Shed Talk 13 | Dundee United v Dundee

SHEDTALK Dundee United v Dundee William Hill Premiership Saturday 3 January 2026 Edition 13

Shed Talk

CONTENTS 5

24

CLUB HONOURS Scottish Premier Division Champions 1983 Scottish Cup Winners 1994 and 2010 Scottish League Cup Winners 1979-80 and 1980-81 UEFA Cup Runners-up: 1986–87

DIRECTORY Dundee United Football Club, The CalForth Construction Arena at Tannadice Park, Dundee, DD3 7JW 01382833166 Option 1 - Ticketing Option 2 - Commercial Option 3 - Retail ADDRESS BOOK Chairman MARK OGREN Vice-Chairman SCOTT OGREN Director JIMMY FYFFE Chief Executive LUIGI CAPUANO Chief Operations Officer JOE RICE Finance Director JAMES ROBERTSON Manager JIM GOODWIN Assistant Manager LEE SHARP First-Team Coach DAVID BOWMAN Head of Goalkeeping PAUL MATHERS

16

32

Head of Football Operations BILLY MORRIS Head of Player Care NIALL NICOLSON Head of Medical TOMMY SCANLON First Team Physiotherapist KEVIN MILNE First Team Analyst AIDAN CROLL First Team Sports Scientist EWAN ANDERSON Strength and Conditioning Coach ALLAN GARTSHORE Club Doctors DR DAVID NICOLL DR STEPHEN GALBRAITH Kit Manager ANDREW BRYAN Head of Commercial MARK CUNNINGHAM Ticket Office Manager MOIRA HUGHES Head of Retail STUART BOOTLAND Commercial Sales Manager DECLAN PRIDDING

Catering & Bar Operations Manager JOHN RICHARDSON Head of Stadium and Facility Operations JONATHAN ROBERTS Head Groundsman JAMIE HARLE Head of Media MARK MCCREERY Head of Marketing LUKE BAIN Head of Content YANNIS MARR Club Photographer RICHARD WISEMAN SHED TALK Design and Editors: LUKE BAIN AND PETER RUNDO Contributors MIKE WATSON RYAN HALDANE LEE SMITH Printed copies of Shed Talk are available via Curtis Sport.

4

JIM

GOODWIN Good afternoon everyone, and welcome back to Tannadice!

Firstly, we were delighted with the overall performance against Livingston. I thought it was probably one of our most complete performances. It’s been a long time since we went to Livingston and won a game, never mind won so comfortably, so that was really pleasing.

This afternoon, however, is a completely different type of fixture. We know what it means to the supporters and what it means to the city, and the players are well aware of what’s required to make sure we go and get the result that we’re all so desperately after.

That win on Tuesday has put us back into the top six, which is where we want to be. If we can follow that up with another good result, it would set us up nicely for 2026.

Dundee are a different type of team this time around compared to the one we faced earlier in the season – lots of new players, a different system, arguably a different style of play. But as always, the focus is on ourselves and what we can bring to the day.

We’ve already secured a derby victory earlier in the season, and to get another win at Tannadice would mean a lot. We want to do it for the fans – they’ve been brilliant and stuck with us throughout the season.

There won’t be a ticket to be had I’m sure, and it’s going to be a great atmosphere.

In games like this, there’s a lot of emotion involved, and more often than not, the team that manages the occasion best comes out on top. Hopefully, our players can do that.

Enjoy the game!

5

ADAM MACGREGOR AGE: 8 FAVOURITE PLAYER: WILL FERRY

JAX DRUMMOND AGE: 8

FAVOURITE PLAYER: KRISTIJAN TRAPANOVSKI

JACOB FEENEY

AGE: 7 FAVOURITE PLAYER: AMAR FATAH

KARSON DARLING AGE: 6 FAVOURITE PLAYER: DAVE RICHARDS

OLIVER FEENEY AGE: 9 FAVOURITE PLAYER: ZAC SAPSFORD

KEIR THOMSON AGE: 8 FAVOURITE PLAYER: ZAC SAPSFORD

KHALON PYPER AGE: 7 FAVOURITE PLAYER: WILL FERRY

LEO ROBERTSON

AGE: 10 FAVOURITE PLAYER: ZAC SAPSFORD

RIO CONWAY AGE: 2

FAVOURITE PLAYER: PAN CAMARA

POPPYAGE:MADDEN 12

FAVOURITE PLAYER: KRISTIJAN TRAPANOVSKI

SAULAGE: CARROL 8

FAVOURITE PLAYER: ZAC SAPSFORD

7

ZAC

SAPSFORD I think it was a really dominant win against Livingston and probably our best performance of the season, even though it was against the bottom-of-the-table side. We knew how hard it was going to be there, and getting three points was really important for us coming into this weekend’s game.

Everyone’s confident, playing well, and with a nice little unbeaten run now, we’re looking to continue that and get a win over Dundee.

We’re all excited for the big one tomorrow – the Dundee derby. Personally, I’m buzzing. I always love playing in derby games. Big games are always exciting, the fans will be up for it, so everyone’s really looking forward to it.

