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STEPHEN THOMPSON last night revealed he will fight tooth and nail to keep his Scottish Cup finalists at Dundee United.

The Tannadice chairman made the vow as boss Jackie McNamara insisted today’s final is only the beginning for his young guns and not the end.

Thompson was forced to sell most of the side that won at Hampden four years ago.

Within two years of the victory over Ross County only Sean Dillon remained from the starting line-up.

But Thompson insists the club being in its best financial position for almost two decades plus no real desire for United’s young guns to head south means the Taysiders can build on the foundations laid by McNamara.

Ahead of the clash with St Johnstone at Celtic Park, Thompson said: “It’s interesting to look at the team from the last final. A lot of the guys went south – it’s a short career and they were trying to step up.

“There’s a big painting in my office of the team from 2010 and only Sean Dillon from the team that started has stayed. I can’t believe he has been seven and a half years at the club.

“But now we don’t have to sell so it puts us in a strong position if there are approaches. We’re in the best place financially for about

18 years.

“Every player, except one, has at least two years left on their contract. Unless the offer is right in the summer then we won’t be selling. It would be great to get another year out of these players.

“The good thing is that a lot of our kids are in no rush to go anywhere. They realise they have another year of first-team football under Jackie which could be the best for their development. I just keep wondering what Ryan Gauld, Stuart Armstrong and Andy Robertson will be like in four or five years if they keep developing. There’s no doubt they won’t be with us but they have great futures.”

McNamara is adamant he can keep his kids.

John Souttar, Gauld, Armstrong, Robertson and Gary Mackay-Steven have drawn admiring glances and bids but the manager is in no rush to sell as he predicted another of his prized assets, Nadir Ciftci, will play a key role against St Johnstone. He said: “You want to keep this group of players. They’re not the finished article but the potential is very high.

“You’re hoping it’s the start of something.”

On the role Ciftci can play today McNamara said: “Nadir is important – at times he’s unplayable.”

Thompson is looking to add to the squad after being disappointed with fourth in the league.

The chairman said: “Jackie and I have been talking about five players and we’re quite far down the line with one or two.

“There’s no money in Scottish football. We’ve put aside some in the budget for transfer fees but it’s not a huge amount – not as big as Mr Lawwell’s budget.

“We won’t go back to the days of spending £750,000 on Alex Mathie.”