THE longing on Tayside for Dundee United to make it back into the big time could be seen all around Tannadice on Thursday night, with fans of the Terrors packing out the old ground and rocking it to its foundations in a way not seen since those long-gone glory years.

But there is no one more eager to dispel the heartache of the last two seasons of play-off agony than life-long Arab Jamie Robson, who has suffered through the defeats to Livingston and Hamilton in the last two seasons as both a fan and as a player, watching on from the substitute’s bench in both second-leg defeats.

The 21-year-old is desperately hoping it is third time lucky for both he and his teammates as they again try to break down the door to the Premiership by overcoming St Mirren in Paisley tomorrow afternoon after a goalless stalemate in the home leg, ensuring that he can enjoy his summer for once with the promise of what is to come.

“The last two years have been really disappointing because it has ended the season on a low,” Robson said.

“The goal at this club is to get promoted but the last two seasons we have gone away for the summer knowing it would be the Championship again. It’s hard when you know you haven’t gone up, it does affect you over the summer.

“The club is equipped to go up and I think the team is good enough, it’s just about getting over that final hurdle this time.

“I hope it’s different this time, I feel more positive about it than I did in previous seasons. I think all the players feel like that, as do the fans and the city as a whole.

“I have loads of friends who are United fans and they are desperate for us to get up. When I was a little boy I was sitting with them in the Shed watching United in the top six and fighting for Europe.

“Dundee United has always been a Premiership club so that’s where we have to get back to.

“I feel we are ready to go up now. The dressing-room we have got now, there are players in there who have played in Europe and Scottish Cup finals, bigger games than Sunday.

“We just can’t get too focused on the occasion, we just have to concentrate on what’s happening on the pitch and try to find a way through it.

“The aim all season has been to get promoted and we are so close now.

“Once we get back, the goal is to get to the top six, but we have to get there first of all.”

Conventional wisdom would give St Mirren the slight advantage in the tie now having emerged unscathed from the cauldron that greeted them at Tannadice on Thursday evening, but Robson saw enough in his side’s performance to give him encouragement that United’s chances are still very much alive, and he has asked their fans to give them one last push over the line.

“We will go there on Sunday in high spirits,” he said.

“Everything is positive, we just want to get down there and get the job done.

“We have nothing to lose now, we have worked hard to get this chance to get back to the Premiership and we want to take it.

“We went down there in the Scottish Cup and won 1-0, so we know we can go there and get a victory. There is no reason at all we can’t do it again.

“I was surprised St Mirren sat in [on Thursday] and I don’t think they will do that again this weekend. If they do open up that means there will be plenty of room for Paul McMullan, Peter Pawlett and the players like that.

“The fans has been incredible all season, they have turned out in their numbers home and away. I thought they were amazing [at Tannadice] and I’m sure the away end will be packed on Sunday.”