home attendance	2,526 vs. Cowdenbeath
Average home league attendance	8,496
Home colours Away colours
← 2018–19 2020–21 →

Competitions

Results & fixtures

  Win   Draw   Loss   Postponed

Pre-season

East Fife v Dundee United

29 June 2019 Friendly	East Fife	1–1	Dundee United	Bayview Stadium
15:00	Smith 18' (o.g.)	Report	Clark 67'	Attendance: 685 Referee: David Dickenson

Brechin City v Dundee United

5 July 2019 Friendly	Brechin City	0–6	Dundee United	Glebe Park
19:45		Report	Stanton 14' Sow 18' Chalmers 27' Appéré 60' Smith 68' Watson 85'	Attendance: 838 Referee: Mike Roncone

Dumbarton v Dundee United

6 July 2019 Friendly	Dumbarton	3–2	Dundee United	Dumbarton Football Stadium
15:00	Muhammadu Faal 48' McKee 65' Zata 80'	Report	Shankland 58' Appéré 77'	Attendance: 411 Referee: Alan Newlands

Shrewsbury Town v Dundee United

27 July 2019 Friendly	Shrewsbury Town	2–1	Dundee United	New Meadow
15:00	Okenabirhie 8' (pen.), 74'	United Report	Appéré 5' (pen.)	Attendance: 2,687 Referee: Peter Wright

Scottish Championship

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish Championship

Dundee United v Inverness Caledonian Thistle

3 August 2019 1	Dundee United	4–1	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	Tannadice Park
15:00	Shankland 7', 31', 53', 86'	Report	Walsh 29'	Attendance: 7,023 Referee: Steven McLean

Partick Thistle v Dundee United

9 August 2019 2	Partick Thistle	1–2	Dundee United	Firhill Stadium
19:05	Saunders 23'	Report	Shankland 55' Pawlett 73'	Attendance: 3,218 Referee: William Collum
Note: Game televised on BBC Scotland

Dunfermline Athletic v Dundee United

24 August 2019 3	Dunfermline Athletic	0–2	Dundee United	East End Park
15:00		Report	Shankland 10', 30'	Attendance: 6,480 Referee: Euan Anderson

Dundee United v Dundee

30 August 2019 4	Dundee United	6–2	Dundee	Tannadice Park
19:45	Butcher 14', 40' Appéré 33' Shankland 36' (pen.) Harkes 46' Smith 83'	Report	Hemmings 22' Nelson 70'	Attendance: 14,108 Referee: Kevin Clancy
Note: Game televised on BT Sport

Ayr United v Dundee United

14 September 2019 5	Ayr United	2–0	Dundee United	Somerset Park
15:00	Harvie 9' Forrest 75' (pen.)	Report		Attendance: 3,167 Referee: Bobby Madden

Dundee United v Arbroath

21 September 2019 6	Dundee United	2–1	Arbroath	Tannadice Park
15:00	Shankland 88', 90+2'	Report	Donnelly 52'	Attendance: 7,877 Referee: Gavin Duncan

Dundee United v Greenock Morton

28 September 2019 7	Dundee United	6–0	Greenock Morton	Tannadice Park
15:00	Shankland 1', 5', 56' McMullan 41', 80' Chalmers 84'	Report		Attendance: 7,404 Referee: Alan Muir

Alloa Athletic v Dundee United

4 October 2019 8	Alloa Athletic	1–0	Dundee United	Recreation Park
19:05	O'Hara 18'	Report		Attendance: 1,717 Referee: Greg Aitken
Note: Game televised on BBC Scotland

Queen of the South v Dundee United

19 October 2019 9	Queen of the South	4–0	Dundee United	Palmerston Park
15:00	Dobbie 18', 70' Holt 28' Paton 77'	Report		Attendance: 1,909 Referee: Gavin Duncan

Dundee United v Dunfermline Athletic

26 October 2019 10	Dundee United	2–0	Dunfermline Athletic	Tannadice Park
15:00	Shankland 9' Clark 27'	Report		Attendance: 7,682 Referee: Steven Reid

Dundee United v Partick Thistle

29 October 2019 11	Dundee United	1–0	Partick Thistle	Tannadice Park
19:45	Shankland 62'	Report		Attendance: 6,929 Referee: Greg Aitken