I’ve already scored in a Dundee derby at Dens Park, so of course I’d love to get on the scoresheet again. But first and foremost, I just want to win the game because I know how important it is to the club and the fans. If a goal comes with that, it’s just a bonus.

Any derby game is always really fierce and competitive. No matter how teams are playing, it’s going to be tight, and hopefully we can get on top of them early.

Derbies are always special. I played in a

8

ShedTalk

few back home and I just love playing in them. Before signing for Dundee United, I knew there was a close rivalry here, and I was really excited to be part of it.

Having my first derby at Tannadice is going to be amazing. I’ve seen what the fans can provide in big fixtures before – they’ll be loud, singing and chanting throughout the whole game, keeping us going. It’s obviously a massive game for the fans, and for us players, getting a win over our rivals is huge. A derby win just speaks for itself – anything else isn’t good enough.

Reflecting on my first half of the season at Dundee United, I’m really happy with how it’s gone. Sometimes transitions can be tricky, but I’m pleased with the way I’ve been playing and the fact that I’m getting minutes on the pitch. It’s important to keep that momentum and keep improving.

Looking ahead, my focus is simple – just to play as much as I can here at Dundee United, help the team win as many games as possible, and push for European spots come the end of the season.

9

LOCAL SUPPLIER OF KEGS, BOTTLED BEERS/LAGERS, SPIRITS, WINES AND SOFT DRINKS SHORT NOTICE DELIVERY SERVICE 7 DAYS A WEEK.

11

Welcome to

DUNDEE

Wins over Falkirk and Kilmarnock during the past week have seen Dundee record back-to-back league victories for the first time since March 2024.

Those results, coupled with our success at Livingston last time out, mean that our neighbours now have a ten-point buffer between themselves and the relegation spot.

Last time the sides met at Tannadice, the ’Dee recorded their first win here in almost 21 years. That said, they have only tasted derby day success twice in the past eleven encounters.

THE MANAGER Steven Pressley

The Elgin-born defender began his senior career with Rangers, making just over thirty appearances before Coventry City paid £600,000 for the promising central defender in October 1994.

The following summer saw United part with £750,000 to bring the Under-21 internationalist to Tannadice.

Pressley played a major part not only in United’s return to the top flight at the first attempt, but also in Scotland reaching the 1996 Under-21 European Championship semi-final.

After 129 matches, six goals and a League Cup runners-up medal, he left Tayside on a free for Hearts.

‘Elvis’ would go on to

12

ShedTalk

captain the Jambos, make well over 300 appearances and lift the 2006 Scottish Cup. At the age of 33, and now a full international, he signed for Celtic but featured infrequently, eventually seeing out his career with short spells at Danish side Randers and Falkirk.

Moving into management, he stepped up from assistant at Falkirk in February 2010 but couldn’t prevent relegation. A spell at financially stricken Coventry saw him twice keep City in League One against the odds. Short, unsuccessful spells at Fleetwood, Pafos and Carlisle followed before he took up the Head of Individual Development role at Brentford in 2021.

Bulgarian defender has only featured twice since his arrival from Israeli side Petah Tikva. The 30-year-old was capped at Under-21 level and previously represented Litex Lovech and CSKA Sofia.

PLAMEN GALABOV

third as he is defensively.

EMILE

Six-foot-three striker featured 90 times over the past two seasons at Barrow and hit the net on 16 occasions. The former England C cap has a solitary League Cup goal against Bonnyrigg Rose from his 16 appearances.

ACQUAH

JOE WESTLEY

Striker joined from Burnley but will be out of action until February after being injured last month.

before returning, going on to rack up 136 Saints appearances.

Known to Pressley from their time at Brentford, is on a season-long loan from the Bees. The 20-yearold midfielder gained experience on loan at Exeter City last term and has featured on 22 occasions for the ’Dee.

TONY YOGANE

ASHLEY HAY was a youth

at Luton Town before bouncing around the nonleague circuit following his release. Picked up

by Brentford in 2023, he featured for their B team before Pressley brought him north with him in the summer on a twoyear deal. His midweek equaliser was his first Dundee goal in his twenty matches.

CALLUM

English-born represented Wales at youth level whilst a youth at Bury.

The 24-year-old was repeatedly loaned out to lower-league clubs by Hull City before his summer release. A versatile midfielder, he is as effective in the attacking

JONES

ETHAN HAMILTON came

through the ranks at Manchester United but left for Peterborough without featuring for the first team.

The 27-year-old midfielder spent the last two seasons at Accrington Stanley, scoring 14 times.

Coming through the Colchester United academy, featured 149 times for the club before moving to St Johnstone in 2018. The right-sided midfielder/ winger left for Hibernian after two years in Perth

DREY WRIGHT

CAMERON

Swansea winger has impressed during the first half of his loan. The Welsh Under-21 cap was outstanding in October’s win over Celtic, when he tormented the champions’ defence.

The 21-year-old opened his club account in last month’s 2–2 draw at Livingston.

