Around midday on Sunday, the creaky old wooden door at Dens Park will swing open, signaling the revival of a time-honored tradition.
With only their boot bags slung over their shoulders, the players of Tony Docherty will make their way the 250 yards to the entrance of Tannadice, ready for the showdown. This moment has been long awaited.
It’s a spectacle that has caught the attention of fans worldwide long before the term ‘carbon footprint’ was even a consideration.
Players walking to their opponents’ stadium for a derby? How can this even happen?
For those unfamiliar, the answer lies in the Clep Bar, Frews, the Snug, and numerous other local pubs before and after the highly anticipated match between Dundee United and Dundee.
Supporters from both teams will share drinks and engage in friendly banter. Insults will be exchanged before they all depart for the game.
Dundee players will make the short walk to Tannadice ahead of Sunday’s city derby
Tony Docherty’s Dundee players will form a guard of honour for Championship winners United
Win, lose, or draw, they will regroup in the same spots post-match and pick up right where they left off.
Charged with intensity and steeped in history, this derby is unmistakably unique. Yet, it’s not what most fans anticipate.
Dundee manager Docherty even confirmed this week that his players will give United, the Championship winners, a guard of honour before kickoff.
Broadly, the absence of hostility can be attributed to both geographical and social aspects.
‘There’s no part of Dundee where you would say, “This is a Dundee or a United area”,’ explained Danny Smith from Dundee’s Up Wi’ the Bonnets podcast.
‘Many fans from both clubs will gather for a drink before the match in the same pubs, they’ll tease each other with their songs in the stands, but regardless of the outcome, they’ll return to the pubs together afterwards.
‘For those 90 minutes, the other team is your foe. Before and after, however, you’re friends again, whatever the result may be.’
Craig Fleming, a longtime United supporter, agrees.
‘In certain ways, it feels like a more amicable derby,’ he said. ‘During the match, it’s intensely passionate, but before and after… Dundee is a small enough city, so everyone has to get along.
‘There’s practically no hiding.’>
Families can be seen leaving their homes, showcasing divided loyalties through their contrasting colors.
‘I’m married to a United season ticket holder,’ Smith continued. ‘My daughter has inherited all the United colors and songs from her grandparents. My son is just four months old. If I have my say, he’ll grow up a Dundee fan…’
There’s a rich history from both sides that parents in these mixed households can pass down to their children.
Jim Goodwin lead Dundee United to the Championship title last season
Dundee players walk to Tannadice before the last derby in 2022
In 1962, Dundee not only dominated Scottish football; the following year, Bob Shankly’s squad narrowly missed a spot in the European Cup final against AC Milan.
Two decades later, after Jim McLean took charge at Tannadice, United clinched the Scottish title and regularly triumphed over teams like Barcelona.
While the success of the rival club on the European stage brought discontent for some, many fans were proud to cheer for their city’s achievements.
‘That’s probably true,’ Fleming added. ‘People attended matches to support their city and felt pride in what another team was accomplishing, despite being their rivals.
‘It was a better standard of football at the time — Dundee in the 60s and United in the 80s. You wouldn’t find that kind of unity elsewhere.’
The ups and downs across these storied clubs can be enticing.
‘My wife’s father was a United supporter,’ Fleming shared. ‘After he passed away a few years back, we discovered some letters he wrote to Dundee while going through his belongings.
‘He had kept programmes from Dundee matches over the years. It appeared that his allegiance shifted through the years.’
However, a lack of animosity doesn’t equate to a lack of fervor. Winning bragging rights means just as much to fans of either club as it would to supporters from the Glasgow or Edinburgh clubs.
There’s an extra layer of excitement today. This marks only the fourth meeting between the clubs at the start of a season. United has emerged victorious twice, and there has been one draw. Additionally, Dundee has not claimed an away derby victory in the league for 20 years.
Regardless of what the die-hard fans claim, absence indeed makes the heart grow fonder.
Dundee’s promotion in 2023 coincided with United’s relegation, making this clash the first since the 2-2 draw at Tannadice on April 9, 2022.
‘I have genuinely missed it,’ Smith confessed.
‘You always look for those derby matches when the fixtures are released. Some may say they don’t care about the other team, but I’m not sure that’s entirely true.’
Fleming concurs: ‘We’ve all felt the absence. I think the Dundee fans feel it too, and they’ll view this as an opportunity to triumph.’
‘Dundee as a city craves the derby. It creates excitement and buzz both before and after. The pubs benefit as well. It’s a significant part of our city’s culture. Its absence is definitely noticeable.’
Those who insist otherwise have certainly had plenty of time to form their opinions.
Starting the century as main features in the top flight, the clubs have frequently passed one another like ships in the night.
They’ve been in different leagues for 14 of the last 20 seasons, including the current one, with both clubs having shared the Championship in 2019-20.
Jim Goodwin’s team has home advantage today, but their status as the preeminent club in the city over the past 40 years is now being seriously challenged.
Hiring Docherty as manager a year ago was a clever move for Dundee. His eighth appointment in a decade has brought a welcome stability to a club that has seen considerable upheaval.
Dundee striker Simon Murray claimed five goals in the League Cup group stage
The recruitment of former United striker Simon Murray from Ross County signifies ambition and could elevate the Dark Blues beyond their sixth-place finish last season.
‘For the first time in ages, United might be considered underdogs,’ noted Fleming. ‘So, there’s some apprehension. Dundee has been performing well of late. Honestly, I’d be content with a draw.’
Regardless of the result, there will be more conversation in the surrounding pubs than tension on the field. Should Dundee succeed, Dens Park may soon cease to exist, as the club eagerly awaits approval to move to a new stadium at Camperdown Park.
If it all unfolds as planned, that traditional pre-derby walk may become obsolete. Yet, it’s hard to believe that the essence of this unique fixture would vanish with it.
‘My heart tells me it wouldn’t feel right if Dundee were relocated to a shiny new stadium at Camperdown, away from the traditional close proximity,’ Fleming reflected.
‘Logically, it might be the best move if it benefits them. However, I prefer the stadiums being so near to each other. It adds to the broader interest.
‘The walk preceding the derby is a tradition. It’s a positive aspect when the cameras capture fans mingling before and then parting ways. That’s how it ought to be.’
