Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson has apologised for the team's last performance and admitted mistakes have been made causing the current crisis.

United look like relegation certainties after a 3-0 home defeat to Motherwell on Tuesday, which left the team 13 points adrift at the bottom of the table.

Thompson has now issued a surprising statement not only apologising for the nature of the defeat but also admitting that the board has made crucial mistakes in the last 18 months that have been instrumental in the team's sharp decline.

He said that the outcome was "unacceptable" and that despite paying high wages the side had "failed miserably".

“As chairman of the club, I would like apologise to all Dundee United supporters for the abysmal performance last night against Motherwell," Thompson said. "The current position at the bottom of the Ladbrokes Premiership is wholly unacceptable. It is not where Dundee United should be under any circumstance.

“The board and myself have made certain decisions in the last eighteen months which in hindsight were incorrect but were made for the greater good of the club and with the ambition of maintaining our position at the top of Scottish football, something we have done successfully for the last eight years. This included supporting a playing squad that commands the third highest wage bill in the Ladbrokes Premiership.

“However, we have failed miserably on the pitch with only three wins in 25 league matches and an early exit from the League Cup. Performances such as last night simply cannot be tolerated. The current playing squad now have thirteen matches to preserve the club’s Premiership status and redeem their own professional reputations.”

Speaking to STV in January, Thompson reiterated that he did not regret selling Gary Mackay-Steven and Stuart Armstrong last year and blamed former manager Jackie McNamara's poor recruitment for the side's dismal start to the season.