DUNDEE UNITED yesterday gave an emphatic thumbs down to a merger with

premier-division neighbours Dundee, writes Jim Reynolds. They also

accused the Dens Park chairman, Canadian millionaire Ron Dixon, of being

unprofessional in his efforts to bring about an amalgamation.

Dixon said on Thursday that he wanted to have talks with the Tannadice

directors about the clubs joining forces, as the city was not big enough

to carry two senior teams.

His ideas of a merger, however, were shot down after Dundee United

held a board meeting yesterday.

United vice chairman Doug Smith read out a statement which said: ''If

this had been a serious suggestion by Dundee it should have been done

professionally, in a private and confidential manner and not splashed

across back pages.

''The supporters of both clubs deserve much better than this misguided

speculation -- a scenario they have been put through before and one they

will not relish again.

''Therefore, Dundee United wish to state in the strongest terms, as

they have done on a number of occasions before, that they have no plans

for a merger.''

Said Dixon last night: ''There will be no hostile takeover bid for

Dundee United -- that is not my style. I still believe that if everyone

put hand on heart they would have to agree that my proposal makes

sense.''