
Goodwin on disbelief, 'defining moment' in Euro bid & departing players
Manager Jim Goodwin has been speaking to the media before Dundee United's final game of the Premiership season, against Aberdeen at Tannadice on Saturday.Here are the main points: Goodwin "wouldn't have believed it" if someone had told him in August his side would be 90 minutes away from finishing fourth.United will qualify for Europe if they match St Mirren's result at Celtic Park and Goodwin stresses his side's game could be a "defining moment" in what has already been a "fantastic season".The Tannadice boss says neither Aberdeen or United are in great form but believes that will "go out the window" at the weekend. Goodwin feels this has been "the most difficult season" in terms of injuries to key players but believes he will have "enough quality available to get the job done" on Saturday. Emmanuel Adegboyega and Lewis Fiorini have a chance of being available but Craig Sibbald and Ross Graham will both miss out.With players such as Declan Gallagher and Kevin Holt set to play their final game for United on Saturday, Goodwin wants them to leave with their "heads held high" and "hopefully off the back of achieving European football".
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


BBC News
43 minutes ago
- BBC News
Scotland ease to 39-run T20 win over Netherlands
Men's International Twenty20 Match: Scotland v Netherlands, ClydesdaleScotland 160-8: McCreath 40, Cross 33; Dutt 3-17Netherlands 121 (18.1): Levitt 36, van Meekeren 20; Sharif 2-13Scotland win by 39 runsScorecard Scotland have defeated the Netherlands by 39 runs in their opening T20 international tri-series match in a target of 160-8 by their hosts, the Dutch were all out for 121 after 18.1 was revenge for Scotland's defeat by the same opponents three days ago in their Cricket World Cup League 2 match in Sharif, Jack Jarvis and Mark Watt took two wickets apiece as the Scots, who face Nepal on Tuesday in their second match, defended their total with some comfort after a delayed start at Clydesdale Cricket Dutt struck with the first balls of his second and third overs, wicketkeeper Scott Edwards stumping opener Watt and then taking a catch to account for Brandon McMullen to leave the hosts on 23 for two as the tourists capitalised on their decision to Munsey's 17-ball 30, which included three sixes and two fours, gave Scotland some momentum, but when he fell to Zach Lion-Cachet and Liam Naylor and Michal Leask soon followed, they were under Finlay McCreath and skipper Matthew Cross put on 57 for the sixth wicket before McCreath went for 40 and Cross joined him back in the pavilion for 33, with Dutt's three for 17 the pick of the bowling Dutch reply got off to a positive start when opener Michael Levitt took 15 from McMullen's first Max O'Dowd and Lion-Cachet fell cheaply as they were reduced to 23 for two before skipper Edwards was run out for four with only 13 more having been added to the departure for 36 in the ninth over left the Dutch with a mountain to Jarvis dismissed Teja Nidamanuru and Roelof van der Merwe in quick succession, their cause looked forlorn and they were eventually able to muster only 121 as they were all out with 11 balls remaining.


Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Soccer Aid's Martin Compston's professional football career before he left for acting
The Scots Line of Duty star is starring in the Soccer Aid line-up, however, this isn't the first time he's laced up his football boots... Before he was a huge star in the likes of Line of Duty and Mayflies, Martin Compston was actually a professional footballer. The Scots actor is mostly known for playing a waistcoat wearing DS Steve Arnott in the hit BBC drama. The 41-year-old, is set to play Soccer Aid at Old Trafford this evening in the Rest of the World against England, with former Italy star Leonardo Bonucci among his team-mates. He's not the only Scots actor on his team either, as Baby Reindeer star Richard Gadd is also set to take on England. However, before Celtic daft Compston turned to acting, he was actually a pro footballer. In his early football career, he had stints with Aberdeen and Morton. The Greenock-born star even played two senior matches for Morton at the end of the 2001/02 season, but without much success. His first appearance resulted in a 4-0 defeat against Alloa Athletic, while his second – another 4-0 defeat, this time against Queen of the South – saw Morton relegated from the Scottish Second Division. Speaking on his pal Si Ferry's famous football podcast, Open Goal, Compston opened up about his brief football career. He explained that he was first spotted while playing in a Scottish underage cup final against a Celtic side which included future Man Utd star Darren Fletcher. After a stint with his hometown club, he was signed by Aberdeen where he played alongside future Premier League star Dean Windass. Compston even captained the Aberdeen youth team for a short period, but the actor knew when his time was up at the club. He told Si: "I remember I was captain at a game and one of the top scouts came down, and we got beat off an East Kilbride select, I went, 'That's that f*****!'" After his time at Aberdeen, Compston found himself back at Morton in the Scottish Second Division. "It just wasn't a good time to be at the club," the actor admitted. "They'd just gone down to the second division and we were struggling. "It was a mad time. We were full-time the YTS [Youth Team Scholarship] players. There was only three or four of us cleaning 40 pairs of boots and cleaning the stadium. "The first team were coming in training at night. There was a lot of hanging about. I felt more like a cleaner than a football player. "I made my debut when I was 17," Compston recalled. "We were away to Alloa. I knew they were only going to pitch me in if we were well up or well down. "I felt terrible, Alloa were winning 2-0 with 40 minutes left and they put a third one in and I was like, 'You beauty.' "The last game of the season, we had to win to stay up and we were playing Queen of the South who had to win to win the league. It was a sell-out, 14,000. The atmosphere was unbelievable." The day didn't go to plan however, he added: "There was some b******... at half-time, I knew I was going on. So I'm spraying balls about. "It smashed somebody and he's run on and rugby tackled me. The stewards were just all laughing. It was nerve-wracking. It was Scottish second division football but it's like, 'You've done that.'" Compston began acting during his football career after he bagged a lead role in Ken Loach's film 'Sweet Sixteen' while still with Morton. "It worked out perfect," Compston explained. "I'd just finished my exams and I'd got my Morton contract. The auditions were at the end of the year. "I went to [Morton manager] Peter Cormack and asked if it was alright to miss a couple of days of pre-season. We filmed it in the close season. He said, 'You're a fit boy, you'll be fine.' I finished filming and went back to Greenock Morton. "I remember being gutted because in the programme notes, the players were asked who's their favourite actor and not one of them said me. I thought one of them, for a joke, would throw my name in there!" Despite Loach being impressed by Compston's acting ability, the director advised him to keep in at his football career. He decided against Loach's advice and auditioned for a Heartbeat spin-off called The Royal. He had been sent the wrong script but still got the part and from then on his mind was set. "That was a big wake-up call," Compston said. "They don't know who I am. They hadn't seen Sweet Sixteen. To get that, I said, 'OK, I'm alright at this.' "Morton weren't going through the best of times. I was driving up the road one day, passing Cappielow [Greenock Morton's stadium] and I just went in and said [to manager Dave McPherson], 'I think I'm going to give this acting a crack.' He said, 'Sorry to lose you,' but I didn't find it too hard to be honest." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.


BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Craig admits to 'illegal move' in controversial 'no contest'
Paul Craig has urged UFC fans not "to persecute" Rodolfo Bellato after the Scots' opponent was accused of "hamming it up" by "flopping" to the canvas following a kick to the face during their light-heavyweight contest in admits it was "an illegal move" that resulted in the fight being ruled a no fight had been postponed from 14 weeks ago when the 29-year-old Brazilian pulled out with a cold sore - and this time it was cut short seconds before the end of round one."A few people have messaged me regarding this and are saying that it looked a bit floppish - like he was maybe hamming it up," 37-year-old Craig told reporters. "I don't want to think any fighter is looking for an easy way out in this sport. We're all fighters, we're all in the UFC - the pinnacle of of our careers - and we're looking to put on performances, but I can see where people are looking at it and think it looks a bit floppish, like he's maybe taking a dive."Craig admitted it was "raw at the moment" but did not want to think that might be the case."I was in the neutral corner, I was looking over and I was seeing him kind of flop like he was trying to wrestle the referee and he was in a daze, but when I spoke to him, he seemed pretty compos mentis and he was like 'I don't know what happened'," he recalled."You know what, it's my fault as much as it is his fault. We shouldn't be looking to persecute him if he's taking taken the knee - it was an illegal move."To make matters worse for Craig, he had moved back up a weight hoping to put a three-loss streak behind him in what was the final fight of his current UFC contract."I'm now in the best shape I've ever been in," he said. "I was wanting to make a stamp in that division and say, hey, I am back."I've got to take positives from it. I felt good in there and I was moving well. I was landing my shots and my shot selection was perfect."But, in the heat of the moment, I thought he was standing up, so I throw my axe kick, looking to land a heavy upkick to his face."Craig pointed out that a no-contest was at least not as bad as another defeat and is hopeful of a re-match with not, he is willing to go up against "any light-heavyweight the UFC offers" and believes he could even repeat his 2018 win over current champion Magomed Ankalaev if given the chance.