Mark Birighitti Recalls Traumatic Dundee United Tenure: ‘I Was Scared to Leave the House’

Former Tangerines Goalkeeper Accuses Club of Bullying Tactics Amid Fan Abuse Nightmare

Mark Birighitti has opened up about his harrowing experience at Dundee United, revealing that fan abuse became so intense he feared leaving his home during his final season with the club in 2023/24. The Australian goalkeeper, who endured a disastrous 2022/23 campaign that culminated in United’s relegation to the Scottish Championship, described the off-field harassment as “scary” and “hectic,” far outweighing the professional challenges he faced.

Birighitti’s tenure with United, which began promisingly with a two-year deal in July 2022, quickly unraveled amid a series of high-profile errors and managerial instability. The Terrors cycled through three head coaches—Jack Ross, Liam Fox, and Jim Goodwin—during his first season, with each initially selecting him before dropping him from the starting lineup. His errors, including a notorious blunder against St Johnstone in February 2023 and a giveaway in a 7-0 Europa Conference League loss to AZ Alkmaar, drew widespread criticism and contributed to United’s 12th-place finish and drop to the second tier.

Shortlisted for the Australian Institute of Sport’s Young Footballer of the Year in 2008 after a breakout spell with Adelaide United, Birighitti’s move to Tannadice was meant to be a career highlight. Instead, it became a low point. After relegation, his contract automatically triggered a salary increase, a clause shared by several first-team players that prompted mass departures. Despite Goodwin making it clear he was surplus to requirements, Birighitti stayed to fulfill his deal, accusing the club of attempting to force him out through isolation tactics.

“They tried to make life hard for me by kicking me out of the dressing room and trying to bully me as clubs do over there,” Birighitti told Football360.com.au in an exclusive interview published on October 6, 2025. “They try to break you so you can leave, but I stuck to my guns and stayed strong.”

The Abuse That Kept Him Indoors

While Birighitti described the internal club dynamics as “easy to deal with,” the external vitriol from supporters proved overwhelming. Frozen out and training alone, he faced relentless abuse in public spaces, from children as young as eight to adults, which escalated to the point of paranoia about personal safety.

“It was hard getting treated the way I was getting treated, but it was more so outside of football, which was quite scary,” he said. “Dealing with the fans out on the streets and the abuse that I was getting from eight-year-old kids up until grown adults. I was gobsmacked. I could not believe the treatment that I was getting out in public. It came to a stage where I felt that I couldn’t even leave the house. We’d go grocery shopping with my wife and my two kids and the abuse I was getting in a supermarket—this ain’t for me. This was probably the most challenging part. The stuff at the club was pretty easy to deal with, but it was more when you’re not at the club and you’re in public. You don’t know if after a home game you’re getting followed back to your house. That kind of stuff was pretty hectic and pretty scary.”

Birighitti, who made 26 Premiership appearances for United with a 1.73 goals-per-game average conceded, emphasized the disconnect between online anonymity and real-life encounters: “It’s easy to sit behind a screen and give abuse but then when you see them in the streets, they’re your best friends. So, look, I don’t read too much into it.”

A ‘Shambles’ Season and Path to Perth Glory

The 2022/23 season was, in Birighitti’s words, “a bit of a shambles,” marked by defensive frailties—United conceded 61 goals, the third-worst in the league—and his own visible nervousness, as highlighted in fan compilations and media analyses. He was dropped twice, first by Fox after a 2-1 loss to Celtic in September 2022 and again by Goodwin in March 2023 following the St Johnstone error. Despite the chaos, Birighitti insists the criticism hasn’t defined him.

Now 34 and back in the A-League with Perth Glory on a two-year deal signed in June 2025, Birighitti is rebuilding with renewed vigor. After a brief stint as Junior Goalkeeper Technical Director at semi-pro Perth SC in late 2024, he returned to playing, starting all seven matches for Glory this season with three clean sheets. “I know people have said that I’m done, I’m finished. That’s all just people’s opinions,” he said. “I feel in the best shape I’ve ever been in. I’m hungrier than ever.”

Broader Context: Fan Behavior and Goalkeeper Pressures

Birighitti’s revelations echo ongoing debates about fan accountability in Scottish football. While Dundee United supporters are renowned for their passion—the “Tangerine Army” drew praise from Austrian police during a 2025 European tie—the line between fervor and toxicity has blurred before. Similar incidents, like missiles thrown at Aberdeen’s dugout in 2025, prompted calls for lifetime bans. Birighitti’s story underscores the mental toll on players, particularly goalkeepers facing the brunt of errors in a high-pressure environment.

As United thrive under Goodwin in 2025/26—sitting fourth after promotion and European qualification—Birighitti’s account serves as a stark reminder of the club’s darker chapter to him. For him, the scars remain, but so does resilience: “As long as I’ve got my family and I’ve got my close-knit group that supports me, I’ve got good people around me, that’s the most important thing.”

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