Dundee’s extensive £1.6 billion transformation has propelled the city to international acclaim. However no one would ever suggest that the Dundee derby is one of international note.
It is a clash of the titans – at least to the locals but more of a cult derby football match.
What we are talking about here is not Juventus v Inter or Boca v River. But even that didn’t stop Canniggia and Ravanelli coming to Dundee to take part in what is one of Scottish Football’s most enthusiastic of derby’s.
Describing what makes it different is easy – it is the proximity of the respective home stadia of the clubs.
Tannadice Park and Dens are traditional football locations both of which have changed little over the years.
Sitting only 300 yards apart and wedged between Sandeman Street and Dens Road it’s possible for the visiting team’s players to walk to the host stadium on any particular derby day. From a fan perspective its also common to see a scene that is unfamiliar to most derby matches whether in the UK or abroad. Fans of both teams regularly mingle together socially both before and after the game.
But it is inside the stadium when things start to change.
Dundee vs Dundee United
Dens Park, Dundee
13th November 2019
Scottish Premiership
Dundee are the more historic and traditional club in Dundee but United may well disagree with that.
It is Dundee United who have been the more successful of the two sides since the 1960’s. Beaten UEFA Cup finalists in 1987 and European Cup Semi Final qualifiers in 1984 the Tannadice side still hold the longest unbeaten run in all matches between the two – 13.
That winning record was established between December 1979 and September 1983; 11 of the 13 games resulting in wins for Dundee United.
Among those wins were two of the most high profile. Success came for Dundee United in the 1980 League Cup Final that was held at Dens Park and a title clinching 2-1 win over Dundee in May 1983.

Long before United tasted success in the theater of European football it was Dundee who were the forerunners in continental competition.
The powerful Scottish title winning side of 1962 went on to defeat Anderlecht, FC Koln and Sporting Lisbon convincingly before being walloped 5-1 by AC Milan in the semi final.
From the heights of these continental and domestic successes have come the lows.
Despite the growth of the waterfront area and the progress made reviving the city center Dundee has went from industrial glory to the low of mass unemployment in the 1980’s.
Dundee is a coastal city and sits on the Firth of Tay estuary in eastern Scotland some 65 miles from the capital city of Edinburgh. During the Victorian era it was noted for its textile industries as well as whaling, and shipbuilding industries.

Today Dundee is an re-energized city heavily influenced by the appearance of the new Victoria and Albert museum that sits on the waterfront. It also has 2 nautical museums one being the RRS Discovery which was Captain Scott’s Antarctic expedition ship. The second is the Verdant Works which celebrates the city’s jute manufacturing heritage.
With the Dundee clubs swapping leagues regularly over the years this installment of the fixture turned out to be Dundee United’s first away win over city rivals Dundee since 2014. The win increased the Tangerines lead in the Scottish Championship to six points.
At a loud and passionate Dens Park both sides lived up to the reputation of this being a robust and fiercely contested derby.

Calum Butcher’s lunging tackle in the second minute undoubtedly set the tone for a match that rarely showed glimpses of skill and technique.
United showed their attacking intent just 10 minutes into the half when Nicky Clark burst through on goal, only for a last-ditch Graham Dorrans tackle to block what appeared a simple finish.
The breakthrough came just moments later.
After darting into the Dundee box Liam Smith’s attempts to fire the ball towards goal was cut short by a late and clumsy challenge from Declan McDaid. The referee pointed to the spot and Clark comfortably tucked the ball into the bottom corner.

Any hope Dundee had of matching their city rivals were quickly extinguished when the unwavering goalscoring form of Shankland struck again. After intercepting the ball from Nelson, the Scotland international darted towards goal before jinking over an outstretched leg and firing a shot between two Dundee defenders into the goal.
Dundee struggled to offer any bite in front of a demanding home support who lost patience with the as the game progressed.

In a derby dominated by late tackles, physical aerial duels and countless fouls it was a clumsy tackle in the box and Shankland’s quality in front of goal that eventually separated these two rivals.
The Tangerine part of Dundee celebrated long after the final whistle.
Dundee: Hazard, Kerr, Forster, McGhee, Mackie, Byrne, Dorrans, McDaid, McGowan (Johnson), Nelson (McPake), Hemmings
Dundee United: Bejamin Siegrist, Smith, Watson, Mark Reynolds, Robson, McMullan (Smith), Harkes, Butcher, Appere, Clark (Stanton), Shankland (Connolly)
Attendance: 11,233