CONGREVE

13

14

ONE TO

WATCH YAN DHANDA

The attacking midfielder arrived at Dens in the summer on a seasonlong loan from Hearts.

A youth at both WBA and Liverpool, the 27-year-old Englishman made his senior debut at Swansea City.

After four years and several flashes of individual brilliance, Ross County brought the former Under-21 international north in the summer of 2022.

An instant hit in the Highlands, his two-season stay saw a return of 12 goals and 18 assists from 79 appearances. These figures, allied with his ability to single-handedly turn a match, saw Hearts offer a pre-contract in January 2024, with a three-year deal commencing that summer.

A disappointing first campaign in maroon, however, saw only thirteen starts and two goals, hence his temporary arrival on Tayside. After a red card in his fourth match and a slow start to his time at Dens, he has scored twice in the last four matches and was outstanding in the midweek victory over Kilmarnock.

15

JAMES GRADY The incidence of top-draw strikers who have plied their trade on both sides of Tannadice Street is quite remarkable.

That list includes Tommy Coyne, Kenny Cameron, Billy Dodds, Iain Ferguson, Alan Gordon, Jim Hamilton, Albert Juliussen and Gordon Wallace, but the most recent addition to this list of accomplished front men was James Grady.

By today’s standards, James was a late entrant to professional football, joining Clydebank in 1994 at the age of 23 from Barrheadbased Arthurlie. In years gone by, Junior football was a regular pathway into the senior game, but heading towards the end of the last millennium, that route was the exception rather than the rule.

PLAYED FOR

BOTH

After three seasons at Kilbowie, in which he scored 42 goals in 129 outings, Grady moved to Dens Park when manager John McCormack paid Clydebank £25,000 for his services. This was a third of the fee Dundee had offered the previous March on transfer deadline day, and it soon turned out to be the bargain of the decade.

James was amongst eight debutants to turn out for the ’Dee on the first day of the 1997/98 season at

home to Falkirk, and he scored his first goal for the club in his second league match, a 3–0 win away to Partick Thistle.

Dundee had brought in so many new faces in an effort to win promotion back up to the Premier League at the fourth time of asking, and the diminutive striker was ever-present as the Dark Blues were successful in their goal. James played in all 44 league and cup games on the way to the title, and his 18 goals were enough to see him finish as Dundee’s top scorer and win the SPFA First Division Player of the Year award.

On the way to winning the league, Grady scored two hat-tricks, two braces, scored against Rangers in the Scottish Cup and then scored a penalty on the day Dundee received the First Division trophy. He proved himself to be a handful for every defence in the division.

Grady and his strike partner Eddie Annand had scored 32 goals between them to shoot the ’Dee into the inaugural SPL, but in the summer Jocky Scott, who had taken over from ‘Cowboy’ McCormack in March, decided to bring in Tommy Coyne and Willie Falconer to challenge for the striking positions. It meant that they started together just three times in the SPL, but it mattered not as Dundee finished fifth, their highest league position for 25 years.

The undoubted highlights of Dundee’s triumphant return to the top tier were the two derbies at Tannadice, and ‘Jamesie’ Grady would emerge as a hero in both, a constant thorn in United’s flesh.

James Grady wrote himself into Dundee FC folklore when, on Sunday 22 November 1998, he hit a 25-yard wonder strike at Tannadice to give the ’Dee their first victory over neighbours Dundee United in just over six years. Not content with scoring in a winning derby once, Grady

did it a further two times in his Dark Blue career, earning himself a permanent place in the hearts of Dundee fans everywhere, as well as having finished as top goalscorer in Dundee’s successful promotion campaign of 1997/98.

The first derby of the season at Dens in September saw Dundee come back from 2–0 down to rescue a point in the final minute thanks to Darius Adamczuk. It left the Arabs with a sense of injustice, and when Dundee made the shortest walk in football in November, United came out fast from the traps and had a goal wrongly disallowed for offside after twelve minutes.

It was largely one-way traffic towards the Dundee goal for long periods, and it took some inspired defending to keep United out. The turning point came with around twenty minutes remaining when Grady, who had missed the previous seven games through injury, came off the bench to replace Tommy Coyne.

With just eight minutes remaining, the 5ft 7in forward ran on to an Eddie Annand head flick and volleyed a spectacular 30-yarder into the roof of the net.

Robert Douglas had to make some heroic saves towards the end, but the Dark Blues held on in front of the BSkyB cameras for their first derby success since September 1992.

It was a wonderful winner from Grady and without doubt one of the greatest and most famous goals ever scored in the club’s history. The ball from that fantastic evening now resides in the Dens Park boardroom. Beating United on their own patch showed Scottish football that Dundee were back, and the phenomenal strike from Grady against Dundee’s greatest rivals was the best possible way to emphasise this.

By the end of the season, Dundee had

17

achieved their highest placing since winning the Scottish League title in 1962, finishing above United for the first time since 1973/74.

That, ironically, came at Tannadice with four games to go, when a 2–0 win also gave Dundee their first-ever double league victory over United away from home.

