Dundee United are aiming to be the best in Europe in ladies football

Dundee United in the Champions League sounds far-fetched.

But if Gavin Beith gets his way, the Tangerines’ women’s team will be battling the best in Europe in just a few years.

Former Dundee midfielder Beith has just been unveiled as Head Coach of United’s newly-formed female outfit.

He has been tasked with building a platform for girls and women’s football at Tannadice from scratch.

But though Beith is still laying the foundations, he has set his sights high.

“Glasgow City are the benchmark in this country they’re the ones sitting at the top of the League,” said Beith.

“But there are other good clubs out there, Hibs, Hearts, Rangers and Celtic all have good teams. We want to be hitting those benchmarks.

“We want to be as big as we possibly can because that’s in keeping with Dundee United. We should aim for the stars.

“It’s going to be some way down the road years away but we should aim to be a Champions League club. That’s the vision we need to have.”

Beith, who will be staying in his full-time role as a Player and Coach Development Officer with the SFA, came through the ranks with Dundee. But after breaking into the first team during the Bonetti era, he was freed when the club plunged into administration in 2003.

Despite spells with Arbroath and Forfar, he has admitted the years that followed almost saw him fall out of love with football.

But getting his coaching badges rekindled his desire to work within the game, and he is desperate to make the most of the opportunity United have handed him.

“You can see the size of the opportunity that lies ahead of me,” he said. “It’s a long-term project and a blank canvas, but that’s what motivated me to take the job on.”