Inverness Caledonian Thistle v Dundee United

2 November 2019 12	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	0–3	Dundee United	Caledonian Stadium
15:00		Report	Rooney 20' (o.g.) Clark 72' Shankland 76' (pen.)	Attendance: 2,092 Referee: Grant Irvine

Dundee v Dundee United

8 November 2019 13	Dundee	0–2	Dundee United	Dens Park
19:45		Report	Clark 56' (pen.) Shankland 64'	Attendance: 11,243 Referee: Steven McLean
Note: Game televised on BT Sport 2

Dundee United v Queen of the South

16 November 2019 14	Dundee United	3–0	Queen of the South	Tannadice Park
15:00	McMullan 22' Clark 45+1' Stanton 14'	Report		Attendance: 7,675 Referee: Willie Collum

Dundee United v Alloa Athletic

7 December 2019 15	Dundee United	2–1	Alloa Athletic	Tannadice Park
15:00	Clark 45+2' Appéré 55'	Report	Reynolds 12' (o.g.)	Attendance: 7,615 Referee: Andrew Dallas

Greenock Morton v Dundee United

10 December 2019 16	Greenock Morton	1–2	Dundee United	Cappielow Park
19:45	Sutton 25'	Report	Appéré 5' Shankland 31'	Attendance: 1,120 Referee: David Lowe

Arbroath v Dundee United

14 December 2019 17	Arbroath	0–1	Dundee United	Gayfield Park
15:00		Report	Stanton 6'	Attendance: 4,052 Referee: Graham Beaton

Dundee United v Ayr United

21 December 2019 18	Dundee United	4–0	Ayr United	Tannadice Park
15:00	Stanton 42' Shankland 57' (pen.) Clark 61' Harkes 87'	Report		Attendance: 7,744 Referee: Greg Aitken

Dundee United v Dundee

27 December 2019 19	Dundee United	1–1	Dundee	Tannadice Park
19:45	Clark 5'	Report	Dorrans 50'	Attendance: 14,007 Referee: Alan Muir
Note: Game televised on BT Sport

Queen of the South v Dundee United

4 January 2020 20	Queen of the South	0–1	Dundee United	Palmerston Park
15:00		Report	Connolly 48'	Attendance: 2,041 Referee: Colin Steven

Partick Thistle v Dundee United

11 January 2020 21	Partick Thistle	1–4	Dundee United	Firhill Stadium
15:00	Miller 87'	Report	Shankland 38', 60', 65' Sporle 45'	Attendance: 4,101 Referee: Willie Collum

Dundee United v Greenock Morton

25 January 2020 22	Dundee United	1–1	Greenock Morton	Tannadice Park
15:00	Shankland 90'	Report	Orsi 17'	Attendance: 7,644 Referee: Andrew Dallas

Dundee United v Arbroath

1 February 2020 23	Dundee United	0–1	Arbroath	Tannadice Park
15:00		Report	Wighton 26'	Attendance: 8,056 Referee: Alan Muir

Alloa Athletic v Dundee United

14 February 2020 24	Alloa Athletic	0–0	Dundee United	Recreation Park, Alloa
19:45		Report		Attendance: 1,442 Referee: Steven McLean
Note: Game Televised on BBC Scotland

Dundee United v Inverness Caledonian Thistle

21 February 2020 25	Dundee United	2–1	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	Tannadice Park
19:45	Appéré 12' Shankland 59'	Report	White 32'	Attendance: 7,583 Referee: John Beaton
Note: Game Televised on BBC Scotland

Dunfermline Athletic v Dundee United

29 February 2020 26	Dunfermline Athletic	2–0	Dundee United	East End Park
15:00	Nisbet 26' Afolabi 60'	Report		Attendance: 6,261 Referee: Graham Beaton

Ayr United v Dundee United

3 March 2020 27	Ayr United	0–0	Dundee United	Somerset Park
19:45		Report		Attendance: 1,674 Referee: David Munro

Dundee United v Partick Thistle

7 March 2020 28	Dundee United	1–1	Partick Thistle	Tannadice Park
15:00	Powers 19'	Report	Bannigan 52' (.pen)	Attendance: 7,603 Referee: Mike Roncone

