George Fleming Player Profile

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Player Details

  • Full Name: George Fleming
  • Born: September 22nd, 1948 (Edinburgh)
  • Position: Midfielder
  • Signed: January 21st, 1972 (£7,000)
  • First Manager: Jim McLean
  • Career Totals: 340 appearances, 37 goals
  • Also Played For: Heart of Midlothian, St Johnstone


Playing History

Season Win % Draw % Loss %
1979-80 37 (3) 2 1 0 40.0% 30.0% 30.0%
1978-79 35 (1) 4 5 1 44.4% 22.2% 33.3%
1977-78 46 10 3 0 50.0% 19.6% 30.4%
1976-77 36 (5) 2 2 0 46.3% 24.4% 29.3%
1975-76 41 (2) 3 2 1 30.2% 23.3% 46.5%
1974-75 31 (3) 5 2 0 44.1% 26.5% 29.4%
1973-74 46 (6) 7 3 0 48.1% 23.1% 28.8%
1972-73 36 3 2 0 47.2% 19.4% 33.3%
1971-72 12 1 0 0 41.7% 33.3% 25.0%
Totals: 320 (20) 37


 Apps = First Team Appearances (Sub Appearances) | Gls = Goals
 GtGR = Goals to Games Ratio | W/D/L - Games won, drawn or lost as percentage of games played in
 Yel = Yellow Cards/Cautions | Red = Red Cards/Dismissals

 Recent First Team Starts
 26/04/80 Premier Division vs. Rangers (A) 1 - 2
 29/03/80 Premier Division vs. St Mirren (H) 0 - 0
 19/03/80 Premier Division vs. Rangers (H) 0 - 0
 15/03/80 Premier Division vs. Aberdeen (A) 1 - 2
 12/03/80 Premier Division vs. Partick Th (H) 0 - 0

 Recent First Team Goals
 27/10/79 Premier Division vs. Kilmarnock (H) 4 - 0
 28/03/79 Premier Division vs. Partick Th (A) 2 - 1
 17/03/79 Premier Division vs. Aberdeen (A) 2 - 0
 09/12/78 Premier Division vs. Rangers (H) 3 - 0
 30/08/78 2nd Round 1st Leg vs. Celtic (H) 2 - 3

 List of Goals Scored (click to expand)
 27/10/79 Premier Division vs. Kilmarnock (H)  4 - 0
 27/10/79 Premier Division vs. Kilmarnock (H)  4 - 0
 28/03/79 Premier Division vs. Partick Th (A)  2 - 1
 17/03/79 Premier Division vs. Aberdeen (A)  2 - 0
 09/12/78 Premier Division vs. Rangers (H)  3 - 0
 30/08/78 2nd Round 1st Leg vs. Celtic (H)  2 - 3
 26/04/78 Premier Division vs. Ayr Utd (H)  3 - 1
 08/04/78 Premier Division vs. Motherwell (A)  1 - 0
 15/03/78 Premier Division vs. St Mirren (A)  2 - 1
 27/02/78 4th Round vs. QOS (H)  3 - 0
 25/02/78 Premier Division vs. Partick Th (A)  2 - 0
 04/02/78 Premier Division vs. Ayr Utd (A)  1 - 0
 19/11/77 Premier Division vs. Clydebank (H)  4 - 0
 22/10/77 Premier Division vs. Celtic (H)  1 - 2
 24/09/77 Premier Division vs. Motherwell (H)  3 - 2
 17/09/77 Premier Division vs. Clydebank (A)  3 - 0
 27/11/76 Premier Division vs. Partick Th (A)  5 - 1
 25/08/76 Sectional Tie vs. Arbroath (H)  2 - 0
 10/04/76 Premier Division vs. Celtic (H)  3 - 2
 03/04/76 Premier Division vs. Motherwell (A)  2 - 3
 27/03/76 Premier Division vs. Aberdeen (H)  1 - 0
 21/12/74 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  3 - 4
 30/11/74 Division One vs. Rangers (A)  2 - 4
 27/11/74 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  4 - 0
 27/11/74 Division One vs. Aberdeen (H)  4 - 0
 02/11/74 Division One vs. Arbroath (A)  3 - 1
 12/03/74 5th Round Replay vs. Dunfermline (H)  4 - 0
 12/03/74 5th Round Replay vs. Dunfermline (H)  4 - 0
 22/12/73 Division One vs. Dunfermline (A)  3 - 2
 08/12/73 Division One vs. Celtic (A)  3 - 3
 07/11/73 2nd Round 2nd Leg vs. Leicester City (H)  1 - 0
 06/10/73 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  4 - 0
 01/09/73 Division One vs. Dumbarton (A)  2 - 1
 28/04/73 Division One vs. Dumbarton (A)  1 - 4
 21/04/73 Division One vs. Kilmarnock (H)  2 - 1
 27/01/73 Division One vs. Motherwell (H)  1 - 2
 19/02/72 Division One vs. Clyde (H)  3 - 3

 List of Games Played
Sorry, there are too many games to display for this player.


Biography

The Edinburgh born midfielder began his senior career for Hearts after signing from Salvesen Boys Club in December 1964 and two years later, aged 18, he made his first team debut against United at Tynecastle. He went on to play in a variety of positions, though principally in midfield, and although never a prolific scorer, gained a reputation for grabbing last gasp goals. He collected a runners up medal in the Texaco Cup in 1971, scoring in the second leg of the final against Wolves.

