Tayside derby

Tayside derby

Banner and card display by fans of St Johnstone (left) and Dundee United (right) at the 2014 Scottish Cup Final
Location	Tayside, Scotland
Teams	Dundee Dundee United St Johnstone
First meeting	23 September 1911 St Johnstone 1–0 Dundee Hibernian 1911–12 Scottish Division Two
Stadiums	Dens Park (Dundee) Tannadice Park (Dundee United) McDiarmid Park (St Johnstone)
Statistics
Meetings total	536 (January 2025)
Most wins	Dundee United (156) [a]
All-time record	Dundee United (156) [a] Dundee (123) St Johnstone (123) Draw (134)

The Tayside Derby, (also known as the Tayside Trifecta) is a football rivalry based in Tayside. The matches are contested by the three professional clubs in the region: Dundee, Dundee United and St Johnstone.

A match between Dundee and Dundee United, whose grounds are in the same street, is referred to as a Dundee derby. St Johnstone are based in Perth, 20 miles from Dundee.

In seasons where all local derby matches were traditionally held on the same weekend (including at New Year), the Dundee derby would take precedence if all three clubs were in the same league, and any uneven number of Tayside teams would lead to one usually playing Aberdeen, who had no closer rivals geographically.

Followers of the Dundee clubs generally consider their city rivalry as far more important than any relationship with St Johnstone, with Dundee captain Charlie Adam stating in 2021 prior to a Scottish Cup tie with the Saints that there was no such thing as a Tayside derby; ^[1] opposing goalkeeper Zander Clark did not refute this outright but highlighted the increased travelling support typically brought to each ground for matches due to the close distance between Perth and Dundee, ^[2] bringing more local interest into league fixtures particularly in seasons where the Dundee clubs are in different divisions and no city derbies are played.

Achievements

Between them, the three clubs have won thirteen major trophies (as well as finishing runners-up/beaten finalists 26 times across the three competitions), with St Johnstone's three triumphs all the most recent, but they are still behind the Dundee clubs who have each won four cups and one national league championship.

In the season following their title wins, the Dundee clubs each progressed to the semi-final stage of the European Cup (Dundee in 1962–63, United in 1983–84). Dundee also reached the semi-finals of the 1967–68 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, while Dundee United were runners-up in the 1987 UEFA Cup Final. St Johnstone have never made a major impact in European football, although they qualified for Europe six times between 2014 and 2021, more than either Dundee club managed in the 21st century.

All three clubs have endured spells in the second tier, but St Johnstone are the only club to have dropped into the third tier for a short period. Between them, they have won the second tier championship 14 times, and have lifted the minor Scottish Challenge Cup on four occasions up to 2017–18.

Achievements by Tayside clubs

Up to and including season 2023–24.

Club	Top tier seasons [3]	Scottish League (level 1) [4]			Scottish League (level 2) [5]		Scottish League (level 3) [6]		Scottish League (level 4) [7]		Scottish Cup [8]		League Cup [9]		Challenge Cup [10]
		W	RU	3rd	W	RU	W	RU	W	RU	W	RU	W	RU	W	RU
Dundee United	62	1	0	8	3	4	0	0	0	0	2	8	2	5	1	1
Dundee	99	1	4	1	6	5	0	0	0	0	1	4	3	3	2	1
St Johnstone	53	0	0	3	7	3	0	1	0	0	2	0	1	2	1	1

Dundee United vs St Johnstone

• First meeting: 23 September 1911, 1911–12 Scottish Division Two ^[a]
• Next meeting: 25 April 2025, 2024–25 Scottish Premiership

By far the most famous meeting between the Terrors and the Saints was the 2014 Scottish Cup Final at Celtic Park, won 2–0 by St Johnstone to secure the first major trophy in their long history. ^[11]

In 1991, the clubs met in the semi-final stage of the same tournament, Dundee United winning that match at East End Park ^{[12] [13] [14]} to set up a final against Motherwell which they lost 4–3 after extra time.

Results table

As of: 26 December 2024. ^[15]

Competition [b]	GP	DUT	Dr	STJ	DUTG	STJG
League [c]	161	60	43	58	226	222
Scottish Cup	4	2	0	2	6	7
League Cup	17	12	3	2	43	24
Total	181	74	46	62	275	253

Dundee vs St Johnstone

• First meeting: 4 October 1924, 1924–25 Scottish Division One
• Next meeting: 1 March 2025, 2024–25 Scottish Premiership

Dundee host St Johnstone at Dens Park, 2006

The two clubs met in the semi-final of the 1967–68 Scottish League Cup at Tannadice. Dundee won 3–1, ^{[16] [17]} but went on to lose the final to Celtic. St Johnstone also lost out (in a replay) at the same stage of that season's Scottish Cup to eventual winners Dunfermline Athletic. ^[12]

Prior to that, Dundee's greatest triumph – winning the 1961–62 Scottish Division One, the only league title in their history – also involved heartbreak for St Johnstone, as the Dark Blues, needing only a draw to secure the championship, won 3–0 at Muirton Park on the final day, a result which saw the home club relegated on goal average. ^{[18] [19]}

Saints gained a small form of revenge many years later, with both teams in the second tier, when they won 1–0 at Dens Park to all but confirm their return to the top flight by winning the 2008–09 Scottish First Division ^{[18] [20]} (it was not mathematically certain at that point, although they eventually held a 10-point margin by the season's end).