Scottish League Cup

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish League Cup

Heart of Midlothian v Dundee United

12 July 2019	Heart of Midlothian	1–1 (5–3 p)	Dundee United	Tynecastle Park
19:45	Irving 44'	Report	Shankland 9'	Attendance: 9,091 Referee: Kevin Clancy
	Penalties
	Clare Bozanic Smith Washington Souttar		Clark McMullan Banks Bouhenna
Note: Game televised on BT Sport

Stenhousemuir v Dundee United

16 July 2019	Stenhousemuir	1–2	Dundee United	Ochilview Park
19:30	A. Munro 70'	Report	Watson 51' Butcher 54'	Attendance: 1,156 Referee: Steven Kirkland

Dundee United v Cowdenbeath

19 July 2019	Dundee United	3–0	Cowdenbeath	Tannadice Park
19:45	Sporle 26' Shankland 59' Appéré 86'	Report		Attendance: 2,526 Referee: David Lowe

Dundee United v East Fife

23 July 2019	Dundee United	0–2	East Fife	Tannadice Park
19:45		Report	Dunsmore 38' Watt 51'	Attendance: 2,778 Referee: Graham Beaton

Scottish Challenge Cup

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish Challenge Cup

Dundee United v Arbroath

7 September 2019	Dundee United	0–0 (3–4 p)	Arbroath	Tannadice Park
15:00		Report		Attendance: 2,568 Referee: Mike Roncone
	Penalties
	Shankland L. Smith Stanton McMullan Clark		McKenna Whatley Spence Stirling Linn

Scottish Cup

Main article: 2019–20 Scottish Cup

Dundee United v Hibernian

19 January 2020 Fourth round	Dundee United	2—2	Hibernian	Tannadice Park
15:00	Shankland 45+3'Appéré 74'	Report	Doidge 8' Boyle 47'	Attendance: 9,400 Referee: Kevin Clancy
Note: Live on BBC Scotland

Hibernian v Dundee United

28 January 2020 Fourth Round Replay	Hibernian	4—2	Dundee United	Easter Road
19:45	Allan 40' (pen.) Doidge 60' 73' 90+1'	Report	Shankland 10' Sporle 67'	Attendance: 10,451 Referee: Kevin Clancy

Squad statistics

The table below shows the number of appearances and goals scored by each player.^[3]

Appearances

As of 7 March 2020

No.	Pos	Nat	Player	Total		Championship		League Cup		Scottish Cup		Other
				Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
1	GK	SUI	Benjamin Siegrist	33	0	28+0	0	3+0	0	2+0	0	0+0	0
2	DF	SCO	Liam Smith	34	0	28+0	0	3+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0
3	DF	ARG	Adrián Spörle	16	2	5+6	1	3+0	1	0+1	0	1+0	0
4	MF	USA	Dillon Powers	10	1	8+0	1	0+0	0	2+0	0	0+0	0
5	DF	IRL	Mark Connolly	22	1	12+5	1	3+0	0	2+0	0	0+0	0
6	DF	SCO	Mark Reynolds	31	0	24+2	0	4+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0
7	FW	SCO	Paul McMullan	28	3	18+4	3	4+0	0	1+0	0	0+1	0
8	MF	SCO	Peter Pawlett	20	1	13+4	1	0+0	0	2+0	0	1+0	0
9	FW	SWE	Osman Sow	4	0	2+1	0	0+0	0	0+1	0	0+0	0
10	FW	SCO	Nicky Clark	22	7	15+3	7	3+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
12	MF	SCO	Sam Stanton	22	3	13+4	3	3+1	0	0+0	0	0+1	0
13	GK	TUR	Deniz Mehmet	2	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
14	FW	ENG	Rakish Bingham	5	0	5+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
17	DF	SCO	Jamie Robson	29	0	22+1	0	2+1	0	2+0	0	1+0	0
18	MF	ENG	Calum Butcher	28	3	22+0	2	3+1	1	2+0	0	0+0	0
22	DF	SCO	Kieran Freeman	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
23	MF	USA	Ian Harkes	31	2	20+6	2	1+1	0	2+0	0	1+0	0
24	FW	SCO	Lawrence Shankland	33	28	26+0	24	4+0	2	2+0	2	0+1	0
25	MF	SCO	Adam King	11	0	1+8	0	0+1	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
27	FW	SCO	Louis Appéré	33	5	20+6	4	1+3	1	1+1	0	1+0	0
29	DF	SCO	Ross Graham	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
37	MF	SCO	Archie Meekison	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
40	MF	SCO	Chris Mochrie	5	0	0+4	0	0+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
44	DF	SCO	Paul Watson	23	1	18+1	0	2+0	1	1+0	0	1+0	0
Players who left the club during the 2019–20 season
11	MF	SCO	Cammy Smith	12	1	1+9	1	0+1	0	0+0	0	1+0	0
16	MF	SCO	Matty Smith	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
19	DF	ALG	Rachid Bouhenna	1	0	0+0	0	1+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
19	DF	WAL	Troy Brown	5	0	5+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
20	MF	SCO	Logan Chalmers	5	1	0+3	1	1+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
22	DF	SCO	Sam Wardrop	0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0	0+0	0
34	MF	SCO	Scott Banks	4	0	0+1	0	2+1	0	0+0	0	0+0	0