Over 11,000 fans turned out on a gloriously sunny May Day and, to the delight of their supporters, the Dark Blues almost dominated proceedings. Under the cosh, United held out until the 67th minute when Brian Irvine powered home a header.

Grady was again on the bench and got his chance when Eddie Annand limped off after a foul by United’s Northern Ireland defender Darren Patterson, who was shown a red card for the challenge.

With full time looming, Grady ran on to a defence-splitting pass from Steven Boyack and fired a shot on goal which, after clipping off the United keeper’s heel, rolled slowly and agonisingly into the net.

The following season, Grady did it again against the Arabs in the final derby of the campaign, this time at Dens. Having failed to beat United at home since Keith Wright scored a hat-trick in 1989, Dundee were keen to lay that hoodoo to rest and did so in style with a comprehensive 3–0 win.

Grady was once again on the bench, and this derby would long be remembered for Javier Artero’s astonishing display in front of the South Enclosure, his powerful running causing United all sorts of problems. Grady came on at half-time for the injured Spaniard Paco Luna and, after four minutes, played a superb onetwo with Artero, who crossed for Willie Falconer to head home.

18

ShedTalk

Fifteen minutes later, Dundee doubled their lead after fine link-up play between Gavin Rae and Steven Boyack left the latter in acres of space in the United penalty box. Boyack wasted no time picking out Grady, the smallest man on the park, who flashed a pinpoint header past the hapless Alan Combe to give Dundee a 2–0 advantage.

Dundee made it three when Grady unselfishly headed across goal for Willie Falconer to nod in his second, his contribution after coming on at the interval a key factor in Dundee’s biggest Dens derby success since 1973.

Dundee again finished above Dundee United for the second year in succession, but at the end of the season the club dispensed with the services of Jocky Scott. It spelled the end of Grady’s Dundee career when the new Italian management team wanted to bring in their own players. Many Dundee fans, however, felt Grady had been released far too quickly and could have done a job under the Bonetti regime.

Having totalled 28 goals in 106 appearances, Grady left in the summer to join Ayr United and, in March 2002, played in the CIS Insurance League Cup Final against Rangers at Hampden, having knocked out SPL sides Kilmarnock and Hibernian en route.

During his three-term stint at Somerset Park, he found the net 20 times in 97 appearances.

A season at Partick Thistle followed, and the goals flowed at a rate of almost exactly one every two games, with 18 strikes in 37 outings. United boss Ian McCall made him his first signing for the 2004/05 season, beating off interest from a number of other clubs after tracking his scoring exploits at Firhill.

Grady made a scoring debut in tangerine with the winner in a 2–1 friendly win away to Burnley, with his competitive debut coming in a 1–1 draw at Dunfermline on their new plastic pitch. Unlike his days in Dark Blue, he failed to emulate his derby scoring flair after crossing the road.

In his first derby, Dundee edged a match that was more comfortable than the 2–1 scoreline suggested, Alan Archibald netting a last-minute consolation. His first competitive goal came in a League Cup tie at home to Stranraer, cancelling out the visitors’ shock opener as United ran out 3–1 winners.

Despite notching the opener at Motherwell, United went down 4–2 to the Steelmen. By the time the second derby came around, Grady was only a substitute as United fell to a 1–0 defeat, and victory also eluded him in the second Tannadice derby, which ended 2–2. He was, however, part of the squad that won the final meeting 2–1 at Dens, albeit from the bench.

After scoring in a 2–0 win at Livingston, he hit a brace in a 4–1 Scottish Cup victory over Aberdeen, carrying the club into the semi-final and marking the high point of what proved to be a single-season stay at Tannadice. He was benched by the time the semi-final against Hibernian came around, and that was to be his experience for much of the run-in, although he did come off the bench in the final against Celtic, replacing Stevie Crawford with seven minutes remaining, and collected a runners-up medal following the narrow 1–0 defeat.

It marked his last game in tangerine, having scored five goals in 34 appearances.

Grady rediscovered his scoring touch in 2005 with Gretna and, on 28 April 2007, scored an injury-time winner against Ross County to secure Gretna’s promotion to the SPL as First Division champions. He joined Hamilton Academical on 31 January 2008, scoring his first goal for the Accies against Queen of the South on 1 March. His only other goal for the club came against Clyde in a 3–1 Scottish League Cup win.

Grady joined Greenock Morton on an emergency loan on 17 October 2008 and, following the sacking of Davie Irons, was appointed caretaker manager alongside Allan McManus. They were later appointed permanently, with McManus as his assistant, on Halloween 2009. On 9 May 2010, after eight months in charge, he left the club.

As of 2018, Grady was the dedicated coach for the Scottish FA’s Performance Schools project based at Grange Academy in Kilmarnock, and he became coach of the Scotland Under-16 side in February 2022.

