O’DONNELL TO FEATURE AGAINST HIBERNIAN

In an interview held earlier this morning, Manager Alex Smith was looking forward in anticipation to this weekend’s resumption of SPL business. “In the first of our post-split fixtures this Sunday, we will be host to Hibernian - which is somewhat peculiar as they were our most recent pre-split guests in what turned out to be a very entertaining and exciting match for the fans. It would be nice if the quality of that performance could be repeated and the result reversed. It is very important for us to finish as high as possible in the SPL and we will do our best to take three points from Sunday’s encounter." "The remaining five games will also give us an opportunity to continue blooding young players and on Sunday we will again be fielding Stephen O’Donnell (pictured) and possibly have another newcomer on the bench. If Stephen’s 20 minutes’ debut in our last match is anything to go by, then I am sure we will see much more of the 18-year old midfielder. The recent success of Mark Wilson in our match versus Dundee and the performances of Stuart Duff, who has played 4 games to-date, has given me great encouragement. Developing young players has been a successful and lucrative way of taking Dundee United to higher levels in the past, and that has not changed. It remains the way forward, not only from a successful playing point of view but also, most certainly, from a financial perspective. It will interesting to see the progress in Steven Thompson following his experience of playing in the Stade de France where he received his first Scotland cap in front of 86,000 fans. Whilst only on the field of play for 20 minutes without an opportunity to score or create a goal, Steven did all that was asked of him and he did well. At no point did he look out of place and that will help to boost his confidence.” “Steven’s sudden promotion to the international frame should act as a spur to the whole United squad as well as to every Scottish player as there will be ample opportunity for those with the necessary desire, commitment and skill to progress to that level.”