With the level of investment Mark Ogren has ploughed into Dundee United, European football really should be the objective on the field at Tannadice.  

The last accounts published by the club total the American businessman’s financing of the Tangerines at around the £13million mark since he took over the club. 

However, this season hasn’t been anywhere near up to scratch. United are doomed and will be relegated to the Championship after Sunday’s game against Motherwell at Fir Park baring any miracle which sees Jim Goodwin’s side overcome an eight-goal swing on nearest rivals Ross County.  

Wednesday night’s dismal display on home turf against fellow survival battlers Kilmarnock, coupled with the Staggies’ point against St Johnstone, all but sealed their fate. It will mark the club’s second relegation in the last decade. They also lasted three seasons in the Premiership following four painful years in the second tier. 

Steven Fletcher passed a late fitness test to play in the 3-0 Killie defeat. He admits he couldn’t sit on the sidelines watching knowing that he wasn’t giving his all to help the cause.  

READ MORE: Jim Goodwin keen to right the wrongs at Dundee United

The experienced striker had a quiet game, being carefully watched by the Killie defence, mainly Ash Taylor. 

The ex-Scotland international is still contracted to the club for next season. And he insists many of his teammates need to look at themselves in the mirror after a horror show season.  

“The boys are gutted, it was a quiet dressing room,” Fletcher said. “It's a tough one to take but it is not just from Wednesday night, it's been the whole season. It's not been good enough for all of us.  

“It's hard to speak just now because it is in the moment. Just for the fans and everyone who works here, it is not nice for them. We weren't good enough for the full season. The table doesn't lie, the goals for and goals against are just not good enough. 

“We come in every day, work hard, but it's all good doing that on the training pitch and us leaving the training pitch every day and saying 'we've got a good squad', I've said it all season, it's a good team, a good group of lads. Sometimes it is not enough.  

“When you cross that white line you need to roll up your sleeves and work hard for each other. We've got a great group of individual players who will probably have a great career but when you cross that line you need to work as a team and need to push each other. 

“It's probably one of the most frustrating things that I can't put my finger on what’s gone wrong. I've worked with teams where we've maybe not had the quality but we've worked together, fought through it, and managed to get out the other side. I've avoided relegation several times and been relegated a few times. I've been in teams who know how to do it and I've been in teams that haven't. 

“Sometimes you need a bit of nastiness in your team. It's frustrating. They'll all go home and think about it. It's quite a young group and it's going to hit them. I'm an older, experienced lad, I kind of know how to take it but some of them, it might not hit them for a week or two, it is going to hit them that 'I'm not going to be playing in the Premier League anymore, I'm going to be in the Championship'.  

“They are going to need to get over it real quick because this club shouldn't be down there, it should still be in the Premier League. All the lads need to go and have a hard look at themselves and see where they want to be in their careers because it is definitely not down there.” 

He added: "I had a little tear in my groin but I found it hard enough at the weekend sitting in the house watching it.

"It was a risk and it didn't pay off because I didn't do much in the game. I couldn't just sit at home and watch because I'm not that kind of guy."

READ MORE: Dundee United 0 Kilmarnock 3: Hosts need miracle to escape relegation

Killie’s Taylor hadn’t trained in three weeks prior to the midweek encounter. He was one of several players who had barely played in recent months to have been given the nod by Derek McInnes. 

While it was a fantastic result, their goal of securing their top-flight status has still to be met.  

He said: "It was a fantastic performance and while our results away from home this season haven't been good enough, it was great to send our fans home happy on Wednesday. They have been brilliant all season and hopefully, we can make them even happier at the weekend. 

"The job's not done yet. We know Ross County has to come to our place and win, so they'll give it everything. 

"We only need a draw, but that's a dangerous game. We won't go out there to play for a point. We'll just play the game and if we can play like we did against United, we'd hope that will be enough to win the match.”