Club statistics

League table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	PPG	Promotion, qualification or relegation[a]
1	Dundee United (C)	28	18	5	5	52	22	+30	59	2.11	Promotion to the Premiership
2	Inverness Caledonian Thistle	27	14	3	10	39	32	+7	45	1.67
3	Dundee	27	11	8	8	32	31	+1	41	1.52
4	Ayr United	27	12	4	11	38	35	+3	40	1.48
5	Arbroath	26	10	6	10	24	26	−2	36	1.38

Source: SPFL
Rules for classification: 1) Points per game.
(C) Champions
Notes:

1. All play-off matches were cancelled, as clubs voted to curtail the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Scotland.^[4]

League cup table

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	PW	PL	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification		HOM	EFI	DUN	STE	COW
1	Heart of Midlothian	4	2	1	1	0	6	3	+3	9	Qualification for the Second Round		—	—	p1–1	2–1	—
2	East Fife	4	2	1	0	1	5	3	+2	8			p1–1	—	—	2–0	—
3	Dundee United	4	2	0	1	1	6	4	+2	7			—	0–2	—	—	3–0
4	Stenhousemuir	4	1	0	0	3	4	6	−2	3			—	—	1–2	—	2–0
5	Cowdenbeath	4	1	0	0	3	2	7	−5	3			0–2	2–0	—	—	—

Source: ^[5]
Rules for classification: 1) goal difference, 2) goals scored, 3) away goals scored, 4) matches won, 5) away matches won, 6) drawing of lots.^[6]

Transfers

Main articles: List of Scottish football transfers summer 2019 and List of Scottish football transfers winter 2019–20

Players in Player From Fee Liam Smith Ayr United Free[7] Mark Reynolds Aberdeen Free[8] Adrián Sporle Banfield Free[9] Lawrence Shankland Ayr United Free[10] Deniz Mehmet Queen of the South Free[11] Adam King Swansea City Free[12] Troy Brown Exeter City Free[13] Dillon Powers Orlando City Free[14] Kieran Freeman Southampton Free[15] Rakish Bingham Doncaster Rovers Free[16]

Players out Player To Fee Fraser Fyvie Cove Rangers Free[17] Morgaro Gomis Falkirk Free[17][18] Aidan Nesbitt Greenock Morton Free[17][19] Luc Bollan Aberdeen Free[20] William Edjenguélé Wealdstone Free[20] Billy King Greenock Morton Free[20] Stewart Murdoch East Fife Free[20] Tam Scobbie Kelty Hearts Free[20] Archie Thomas Aberdeen Free[20] Matti Zata Dumbarton Free[20] Lewis Toshney Falkirk Free[20][21] Christoph Rabitsch FC Lendorf Free[22] Adam Barton Wrexham Free[23] Rachid Bouhenna Sepsi OSK Undisclosed[24] Yannick Loemba Free agent Free[25] Frédéric Frans Lierse Free[26] Callum Booth St Johnstone Free[27] Troy Brown Chelmsford City Free[28] Scott Banks Crystal Palace Undisclosed[29] Sam Stanton Phoenix Rising Free[30] Matty Smith Waterford Free[31]

Loans in Player From Fee

Loans out Player To Fee Declan Glass Cove Rangers Loan[32] Matty Smith Cove Rangers Loan[33] Osman Sow Kilmarnock Loan[34] Logan Chalmers Arbroath Loan[35] Sam Wardrop Dumbarton Loan[36] Cammy Smith Dundalk Loan[37]

See also

• List of Dundee United F.C. seasons