George, who signed on the same day as Pat Gardner from Dunfermline, came to United in January 1972 for a fee of around £7,000. Along with Frank Kopel and Archive Knox, they were part of a group of experienced players brought in by new Manager Jim McLean with the primary aim of improving the team, but it was also intended that they would assist the development of the young players coming through the new youth set up. He made his debut against Rangers in February 1972, becoming a regular in the line up for the rest of that campaign and for the next eight years.

He soon became known for wearing a pair of white boots, long before the days of the mid-1990s when coloured boots became the norm. They were Hummel produced boots made famous by Alan Ball, and George had actually bought them as training boots, but found them so comfortable he decided to wear them on the pitch - eventually being sponsored to wear them! George played an important part in the Scottish Cup run in 1974, with two goals against Dunfermlme Athletic in the quarter final replay. He was one of the players in the side that took part in United's first Scottish Cup final against Celtic that season.

During his time at United, George played in several European matches, as the club began to make a name for themselves across the continent. The midfielder faced opposition such as Porto, Standard Liege, and Anderlecht whilst younger players like Dave Narey, Paul Sturrock, Graeme Payne and Andy Gray began to emerge from Jim McLean’s youth policy. In his final season at Tannadice, he was a member of the squad that reached the League Cup final for the first time in 1979. After a 0-0 draw with Aberdeen at Hampden where George came on as a substitute, he was back in the starting eleven for the replay at Dens Park and collected the first and only winner's medal of his career as United ran out 3-0 winners and won their first major trophy.

After a successful career at United, George joined St Johnstone in July 1980 for a fee of around £10,000. Signed by his former United team-mate Alex Rennie, he also took up a coaching role at Muirton Park and helped the Perth side win the First Division championship in 1982-83, just as United won the Premier Division title. In December 1983, he became player/manager at Arbroath for just over a year, after which he left the game.

In 2013, George was inducted into the Dundee United Hall of Fame in recognition of his contribution to the club.

Last updated on Wednesday, February 21st, 2018 by B Orr.





Debut

February 12th, 1972
Rangers 1 - 0 Dundee United

League (Division One)


Timeline

  • Date of Birth


    George was born on this date in Edinburgh.

    Wednesday, September 22nd, 1948

  • Signed For Dundee United

    Friday, January 21st, 1972

  • First Team Debut

    Rangers 1 - 0 Dundee United
    League (Division One)

    A power crisis enveloped the country and due to the miners strike there was no floodlighting at Ibrox, so this was literally day-light robbery by Rangers. The Tangerines showed most of the class and m

    Saturday, February 12th, 1972

  • First Goal

    Dundee United 3 - 3 Clyde
    League (Division One)

    Dundee United's recent signing George Fleming made his debut for the Tangerines, while 'keeper MacKay came in to replace injured McAlpine.Gardener came close to opening the scoring in just fiv

    Saturday, February 19th, 1972

  • 50th Appearance

    Dundee United 0 - 0 Aberdeen
    League Cup (Sectional Tie)

    Wednesday, August 15th, 1973

  • 50th League Appearance

    Dundee United 1 - 3 Rangers
    League (Division One)

    Hearts topped the league, but we were one of three clubs just a point behind the leaders. Rangers, our visitors, were well down the table and in search of a much needed victory. Played in monsoon-like

    Saturday, October 20th, 1973

  • 100th Appearance

    Dundee United 4 - 2 Morton
    League (Division One)

    Just one month short of his 18th birthday, Dave Narey scored his first goal for the club, notching the opening goal in the 10th minute against Greenock Morton at

    Friday, May 10th, 1974

  • 100th League Appearance

    Clyde 1 - 2 Dundee United
    League (Division One)

    Visits to Shawfield prior to then had scarcely provided good reading for United fans — but things improved that afternoon in a result sense anyway.The Tannadice side were then bidding to clinch for th

    Saturday, April 12th, 1975

  • 200th Appearance

    Dundee United 1 - 1 Hearts
    League (Premier Division)

    Monday, December 27th, 1976

  • 200th League Appearance

    Dundee United 5 - 2 Partick Th
    League (Premier Division)

    Saturday, April 29th, 1978

  • 300th Appearance

    Dundee United 2 - 2 Aberdeen
    League (Premier Division)

    Dundee United brought back Payne for their last fixture of the season. Otherwise they were unchanged from the team which lost narrowly at Parkhead the previous week. It was Aberdeen to kicked

    Saturday, May 5th, 1979

  • Last Goal

    Dundee United 4 - 0 Kilmarnock
    League (Premier Division)

    A return to scoring form by United as the fans welcomed goals with a vengeance against a Kilmarnock side which had no answer to the Tannadice tide of attacks. Two well deserved points these for a Unit

    Saturday, October 27th, 1979

  • Last Appearance

    Rangers 2 - 1 Dundee United
    League (Premier Division)

    Neither side came into this match with any interest in the ultimate destination of the Premier League flag. This impacted the crowd and only 16,000 or so made the effort to come along and watch what w

    Saturday, April 26th, 1980