19

First-Team

SQUAD M

1

Yevhenii

Jim

5

Iurie

8

6

Panutche

CAMARÀ

7

SAPSFORD

Kristijan

GRAHAM

11

Zac

ESSELINK

Ross

ŠEVELJ

9

Bert

STRAIN

Vicko

Iovu

3

Ryan

KUCHERENKO

GOODWIN

4

2

TRAPANOVSKI

14

Will

FERRY

Craig

SIBBALD

17

19

Amar

Dave

34

30

Miller

RICHARDS

Owen

39

36

CONSTABLE

WATTERS

77

Isaac

PAPPOE

Ruairidh

ADAMS

37

Max

DEWAR

70

Scott

31

O’DONNELL

Charlie

STIRTON

KERESZTES

Lewis

THOMSON

35

Krisztián

NAAMO

DOLČEK

29

23

Dario

Ivan

FATAH

25

22

Nikolaj

MÖLLER

Sam

CLEALL-HARDING

22

SPORT PLAYS

GREEN. ays

green Find out more about errea.com

We have always believed in taking great care of the planet we live on. That’s why we continue to invest in eco-friendly technologies and machinery that have a low environmental impact. We follow the rules of circular economy rules, eliminating waste and making use of recycled materials. Likewise, the clothing we make adheres to this philosophy, thanks to our Standard 100 Oeko-Tex® certification that places extremely strict limits on harmful chemicals used in textile products. By 2030, we also aim to reduce our carbon footprint by 30% per unit sold and increase the use of sustainable materials by 20%. These are important steps, and there are many more to come. Because you can never love the environment too much. errea.com

23

Although known issues go as far back as pre–First World War, it was United’s New Year visit in 1947 that was marked by Dundee’s first official programme, given that all previous ones were the ubiquitous issues generated by advertising agencies.

It cannot be a coincidence that Dundee’s first issue came only a couple of months after United had published their first. Whereas the United issue was larger than A5, which was very much the norm with most clubs, Hibs were the only other exception.

In a Chairman’s Message, it didn’t distinguish between the old and the new means of communication, stating: “With the resumption of publication of this Match Programme, all the facilities enjoyed before the war are now resumed at Dens Park.”

Penned by J. Murray Wilkie, he praised Manager George Anderson’s efforts in putting together a team that was en route

24

ShedTalk

to promotion back to the First Division.

The Chairman added: “To all his other labours, Mr Anderson is adding the responsibility of this article in future issues of the programme, and I am sure its readers will join with me now in wishing him and his boys – for so the players regard themselves – continued success.”

The Dark Blues duly won the Second Division but were hoping to land two further items of silverware on 17 May – the last day of the season. Apart from now being printed in blue, there was more copy, with articles entitled “Two Quock Finals” and bits and bobs in “Around the Pavilion.”

The programme praised United for having given Dundee tough games in the past, but this wasn’t to be one of them, as Dundee annexed the Forfarshire Cup, defeating United 5–0 – Juliussen scoring four of the goals. However, over at Annfield, Dundee’s ‘A’ team slumped to a 6–1 defeat to Stirling Albion to lift the League “C” Cup. There were improvements with a picture of Alf Boyd and also a team photo of the Second Division Champions. For a decade from the 1948–49 season, the front cover displayed the same picture of Dens as seen in the 1951 illustration, for almost every issue until the 1960–61 season when the installation of floodlights was acknowledged with the picture showing the new pylons.

Internally, there was virtually little change in the amount of copy, but it declined in direct correlation to the increasing number of adverts. So much so, the early sixties issue carried only a single page of editorial copy. Indeed, the only other editorial was the team line-ups and the all-important half-time scoreboard.

Other than a series of rather bland dark blue covers featuring their badge, the first major change came in 1978/79, when the teams were listed on the front cover, with pictures being used for the first time in 1981/82 before the modern magazine style was introduced in the 1982/83 season.

Meanwhile, across the road, United’s issue was of a similar style to Dundee’s in terms of number of pages, but with considerably more copy, as seen in the 1956 Scottish Cup clash – the only derby issue before regular publications for these fixtures became the norm, following United joining their neighbours in the top flight.

In the United issue illustrated, in addition to the standard features of team lines and half-time scoreboard, the copy comprised articles headed “Keen Battle Promised”, detailed pen-pics of both the home and Dark Blues squads, and concluded with a brief report of a firstever win away to Third Lanark, which was stated to be a cup tie – especially as

25

Reggie Smith’s men lost Frank Callaghan’s services due to injury after just eight minutes.

For the record, United held their First Division neighbours to a four-goal thriller. No less than five inches of snow had been cleared from the Tannadice pitch, exposing a treacherously icy surface – but the referee gave the goahead in conditions that would never be sanctioned today!

United took a first-half lead through Maurice Milne, but Dundee recovered after the break, establishing a lead with goals from Ian Stables and George Merchant. It seemed the Black and Whites would have nothing to show for their efforts, but their never-say-die spirit saw Milne strike again just four minutes from the end to earn a replay – which the Dark Blues won 3–0.

27

SPOT THE

28

BALL

29

CORRECT ANSWER - B

3 JANUARY Due to this date so often being a New Year holiday fixture, there is a lengthy list of matches from which to choose, but given that five Dundee derbies have taken place, we are turning the spotlight on these.

