Thompson faces Tannadice battle

Doug Smith, Dundee United's interim chairman, has warned Eddie Thompson that he faces a fight to be installed on the Tannadice board.

Doug Smith, Dundee United's interim chairman, has warned Eddie Thompson that he faces a fight to be installed on the Tannadice board.

Thompson is waiting for a response from former chairman Jim McLean's legal team over whether a new bid for his shares would be welcome. But Smith has warned that Thompson, who has campaigned against the current board as part of the "United For Change" group, would have to be accepted by its members as the club's new owner.

"Eddie Thompson has wanted a position on the board for quite a while and the present board have not been acceptable to him," said Smith.

"He has been turned down by the board in the past and that position has not changed in any way at the moment. United For Change have been no help to the club whatsoever in the past few years. They have undermined probably the whole structure of the club.

"Jim McLean is the major shareholder. Jim has the right to sell them to who he wants but the board has the final decision on who buys them. We have to find a buyer who is acceptable to us."

The former Tannadice manager Paul Sturrock has been interviewed for the vacant manager's job at Plymouth Argyle, following the departure of Kevin Hodges.