 He was part of the Dundee United team that won the club's first two major trophies, playing in the 1979 Scottish League Cup Final win against Aberdeen, and the 1980 Final, when United retained the trophy against Dundee.By the 1980s, however, Payne was featuring less often in the first team.When Dundee United were Premier Division champions in 1982-83, he made only three league appearances and spent the second half of the season on loan to Morton.