Charlie Mulgrew scored one of the cheekiest free kicks you’ll ever see in his side’s game against Arbroath in the Premier Sports Cup.
The 35 year old’s goal, which came 15 years after his last in tangerine, earned Dundee United a 1-0 win at Tannadice.
The victory all but books their spot in the knockout stages of the Scottish competition, as they sit top of Group B on nine points.
21′ Goal United! Mulgrew you cheeky scamp!
United pretend to have a mix up with Chalmers and Mulgrew stuttering over the ball. When the defender delivers it he wrong footers the keeper and finds the near post.
1-0 / #DufcLive pic.twitter.com/5JgjTSqMCW
— Dundee United FC (@dundeeunitedfc) July 17, 2021
Mulgrew hit a sensational free-kick on 21 minutes which was enough for Tam Courts’ men, in front of 500 home fans, as they prepare to travel through to East Fife to round off the section next Tuesday night.
On his second home debut, the experienced defender curled home a delicious left-foot free-kick from 35 yards out and it wrong-footed Gaston before sneaking in at the near post.
Head coach Tam Courts reckons making Charlie Mulgrew his first Dundee United signing of the summer is a real statement of intent.
“The good thing for me is that Charlie has won this league five times so he has a winning pedigree.
“He still has a strong desire to have a real impact on the pitch for us.
“I am very fortunate that there is a really good group of core players and he will fit into that and add his experience on top.
🔥 @charlie_mulgrew with the cheekiest of free-kicks today…pic.twitter.com/9RqYg2hHGS
— The Sportsman (@TheSportsman) July 17, 2021
“I am really excited by his qualities and the fact he knows this league inside out.
“I am very fortunate that there is a really good group of core players and he will fit into that and add his experience on top.
“I am really excited by his qualities and the fact he knows this league inside out.”
Courts admitted that getting Mulgrew over the line was one of his first priorities as United boss.
He explained: “I spent an hour and 40 minutes with Charlie. It was two or three days after I was announced into the position.
“It was really important for me.
“Nothing was concluded and it was good to see there was a connection between us and a mutual understanding of what our requirements were and how we were going to move forward.
“I feel he will fit seamlessly here on the pitch and we can plug into his experience for our youngsters and his culture.”
Mulgrew had a previous loan spell at United when he was a youngster at Celtic.
The left-sided defender, on Instagram, said: “Fifteen years later I’m back to where my first-team career started. So thankful this opportunity can’t wait for pre-season to start at Dundee United.”
It is a contract that will keep Mulgrew at United until 2023 and will also allow him to start out on his coaching career.
Courts confirmed: “It is a two year contract but from Charlie’s perspective he wants to educate himself as a coach.
“He has only taken a few sessions with the Blackburn youth team but he has a strong desire to learn. It would be an organic process with his playing over the next couple of years.”
View this post on Instagram
He revealed that the 35-year-old has been on the Tannadice radar for some time, even under previous boss Micky Mellon.
He explained: “We have a committee type approach to transfers. If you go back to the opposition work I did here, even at that juncture there was the opportunity to sit in on those meetings, to speak about targets from the opposition scouting.
“Charlie’s name has been a regular discussion and even under the previous management team.
“To minimise any disruption there is still a continuity and clarity if a manager leaves as happened to us this summer. It allows us to keep the wheels in motion.”
MULGREW’S CAREER:
Youth career
1999–2005 – Celtic
Senior career
2005–2006 – Celtic
2006 → Dundee United (loan) – 13 games (2 goals)
2006–2008 – Wolverhampton Wanderers – 6 games (0 goals)
2008 → Southend United (loan) – 18 games (1 goal)
2008–2010 – Aberdeen – 72 games (9 goals)
2010–2016 – Celtic – 134 games (20 goals)
2016–2021 – Blackburn Rovers – 100 games (27 goals)
2019–2020 → Wigan Athletic (loan) – 12 games (0 goals)
2020–2021 → Fleetwood Town (loan) – 23 games (1 goal)
2021– Dundee United
National team
2007–2008 – Scotland U21 – 11 games (2 goals)
2012– Scotland – 44 games (3 goals)
Fans reacted as Charlie Mulgrew scored one of the cheekiest free kicks you’ll ever see…
— Billy Baggio 🏴🇮🇹 (@BillyBaggio316) July 17, 2021
@FtefanWithAnF: That’s Sir Charlie Mulgrew now
@SimonToye: I miss that guy 😔 #AlwaysARover
@LScotty2706: CM still at it
@MarkWhittle1:Well in Charlie! 👏👏
@carlyharris_94: Big handsome chaz x be mine x
@AngelaS09: 🤣🤣🤣 cheeky scamp
@_mattsimpsonn: Fantastic goal, caught the keeper out and brilliant execution
@bencowe98: Oh charlie you handsome wee guy
@GreatBashHeel: Well, he is gonna score one or two…
@mattrobb11: Still got it Charlie lad #Rovers
@FFC_Hend0: beautiful bastard 😎
@alfklly: Charlie Mulgrew & Eden Hazard the most talented unserious footballers I’ve ever seen
@Hector_Chicken: I think that’s what you call “one from the training ground”! Brilliant effort
@danielwoods2000: Yasss cmon 🟠⚫️🟠
@Jamiewallace83: Best charlie In Dundee
@Buntingfootball: The guys an absolute master from dead ball situations this doesn’t even surprise me.
@ethanpayne5: Outrageous
@GerryKiely: The actual cheek of this from that big handsome fucker 😂
@atewari3: Charlie Mulgrew doing Charlie Mulgrew things! 🔥🔥🔥⚽️🧡🖤 The lads still got it! 👍🏽👏🏾
Cheeky set piece sees Charlie Mulgrew score his 1st Dundee United goal since returning… pic.twitter.com/35FwwlDnFb
— SHEDHEDS🗣️📢 (@shedheds) July 17, 2021
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