1927 – United 1 Dundee 0 | League (Division One)

An incident in the United goalmouth where Paterson is saving a shot.

30

ShedTalk

Throughout the game, James Simpson seldom left Campbell much room, and the picture shows the United centre-half in attendance of the Dundee leader. From left to right are Cook, Kay, Campbell, Simpson and Paterson.

The Scotsman’s report on United’s first-ever derby triumph in a Scottish League fixture.

1966 – United 2-1 Dundee | League (Division One)

Dundee keeper Ally Donaldson lies helpless after being beaten by Finn Seemann’s winner.

On a liberally sanded, bone-hard pitch, both teams served up an exciting, entertaining encounter which Jerry Kerr’s side just deserved to edge, thanks mainly to the half-back line of wing halves Tommy Neilson and Lennart Wing and

unflappable centre-half Doug Smith, whose timely tackles kept the Dark Blues at bay. United, however, had to come from behind, having gone behind to Steve Murray’s header from an Andy Penman cross on 36 minutes. Five minutes later, a defensive slip by Charlie Cooke let Ian Mitchell in for the leveller. The winner arrived at 50 minutes when Finn Seemann picked up the ball on the halfway line, evaded two defenders but seemed to have lost control, only to regain it and smash home a left-footed shot from 22 yards. Only a last-minute fingertip save by Donald Mackay prevented Alex Stuart’s superb 25-yard strike from securing a point.

1967 – Dundee 2-3 United | League (Division One)

A golden hat-trick by 18-year-old Jackie Graham – on his league debut – in an actionpacked derby which, despite the frost-bound surface, produced a lot of good football. Indeed, it was Dundee who struck first, Jocky Scott netting after four minutes, having latched on to a Jim McLean pass, beating three men before cracking an 18-yarder past Sandy Davie. Play was fast and furious, swinging from end to end, before Graham equalised four minutes before half-time, volleying home an Arrol clearance from an in-swinging Örjan Persson corner.

Three minutes after the restart, Graham struck again, firing home an Ian Mitchell knockdown past a bemused Arrol. The youngster completed his hat-trick six minutes later, racing on to a Finn Døssing pass to hammer home from eight yards. Alex Bryce did pull one back with nine minutes left, but United held on for a third win over the festive period.

1970 – United 4-1 Dundee | League (Division One) Jackie Graham completes his hat-trick with an angular drive. Other players in the picture are (from left) Jim Easton, Finn Dossing and keeper John Arrol.

Jim Easton lies in the back of the net after conceding an own goal past grounded keeper Ally Donaldson whilst Stevie Murray watches on.

In front of nearly 17,000, Dundee crossed the road on the crest of a wave but were left totally submerged as United cantered to a 4-1 victory.

Kenny Cameron put United ahead after nine minutes, with a Jim Easton own goal doubling the lead after half an hour. Two minutes later, winger Davie Wilson headed the ball past Donaldson to give United a three-goal interval lead.

Gordon Wallace pulled one back four minutes after the restart, but Cameron’s second of the match on 69 minutes compounded the Dark Blues’ misery

1972 – United 1-1 Dundee | League (Division One) In what was Jim McLean’s first derby, United’s methodical approach almost earned them both points, only to be denied by a late leveller for the visiting Dark Blues. Dundee were first to threaten, and Hamish McAlpine had to be sharp to make a diving save from John Duncan.

31

After just four minutes, Gordon Wallace fired wide after Ian Scott released him. United were again lucky to survive on 14 minutes when Scott took advantage of a McAlpine clearance and shot towards an empty net, but Wattie Smith managed to dive and head the ball behind for a corner. John Duncan missed another great chance on the half hour, the winger making poor contact on a Wallace cross, and the ball flew wide.

Against the run of play, United took the lead when Kenny Cameron chipped home from an Ian Mitchell cross after 34 minutes. Dundee roared onto the attack again in the second half, desperate to get the equaliser. However, it was Cameron who almost scored again on 53 minutes with a header that sailed narrowly over the bar. United’s Alan Gordon was carried off after a clash with Jim Steele and replaced by Sandy White.

Ironically, it was Steele who claimed a goal for Dundee late on to salvage a point.

OTHER MATCHES ON THIS DATE 1910 – Dundee Hibs 0-1 Cowdenbeath | Friendly 1912 – Arbroath Amateurs 4-1 Dundee Hibs | Friendly 1914 – Dundee Hibs 1-3 St Bernard’s | League (Division Two) 1921 – Dunfermline 2-0 Dundee Hibs | Loftus Cup 1922 – Arbroath 2-0 Dundee Hibs | League (Division Two) 1925 – Clyde 3-0 United | League (Division Two) 1928 – King’s Park 0-1 United | League (Division Two) 1931 – United 5-2 Stenhousemuir | League (Division Two) 1933 – Dumbarton 2-0 United | League (Division Two) 1938 – United 3-4 Leith Athletic | League (Division Two) 1942 – East Fife 1-1 United | Wartime (North Eastern – 2nd Series) 1944 – United 3-1 Raith Rovers | Wartime (North Eastern – 2nd Series) 1948 – United 2-3 Kilmarnock | League (B Division) 1949 – Airdrie 1-1 United | League (B Division) 1950 – United 3-0 Kilmarnock | League (B Division) 1953 – Cowdenbeath 0-0 United | League (B Division) 1955 – Third Lanark 2-0 United | League (B Division) 1959 – Hamilton 1-0 United | League (Division Two) 1981 – United 7-0 Kilmarnock | League (Premier Division) 1983 – United 0-3 Aberdeen | League (Premier Division) 1989 – United 1-1 Aberdeen | League (Premier Division) 1990 – United 1-0 Dunfermline | League (Premier Division) 1998 – Aberdeen 1-0 United | League (Premier Division) 2004 – Motherwell 3-1 United | League (SPL) 2009 – Celtic 2-2 United | League (SPL)

