"They wanted to stand side by side with their playing mates, if you like, in the Scottish Premiership.

"They made that decision and wanted to show that support for the players at Rangers.

"They felt that there is not enough getting done and taking the knee became a gesture.

"They wanted to take their stand, they want more done about it, they want people or whatever brought to task on it because it is not acceptable.

"We have got all different types of cultures in our team and we wouldn't accept it here and we want to make sure that we show support for it moving on. It is 2021, come on, let's move on."

United, in their first season back in the top flight, are in eighth place and will play their five post-split matches in the bottom half but Mellon was delighted by the win over fourth-placed Dons.

He added: "Over the course of the 90 minutes we were excellent and did everything required in order to get a great result against a really good Aberdeen team.

"It was another step forward for the development as a team and a club to be the force we want to be in the Scottish Premiership.

"The work and the intensity from minute one to the end takes a lot of hard work in training so every credit to the boys for that."

Pittodrie youth coach Paul Sheerin was in temporary charge of the visitors following the recent departure of Derek McInnes and assistant Tony Docherty but fared little better as the Dons extended a dismal record to one win in 10 and one goal in 10.

Sheerin said: "It is disappointing and frustrating, the fact we can't score goals is obviously more and more worrying.

"It has always been there and we are always striving to rectify that.

"I thought a lot of the build-up play was good but when you are not scoring goals and not getting the end product your play probably deserves, it is frustrating.

"But the players feel it, they worked hard in the 10 days I have worked with them, they have been very good so nobody feels it as much as the players do."

Sheerin insists the temporary management team of himself, Barry Robson and Neil Simpson "will just keep going until such time as we are told differently".

He said: "I am in touch with the chairman [Dave Cormack] and he has kept me in the loop, he has let me know that the process is ongoing.

"He has not given me any indication of how long that process will take but he has told me that if there is change in the process, we as a staff will be first to know."