Tribute to 'custodian' of Dundee Utd

Brian Taylor | 10:27 UK time, Wednesday, 15 October 2008

I am sure you will forgive me if I neglect politics for a moment. Many of you will have heard the sad and tragic news that Eddie Thompson, the chairman of Dundee United, has died.

I was proud to count Eddie as a personal and family friend. He was, quite simply, a superb human being: a great family man, a talented entrepreneur, a warm thoughtful friend - and, of course, the guiding spirit at the club I have supported, like him, for more than 40 years.

At Tannadice, Eddie called himself the custodian for the fans. And he fulfilled that role to perfection. Not for him the cool, dispassionate summation of the balance sheet.

If we lost, he was inconsolable, angry even. If we won, his smile was broad and boyish.
Eddie had a mischievous sense of humour. His banter with Craig Levein was a joy to behold.

I also recall him welcoming the bosses to Barcelona to Tannadice. Eddie thanked them elegantly for their visit, noted that United had played the Catalan giants four times in Europe - then added with a grin that diplomacy prevented him from mentioning the results. United had of course won all four.

He will be an enormous loss to the club and to the city of Dundee. My deepest sympathy to his charming wife Cath and the family. The Arabs have lost one of their own.

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Comments

1. At 11:01am on 15 Oct 2008, gedguy2 wrote:
Brian,
I did not know that you were an 'arab', you have risen greatly in my esteem.
The loss of our chairman is tragic news and I am saddened by his passing.

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2. At 11:16am on 15 Oct 2008, onedavenarey wrote:
Well said Brian. A good man who'll be sadly missed. He's made United fans feel that the club values and listens to them over the past few years. The relationship we have with our club is the best in Scotland. Here's hoping the boys do him proud at Ibrox this weekend.

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3. At 11:38am on 15 Oct 2008, themightyshed wrote:
Hear Hear... a wonderful custodian of our beloved club. He will be sadly sadly missed.

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4. At 12:03pm on 15 Oct 2008, DaveOfArabia SOFBTRC wrote:
A sad loss to the club, city and world of football. My thoughts are with his family, friends and the staff at Tannadice.

His lasting legacy will be the prosperity and secure future of Dundee United. For that, I give him many thanks.

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5. At 12:28pm on 15 Oct 2008, Older than the Pyramids wrote:
One of the old breed of football chairmen, who saw his stewardship of the club as a means of giving back to the community.

Football in Scotland will be poorer for his passing.

The decision to postpone United's Saturday game at Ibrox is of course the right one, and the fact that the following game is a home tie (against struggling St Mirren) should give fans an appropriate (a)venue to display their affection for their late Chairman.

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6. At 12:38pm on 15 Oct 2008, forfar-loon wrote:
Although I'm a Forfar fan my brother is a lifelong Arab, so I've always had a soft spot for DUFC and kept up to speed on the latest news from Tannadice. Today is a sad day indeed.

How football could do with more people like Eddie Thompson. He had the good sense to run the club on a sound footing and the wisdom to realise that he was merely the custodian of the club, borrowing it from future generations. My sympathies to his family and friends.

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7. At 12:52pm on 15 Oct 2008, BoNG0_1 wrote:
I'm sure I can speak for all Dons fans that our thoughts go out to the family, particularly Justine at this time.

RIP Eddie and Ken.

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8. At 1:20pm on 15 Oct 2008, hfc-nufc wrote:
A very great pity that a family of such fine people should be struck twice by tragedy within a few days.

Eddie Thomson ran Dundee United very well and was someone from whom we can all derive great inspiration.

R.I.P. Eddie, hope you get a good view of Tannadice upstairs

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9. At 1:21pm on 15 Oct 2008, kjell_suit SOFBTRC wrote:
Well said Brian.

We as UTD fans are totally devestated by Eddies Thompson's passing, even though we all knew it was coming. The man WAS Dundee United through and through.

He gave us our club back and for that he has my lifelong appreciation.

Eddie - you will be missed. RIP

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10. At 1:33pm on 15 Oct 2008, draboy wrote:
This poor family. A double bereavement within a few days. I am so sorry.

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11. At 1:44pm on 15 Oct 2008, googlehoo wrote:
The World is a poorer place for the passing of Eddie Thompson.

My sympathies go to his family

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12. At 1:53pm on 15 Oct 2008, Tannadice94 wrote:
Brian, as a fellow arab and regular reader of your blog, I could not have put better the tribute you have written.

My thoughts are with the Thompson family after the terrible events of the past few days....

RIP Eddie

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13. At 2:28pm on 15 Oct 2008, grimble wrote:
As a lifelong Dee, I'm nonetheless saddened by the death of a fine man who was a good servant to your club over the years - Dundee would have greatly benefitted from a similar steadying figure in the background in the last couple of decades. In the current football world it's sad to think that we may never see his like again

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14. At 4:05pm on 15 Oct 2008, BrianHill wrote:
Sad loss for United, Dundee and Scottish football.

And of course a double blow to the family with the death a few days ago of his son-in-law.

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15. At 4:18pm on 15 Oct 2008, scottishrepublic wrote:
Eddie Thomson will be sadly missed by the entire Scottish Football Community. The game cannot afford to lose dedicated men like Eddie, who stood up for The Scottish Game and its traditional, inheritance grown by so man other heroes of days gone bye. He genuinely cared about the health of the Scottish Game, and for that we Scots thank him.

My condolences to his family at this very sad time. I certainly wish them good memories of a very proud Scottish man.

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16. At 9:00pm on 15 Oct 2008, arabhepburn wrote:
Well said he will be greatly missed as an arab what he has done for our club has been fantastic. Thoughts at this time are for his family. Sadly missed never forgotten

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17. At 10:53pm on 15 Oct 2008, peterwawwint wrote:
He loved United and he loved football. He got the club on a sound footing and supported the managers under his helm to cultivate teams that played successful and entertaining football.

OK, it is only in the last couple of years that United have looked likely to achieve any kind of success, and Eddie was arguably quite ruthless with some of Craig Levein's predecessors, but this was only because he was so passionate about the club.

A chairman who is also a supporter is becoming rarer and rarer in this modern corporate game. Good guys like Steady Eddie will be sorely missed.

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18. At 02:02am on 16 Oct 2008, Saharabs wrote:
A fine tribute Brian, to a dedicated servant of our Club on a sad day for United and Arabs everywhere. Doubly tragic for the Thomson family - sincere condolences to them.

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19. At 03:39am on 16 Oct 2008, dmacaulay wrote:
A sad loss for scottish football in general and especially for the Arabs. RIP.

If only we had a man of similar stature at the helm at Pittodrie.

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20. At 3:16pm on 16 Oct 2008, rolandsausage wrote:
I’m a Killie fan and never met Eddie but it was obvious to see how much love and passion he had for United. There isn’t enough guys like Eddie in the game now and he’ll be sadly missed by the whole of Scottish fitba.
Another good guy sadly gone.

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21. At 8:09pm on 28 Oct 2008, bigkennyh wrote:
gone butt not forgoton

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