One theory he certainly never adhered to was the accusation that irked United fans more than any other before May 1994 that their was a Hampden hoodoo on their team. "We got this image that we dreaded going to Hampden because it was an unlucky ground for us and I think that was down to the west coast press. Of my first three finals, two of them were against Celtic and it obviously suited the papers through there better if they won. They would always put up the United-can't-win-at-Hampden-argument but to be honest I do not think that ever really affected the players."

He uses the evidence of those four losing finals to back up his own assertion that United were not affected by the occasion. "The two finals against Celtic, in 1985 and 1988, were lost because we had a poor last 20 minutes in both. Losing was disappointing but we came off the park knowing we might have won. In 1988 in particular, Kevin Gallacher gave us the lead in the second half and, about five minutes later, Eamonn Bannon had a downward header which bounced up and went over the bar. On another day that would have gone in and, at 2-0, the game would have been won. As it was, Celtic won with two late goals."

Of his other two losing finals, he rates 1987 against St Mirren as the worst, and few who saw that game would disagree with his opinion of it. "It must have been the poorest final there had been for years and the fact we lost made things even harder for us. No one could accuse us of bottling the 1991 final against Motherwell. It was the family final and a great game. In the end the result was wrong, and that made it bad for Dundee United and our fans but that was just one of those things. I have to admit when Darren Jackson made it 3-3 right at the end of normal time we thought we had a great chance."

Of course the anguish of those finals evaporated on May 21, 1994, when Maurice became the first Dundee United captain to climb the steps to the Royal Box to lift the cup. It is a day he will never forget and rates as one of, if not the, best in his career.

He admits that going into that final he had a sneaking suspicion that this would be United's year. "A lot of people might think this is silly but I felt Rangers were under a lot of pressure because they were going for a double treble. Any time I saw an interview with their players they were not talking about the treble and they looked tense.

"There were other things too. They were by far the best team in the league that season, and for the first time I was involved in a final when the other team were strong favourites to win. They had also won the league very early and had relaxed. Over the last few games of the league they did not win and I think by the time they came to Hampden they may have switched off mentally."

As for the game itself, Maurice believes United won for two reasons. They played very well and got a break. "I felt it was a reasonable game. People think because Rangers did not play well it was a poor match but I believe we did not let them play. Then, for once we got a break. Christian Dailly hit the post and the ball could have gone anywhere but it went straight to Craig Brewster and that was it. I have to say that for all Rangers had a lot of the ball after our goal, I did not feel under pressure."

Looking back, he is proud of such a high level of performance against the hot favourites. but as he sank to his knees on the final whistle only one thing was going through his mind. "Relief, sheer relief is what I felt. I did not enjoy it right away I was just relieved to have won it at last. In the eighties I always thought we would get back there but in '94 I was not so sure. And if I had finished my career without winning the cup I would have considered that a very big black mark."

By the time the moment came to lead the team up the stairs, Maurice admits everything had become a bit of a daze. "It was great to be going up there second because I had been up first a few times and it is not something you enjoy. As I went to get the cup I was away on a planet of my own. They could have handed me a teapot and I probably would have lifted it above my head without noticing."

Within a year of that success, flamboyant manager Ivan Golac would leave and the team would be plummeting towards relegation. But Maurice always acknowledges the part Golac played in the winning of the cup. "He kept us relaxed and made sure we were under no pressure and that was a big help. However, I think while keeping us relaxed before big games was a good thing, he did not get us wound up for the ones against lesser teams."

Despite that he believes the most of the responsibility for relegation has to rest with the players. "The manager took a lot of the blame for what happened but I think the players involved have to stand up and be counted. A manager is responsible for picking the team but once the players cross the white line it is up to them to do the business. In the season after we won the cup, too many were dwelling on it and in the end that cost us.

"For most of the season I realised relegation was possible but I did not really think we would go down. However, when we lost to Aberdeen in our second last game I knew that was it. It was a big blow and I am glad we got back up in one go because the season in the First Division has been the most difficult I've had. Some of the teams try to play football but too often the emphasis was on physical fitness rather than skill."

As he looks to the future, Maurice realises there are more years behind him than ahead but his message to those vying to take his place in the team is simple I'll be around for a while. "I suppose being out of the Premier League for a year when you are my age (33) could be a problem, but it is not something I have worried about. I missed the promotion play-off against Partick through suspension and I thought Jamie McQuilken played very well on the left of the defence. But as far as I am concerned he is still behind me in the queue.

"Even if I start next season badly and drop out of the team, I'll be playing in the reserves and doing everything I can to put pressure on the manager to pick me. When I was 30 I said I would play until I was at least 35, and the way I feel now I do not think I'll have any problem doing that!"

Acknowledgments to The Evening Telegraph for the text of this interview

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