Dundee 3
Hibernian 0
League (Premier Division)

Match Report

On Saturday March 15, 1980 Hibs were on their way to Dens, deep in relegation trouble. They had been lodged at the bottom of the Premier Division for much of the season and as early as November it had been apparent something had to be done.

This prompted the bold move of signing George Best and the then Hibs chairman Tom Hart put his money. where his mouth was by paying Best's four figure match fee out of his own pocket

The superstar's impact was immediate. His first game at Easter Road on December 1, 1979 saw 21,000 people in attendance to watch Hibs versus Partick Thistle.

The 'honeymoon' was short how ever and by February 17 when Best. failed to turn up for a Scottish Cup-tie against Ayr, Tom Hart stated publicly that he had had enough.

This was the wayward football artist's third 'disappearing trick' in less than three months. In the programme for the Ayr match Best had been publicly forgiven for a similar misdemeanour the previous week.

Furthermore amongst the 14,000 crowd that day had been Northern Ireland's international manager Billy Bingham, rehabilitating obviously thinking of Best's international career. It was easy therefore to under stand the frustration of the Hibs management.

To their eternal credit however they gave the great man yet another chance, and by the time Hibs came to Dens he was back in the side.

The hoped for transformation on the field. had not transpired for the Edinburgh side. They were still 10th with 12 points from 23 matches before the Dens game. Perhaps because of this or genuine doubt that Best would fail to appear the crowd was a dissappointing 8,065.

It was probably a combination of both allied to the fact that Dundee too were in relegation trouble, second bottom before the match with 21 point from 25 games.

Nonetheless quite a few youngsters invaded the pitch before the match to get the autograph of one man from the following teams:

DUNDEE: Donaldson, McLaren, Schaedler, Millar, Glennie, MeGeachie, Mackie. Sinclair. Fleming, Shirra, Corrigan. Subs: Ferguson, Murphy.

HIBS: McArthur, Brazil, Duncan, Paterson, Cormack, Rae, Tierney, MacLeod, Torrance, Campbell, Best. Subs: Murray, Hutchison.

Best was involved early on when he sent a lovely crossfield pass to MacLeod out on the right. But his cross was headed out by former Hib Schaedler.

At the other end youngster Corrigan went down in the box but the home side's penalty claims were waived aside by referee Brian McGinlay.

However, with 16 minutes on the clock Dundee went in front. The industrious Eric Sinclair did well to get in a shot and although McArthur took the sting out of his effort he couldn't hold it and Corrigan got there before the Hibs defence to score on his debut.

Best was showing some fine touches and a corner of his reached Torrance via MacLeod. But his shot was cleared on the line by Mackie. Hibs felt he'd used a hand but once again the claims were ignored.

A brilliant Donaldson save from Rae's head showed Hibs were still very much in the game.

On the half hour Sinclair and Corrigan did well to send 'Sinky' into the box, where he was stopped by Rae, but the third penalty claim of the match was turned down by the referee.

Best created problems for Dundee with a grounder from the edge of the penalty area. Donaldson blocked it but had more work to do before the danger was over, allowing Dundee to go in 1-0 up at the interval.

The second half began with both sides in a tentative mood until Donaldson sailed through the air to save a great Campbell shot. Hibs were coming more into the game and in 61 minutes Best had the ball in the net. He connected with his head to a waist high MacLeod cross but was deemed to be in an offside position.

Dundee replied with a Sinclair header which was stopped on the line by a Hibs player. Dundee felt an arm had been used but for the fourth time in the match a penalty claim was denied.

In 73 minutes however, Dundee went two ahead and what an amazing goal it was. They had a corner on the right at the Provost Road end of the ground. Former skipper Jim Shirra went over to take it and to the delight and astonishment of the home support he bent in a beautiful corner which evaded everyone and went into the net.

Two minutes later Iain Ferguson came on for Eric Sinclair, and he didn't have long to wait to make a contribution to the game.

With seven minutes remaining the home side's fourth corner in a row was headed on to Ferguson who hammered the ball home to make it 3-0. In the time left Hibs' Campbell hit the bar but there was no further scoring.

Even before the game, Hibs' chances of avoiding relegation was a topic of conversation more relevant to mathematicians than anyone else, so obviously that defeat further diminished their slim hopes.

For Dundee however this victory gave them a fighting chance but it was one they did not accept. They were only able to register one more win and joined Hibs in the First Division at the end of the season.

Perhaps the abiding memory of this game was the appearance of George Best who proved he still possessed the old skills and touches but inevitably didn't have the fitness to match. His 'goal' was well worked and he took it with aplomb.

Dundee fans, too, enjoyed seeing Best and no doubt they will also remember Jim Shirra's unusual goal, it's not often you see a score direct from a corner, and one of lain Ferguson's first goals for the first team.

Match report written by David Quinn (Matchday Programme)