CRAIG BREWSTER has urged Micky Mellon to stay at Dundee United and help establish the club as a force in Scotland’s top-flight once again.

Mellon has been linked with a quickfire return to English football this summer after an impressive first season at Tannadice, where United have comfortably avoided relegation and are now gearing up for a Scottish Cup semi-final against Hibernian at Hampden on Saturday.

And United hero Brewster, who famously scored the winning goal against Rangers for the Terrors in the 1994 Scottish Cup Final, is desperately hoping that his old club can go on to lift the trophy again; and perhaps hold on to Mellon as a result.

“This is Micky’s first year back in Scotland and he has done very well,” Brewster said. “It was all about stabilising at United and he has done that well.

“Getting to a semi-final is important and it gives everyone at the club a real boost.

“I think every team left must think it is going to be their year with no Rangers and Celtic. It is about who produces on the day and people are even saying St Johnstone could be favourites.

“But, United beat Aberdeen in the previous round and that must give the players belief.

“It is key to keep everyone in place. You don't want to have him for one season and then have to be attracting a new manager.

“It is important United keep Micky and I’m sure if they could win a cup that might be easier to keep everyone happy.

“It would be an amazing end to a first season back in the Premiership.”

Brewster is hoping that the man at the sharp end of the United attack in the present day can have similar joy at Hampden on Saturday as he once did, with Lawrence Shankland looking to make a statement ahead of the European Championships this summer.

Brewster says that the semi-final is a wonderful opportunity for the striker to cast off doubts about his ability to score at the top level, and prove once and for all his status as a man for the big occasion.

“Big players come when it is big games and it is big-game time on Saturday,” he said. “You want him to step up and produce and be that big player who takes his club into the final.

“It is a similar thing with Kevin Nisbet. It is their first year in the Premiership, isn’t it? Kevin has scored a few more goals than Lawrence.

“It is up to Lawrence, he has had a reasonable season and some of the goals he has scored in the past couple of seasons at United are the reason why they are in the Premiership.

“Hopefully he can finish the season really strongly because this boy can score goals. Having that confidence and being able to get the opportunity to get on the end of things and have efforts in the final third, if United can get the ball into him then it is up to him to see what he can do.

“If he can get that confidence that he had last season and believe in himself that he can score, then he will have a great future.”

*Craig Brewster was promoting Premier Sports’ live and exclusive coverage of Dundee United v Hibernian this Saturday from 3.30pm. Premier Sports is available on Sky, Virgin TV and the Premier Player. Prices start from £10.99 per month.