Ure started his career as a
centre-half with
Ayr Albion. In 1958, after being scouted by the
Dens Park club, Ure signed for
Dundee where he remained for five seasons. During that time, the club won its one and only
First Division title in
1961–62, and reached the semi-finals of the
European Cup in
1962–63, losing 5–2 on aggregate to eventual champions
Milan. He moved south of the border in 1963 for a transfer fee of £62,500 to play for
Arsenal. He only missed one match for Arsenal in his first season, but injury and a loss of form restricted his appearances in
1964–65 and
1965–66, although he still managed more than 20 matches each season. Ure was restored to the Arsenal line-up by
Bertie Mee, however, and played 44 matches in
1966–67. Ure continued to feature regularly for Arsenal as the 1960s went on, but during this time made a couple of errors in big matches, exemplified by his mistake in the
1969 League Cup Final against
Swindon Town, which allowed
Roger Smart to score Swindon's opening goal; Swindon went on to win 3–1 after
extra time. Ure played 202 matches for Arsenal in defence over the course of six years, scoring two goals, and picking up two League Cup runners-up medals (
1968 and 1969). He was famously involved in a number of clashes with
Denis Law in the game against Manchester United in October 1967, that saw both players being sent off and subsequently receiving six-match bans. However, with
Frank McLintock and
Terry Neill competing for the centre half position, Ure found himself being squeezed out towards the end of that decade, and he left Arsenal in August 1969 to join
Manchester United. The only major signing made by manager
Wilf McGuinness, Ure spent two seasons at Manchester United before returning to Scotland to play for
St Mirren. After retiring from playing, he spent some time as a coach, including a spell as manager of East Stirlingshire, but later left the game completely, and was employed as a
social worker in
Kilmarnock. == International career ==