Tangerines defender John McQuillan aims to scratch an eight-year itch today. McQuillan, a member of the select band of players to have worn the colours of both clubs, has featured in a winning side in the Dundee derby only once-when a Billy Dodds goal sank United at Tannadice in September 1992. And, even allowing for the fact half of the intervening period saw him plying his trade for St Johnstone and therefore deprived of the opportunity to put that situation to rights, he accepts that his record in this fixture is hardly the best. McQuillan admitted, "I’ve not been involved in many derbies that I have particularly fond memories of.

"These games, by and large, rarely go the way you would expect them to. Nine times out of 10 the team that’s gone into the match showing the poorer form comes out of it with the result and I certainly hope that trend continues. We desperately need a win and, given my record in the fixture, I’d be delighted as anyone if it came against Dundee." McQuillan, although encouraged by the improved form shown by United in their last three SPL outings, recognises it is points not plaudits the Tangerines require. "Things are definitely getting better, however when you are at the bottom of the league, results become the be-all and end-all," he said. "We feel we’ve been slapped in the face a bit by not having anything to show for our performances of late but we cannot feel sorry for ourselves.

"The next three games - against Dundee, St Johnstone and Dunfermline - are big ones for us and it’s victories rather than points here and there we need from them." Eight goals scored in 14 league games is a fair indication of where United’s biggest problem lies but full-back McQuillan accepts a defence that’s been breached 30 times is also culpable. "You can look at the lack of goals and say that’s a major handicap but if you keep a clean sheet then you are going to get one point at least and we’ve not been doing that," he acknowledged.

"Our trouble is we don’t take the half-chances we create and once we go behind ourselves we are left chasing the game and failing. I’d just like to see us take the lead for once, something we haven’t done since last December!" ©The Courier