33

MENS FIRST TEAM

FIXTURES AND RESULTS Opponents

Att.

1

2

3

4

5

6

FC UNA Strassen UECL 2QR

1-0

W

11,370

Kucherenko

Keresztes Keresztes

Esselink

Esselink

Iovu

Iovu 1

Ferry ©

Pappoe

31

FC UNA Strassen UECL 2QR

H

3

Falkirk

A

2-2

D

7,624

Kucherenko

Keresztes

Esselink ©

Iovu

Ševelj

Pappoe

10

Hearts

H

2-3

L

10,874

Kucherenko

Keresztes

Esselink ©

Iovu

Thomson

DOLČEK 2

17

Kilmarnock | Premier Sports Cup

Keresztes

Esselink

Iovu

Stephenson

Ševelj

Esselink

Iovu

STEPHENSON 2

Ševelj

Esselink

Iovu

Stephenson

Ševelj

July 24

August 7

SK Rapid Wien UECL 3QR

14

SK Rapid Wien UECL 3QR

31

Dundee

13 23

Result

A

A

0-1

1,957

D

18,930

H 2-2 (4-5 PENS)

10,750

A

2-2

W

2-1

L

4,853

Kucherenko

Kucherenko Kucherenko Kucherenko

Keresztes

A

0-2

W

10,750

Hibernian

A

3-3

D

19,265

Kucherenko

Keresztes

27

Kilmarnock

H

0-2

L

8,800

Kucherenko

Keresztes

4

Livingston

H

25

St Mirren

H

September

Aberdeen

October

H

18

Rangers

29

Motherwell

9

Hearts

A

29

Kilmarnock

A

3

13 20

Hibernian

30

Livingston

3

Dundee

H

Ayr United | Scottish Cup Fourth Round

H

November

December

2-0

11,052

Esselink

Iovu

Esselink

6,446 18,755 4,263

Rangers

H

2-2

Motherwell

H

0-0

H

Aberdeen

A

10

Celtic

24

St Mirren

H A

A

H

31

Hearts

4

Hibernian

A

14

Falkirk

A

28

Motherwell

14

Dundee Celtic

A

21 4

Rangers

Livingston

A

11

34

ShedTalk

11

Aberdeen

21

Kilmarnock

H

H H A

H

H

Kucherenko

Keresztes

Stephenson

Kucherenko

Iovu

Kucherenko

Iovu

D

13,213

Richards

Iovu

D

8,350

Richards

Iovu

L

6,516

W

12,966

1-1

D

19,741

1-3

Kucherenko

9,736

2-1 1-1

ESSELINK 1

Keresztes 1

D

Celtic

Keresztes

Kucherenko

D

2-0

D

W

Esselink

Kucherenko

L

L

Esselink

8,146

50,663

1-1

A

Kucherenko

Keresztes

Esselink

8,843

D

0-3

27

April

1-1

A

17

March

D W

2-2

St Mirren

February

1-1

3-1

A

6

January

W

H

Falkirk

22

2-0

Kucherenko

Keresztes

10,124 2,657

Richards

Richards

Iovu

Esselink Esselink

Stephenson

Stephenson

Iovu

Stephenson

Keresztes

Stephenson

Ferry ©

Keresztes

Stephenson Ferry ©

Keresztes

STEPHENSON 1 Stephenson

Esselink

Keresztes

Stephenson

Esselink

Graham ©

Strain

Graham ©

Keresztes

Esselink

KERESZTES 1

Richards

Iovu

Esselink

Esselink

Iovu

Ševelj

Keresztes

Richards

Richards

Iovu

Ferry ©

Esselink

Graham ©

Ševelj

Iovu

Esselink © Graham ©

Iovu

Richards

Iovu

Ševelj

Cleall-Harding

Keresztes

Keresztes

Graham © Keresztes

Keresztes

Strain

Strain Strain

Ferry ©

Pappoe

Camará Ševelj

Ševelj

Ševelj Ševelj Ševelj

Eskesen Ševelj Ševelj

Stephenson Ševelj

Stephenson

Stephenson

Stephenson

Strain

STEPHENSON

Naamo

Stephenson

Naamo

Ševelj

n

n

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

Ševelj

Sibbald

Strain

Camarà

Taponovski

SAPSFORD 1 Sapsford

Dolček

