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Bowman felt the heartache of losing five major finals before finally lifting the Tennent's Scottish Cup with United in 1994.

"I've lost enough finals to know what it's like to lose one," he said.

"Fair enough, getting to one is an achievement, but that means nothing at 5pm when you are sitting in the dressing room knowing you've lost."

Former Scotland midfielder Bowman is now back at the club as reserve team coach under new manager Gordon Chisholm.

And he has helped the Tannadice side avoid relegation and get to Saturday's Scottish Cup final.

"I had lost three Scottish Cup finals, one League Cup final and a Uefa Cup final by the time we got to Hampden in 1994," continued Bowman.

The atmosphere is much the same because in '94 we were fighting relegation until late in the season as well Dave Bowman

"I said to Maurice (Malpas) on the morning before the game 'We've got to win it this time', because it had become a desperation thing.

"The first time you lose you just think 'Oh God', the second time it really hurt and it just got steadily worse, so when '94 came round I just had to win it.

"I'm seeing it from a coach's perspective now and it's much harder to deal with.

"When you go out on the pitch you know you can make a difference and change the game, that's not an option when you are in the dug-out."

Bowman went on to claim there were a number of similarities between the current team and his side of 1994.

"The atmosphere is much the same because in '94 we were fighting relegation until late in the season as well," he added.

"The lads couldn't turn off and the current team have been under the same pressure so no-one has switched off.