new season and a new grandstand and fencing were soon provided. A cricket-style pavilion housing dressing rooms was constructed in the south east corner of the ground, where the players' tunnel is today; this survived until 1961. An indication of the rapid development of the new Tannadice is contained in a report from the city's Evening Telegraph, 21 July 1909:The pavilion is a splendid two-storey structure built of brick, containing two large dressing-rooms, two committee rooms, press box and referee’s room. The pavilion will be lit by electricity. The stand on the road side will be the whole length of the field and will seat about 1,000 people. Hibs and United (1909–1959) The club's and the ground's inaugural match was against Hibernian on 18 August 1909, in front of a crowd of 7,000. The original capacity of Tannadice Park was around 10,000, the terracings were specially extended and additional temporary seating erected for a Qualifying Cup-tie against Forfar Athletic in 1913; all of this was necessary to allow a record crowd to be accommodated, and the reported attendance was 15,000. Dundee Hibs was renamed Dundee United in 1923, after a consortium had taken over the club and obtained re-election to the Scottish Football League. No improvements to the ground were made until Dundee United won promotion to Division One for the first time in 1925. The Scottish League Management Committee informed the club that Tannadice would be subject to an inspection during the close season to ensure that it was up to the standard required for the higher level, and this clearly concentrated the directors' minds. Since 1909, Tannadice had been leased, but the board now decided to buy the ground, paying £2,500. Extensive renovations were then begun, the first to the pitch. There was a steep upwards slope towards the corner where the George Fox and East Stands now meet, and this necessitated solid rock being blasted to enable it to be levelled. There is still a slope of approximately 2 metres from north-west to south-east today. For the first time, proper terracings were constructed, while the pavilion was given a facelift and new turnstiles were built. During the Second World War, United were forced to close down temporarily in 1940 due to there being no senior league operating in the area. As a result, an associated junior club, Dundee United Juniors, was formed to play at Tannadice. Although