Traoanovski

Watters Watters

Sibbald

Pappoe

Stirton

Sibbald

Camarà

DOLČEK 1

Sapsford

WATTERS 1

Stirton

Thomson

Fotheringham

Sibbald

Camarà

Stirton

Fotheringham

Watters

STIRTON 1

Sibbald Sibbald Sibbald

Camará

SAPSFORD 1

Sapsford

Dolček

WATTERS 2

Ferry ©

Fatah

SAPSFORD 1

DOLČEK 1

Ferry ©

Ševelj

Fatah

Sapsford Dolček

Ferry ©

Fatah

SAPSFORD 1

Camará

Ferry ©

Fatah

Sapsford

Camará

Ferry ©

Camará

Ferry ©

SIBBALD 1

Camará

Sibbald Ševelj

Camará Sibbald

Camará Camará Ševelj

Sibbald

N1

Sibbald

n

Ševelj

Ferry ©

Camará

n

n

Camarà

Dolček

Sibbald Sibbald Sibbald

Fatah

Sapsford

Naamo

Naamo

Dolček

Sapsford

Ferry ©

Dolček

Sapsford

Ferry ©

SAPSFORD 1

Möller

Ferry

Sapsford

Watters

Sapsford

Watters

Ferry

Ferry

Ferry

SAPSFORD 1

Ferry ©

Sapsford

SAPSFORD 1

Sapsford

Möller

Watters Watters Stirton

Stirton

Naamo

Sibbald

Eskesen

Möller

Eskesen

Sibbald

Naamo

Eskesen

Möller

Sibbald

Eskesen

Eskesen

Naamo

Naamo

Fatah

Trapanovski

Camará

Stirton

Trapanovski

FATAH 1p

Trapanovski

Watters

Möller

Dolček

Watters

Trapanovski

Dolček

Ševelj

Möller

Trapanovski

Camará

Naamo

Fatah

Strain

FATAH 1

Strain

Fatah

Moller

Fatah

Constable

Fotheringham

Möller

Sibbald

Trapanovski

Möller

Fotheringham

Stirton

Camará

Sapsford Sapsford

16

Eskesen

SAPSFORD 1

Sapsford

Ferry ©

Möller

Möller

Dolček

Fatah

Thomson

Dolček

Sibbald

Ferry

Dolček

Stirton

Fatah

Möller

Eskesen

Sibbald

Dolček

DOLČEK 1

Dolček

Ferry ©

Fatah

SIBBALD 1

WATTERS 1

15

Naamo

Strain

Naamo

Dolček

Fatah Watters

Sapsford Fatah

Möller

Fatah Ševelj

Fatah

Trapanovski Dolček

Dolček

Dolček Moller

Fatah

Naamo

Ceall-Harding

Traponovski

Möller

Trapanovski

Eskesen

Watters

Fatah

Dolček

FATAH 1

Dolček

Moller

Traponovski

Esselink

35

DUNDEE UNITED MANAGER: JIM GOODWIN

1 YEVHENII KUCHERENKO (GK) 2 RYAN STRAIN 3 BERT ESSELINK 4 IURIE IOVU 5 VICKO ŠEVELJ 6 ROSS GRAHAM 7 KRISTIJAN TRAPANOVSKI 8 PANUTCHE CAMARÁ 9 ZAC SAPSFORD 11 WILL FERRY 14 CRAIG SIBBALD 17 AMAR FATAH 19 IVAN DOLČEK 22 DARIO NAAMO 23 KRISZTIAN KERESZTES 25 DAVE RICHARDS (GK) 29 MILLER THOMSON 30 LEWIS O’DONNELL 31 RUAIRIDH ADAMS (GK) 34 OWEN STIRTON 35 CHARLIE DEWAR 36 MAX WATTERS 37 SAM CLEALL-HARDING 39 SCOTT CONSTABLE 44 CALVIN BEATTIE 70 ISAAC PAPPOE 77 NIKOLAJ MÖLLER

DUNDEE

MANAGER: STEVEN PRESSLEY 1 JON MCCRACKEN 2 ETHAN INGRAM 3 CLARK ROBERTSON 4 RYAN ASTLEY 5 BILLY KOUMETIO 6 AARON DONNELLY 7 DREY WRIGHT 8 PAUL DIGBY 9 EMILE ACQUAH 10 FINLAY ROBERTSON 11 ASHLEY HAY 12 IMARI SAMUELS 13 KIERAN O’HARA 14 CESAR GARZA 15 SIMON MURRAY 17 TONY YOGANE 18 CHARLIE REILLY 19 JOE WESTLEY 20 CAMERON CONGREVE 21 YAN DHANDA 22 LUKE GRAHAM 25 PLAMEN GALABOV 28 CALLUM JONES 30 HARRISON SHARP 48 ETHAN HAMILTON

MATCH OFFICIALS Referee: Don Robertson AR1: Frank Connor AR2: Calum Spence 4th Official: Alastair Grieve VAR: Nick Walsh AVAR: Duncan Nicolson