Ralph Milne

As most are probably aware by now, Ralph Milne sadly passed away over the weekend.

The word "legend" is bandied around a lot these days but I don't think it's misused this time. He truly was a Dundee United legend and it's tragic that he's passed away so early in his life - alcoholism is a terrible illness.

I'm too young to have seen Ralph play myself which is a great shame for me. But those lucky enough to have seen him play talk about an incredibly talented player, a player with blistering pace and an eye for goal. Indeed, Ralph remains (and is likely to remain for a long time) our top European goalscorer.

I think it's fair to say however that his career has always been tinged with regret. He never went on to the levels he really should have. He was uncapped, which is incredible really (particularly when you consider the paucity of options we have today). I think a quote from Jim McLean sums up Ralph's career:

"If I had an outstanding failure then it was Ralph Milne. He should have been playing in World Cups. He should have won a bundle of Scotland international honours. It was a tragedy that that boy was not playing for his country all the time. He had tremendous talent - and I failed with him. He did not have the right attitude to the game and I could not instil that into him."

Ralph liked the drink. He never hid from that and he was very honest about it in his autobiography. When he signed for Man Utd he took a peg between Paul McGrath and Norman Whiteside. On his first day they asked if he wanted to go to the pub after training. Those three went to the boozer every day afterwards.

After his career ended, the boozer beckoned, and he rarely left. He could always be found in one of the Broughty Ferry public houses. He had his troubles, he was in a mutually abusive relationship with his partner, but that's not how we'll remember him. We'll remember him for May 14th 1983, the day after his 22nd birthday. We'll remember him for wriggling away from the challenges, looking up, floating the ball over Kelly's head and the ball nestling in the net to send us on our way to our only league title.

RIP Ralph, a United legend.