Results table

As of: 5 January 2025. ^[21]

Competition [b]	GP	DFC	Dr	STJ	DFCG	STJG
League [c]	155	62	39	54	227	197
Scottish Cup	10	6	2	2	22	10
League Cup	12	6	2	4	23	15
Challenge Cup	1	0	0	1	1	5
Total	178	74	43	61	273	227

Dundee United vs Dundee

Main article: Dundee derby

• First meeting: 21 November 1925, 1925–26 Scottish Division One
• Next meeting: 20 January 2025, 2024–25 Scottish Cup

The city rivals contested the 1980 Scottish League Cup Final, held at Dens Park after lots were drawn. United's 3–0 victory was one of the early signs of them becoming a force in Scottish football along with Aberdeen, with the two clubs' spell of success and relative geographical proximity leading to them being dubbed the New Firm, challenging Glasgow's Old Firm. Previously existing in Dundee's shadow, the United team built by Jim McLean had won the previous edition of the League Cup too, their victory over Aberdeen also played at Dens in a replay after a draw at Hampden Park; Paul Sturrock was a scorer in both years.

Dundee United would win the league title in 1983, and once again it was Dens Park which was the scene of their victory, winning 2–1 over Dundee thanks to a memorable chipped goal from Ralph Milne to top the table by one point from Celtic and Aberdeen. ^[22] They also came out on top 3–2 in the semi-final of the 1986–87 Scottish Cup between the teams played at Tynecastle Park, ^{[23] [24]} although lost the final to St Mirren.

The Tangerines' good fortune at Dens Park ran out in May 2016, however, as Dundee won the city derby 2–1 to confirm United's descent to the second tier. ^[25]

Results table

As of: 2 January 2025. ^[26]

Competition [b]	GP	DUT	Dr	DFC	DUTG	DFCG
League [c]	142	67	34	41	236	179
Scottish Cup	18	8	7	3	30	21
League Cup	16	7	4 [d]	5	27	26
Total	176	82	45	49	293	226

Totals for three teams

As of: 5 January 2025. ^{[15] [21] [26]}

Competition [b]	GP	DUT	DFC	STJ	Dr	DUTG	DFCG	STJG
League [c]	458	127 [a]	103	112	116	462	456	419
Scottish Cup	32	10	9	4	9	36	43	17
League Cup	45	19	11	7	8 [d]	70	49	39
Challenge Cup	1	0	0	1	0	0	1	5
Total	536	156	123	123	134	568	547	480
Total goals:						1,595

Notes

1. Includes fixtures played under the Dundee Hibernian name
2. Does not include unofficial wartime competitions, or regional tournaments like the Forfarshire Cup.
3. Includes matches in different divisions, and from the different eras: SFL, SPL, SPFL
4. Includes 1 penalty shootout victory for Dundee in 2017 following a draw, counted as a win in the source but usually considered a draw

References

1. Dundee v St Johnstone is NOT a derby, says Dark Blues skipper Charlie Adam ahead of all-Tayside Scottish Cup clash Archived 20 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine , The Courier, 2 April 2021
2. St Johnstone goalkeeper Zander Clark weighs in on Charlie Adam's Tayside derby comments, The National, 4 April 2021
3. "Scotland - All-Time Table (since 1890/91)". RSSSF . 10 April 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
4. "Scotland - List of Champions". RSSSF . 31 August 2017. Archived from the original on 29 May 2024. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
5. "Scotland - List of 2nd Level Champions". RSSSF . 12 May 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
6. "Scotland - List of 3rd Level Champions". RSSSF . 18 June 2005. Archived from the original on 26 November 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
7. "Scotland - List of 4th Level Champions". RSSSF . 12 May 2016. Archived from the original on 22 August 2022. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
8. "Scotland - List of Cup Finals". RSSSF . 8 June 2017. Archived from the original on 14 May 2019. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
9. "Scotland - List of League Cup Finals". RSSSF . 30 November 2017. Archived from the original on 31 October 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
10. "Scotland - All-Time Table (since 1890/91)". RSSSF . 10 April 2014. Archived from the original on 2 February 2023. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
11. "St Johnstone make Scottish Cup history as MacLean sinks Dundee United". The Guardian . 17 May 2014. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2018.
12. "Scottish cup preview: atonement in reach for St Johnstone". The Scotsman . 9 April 2011. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
13. "Edged out in East End thriller". St Johnstone F.C. 9 April 2011. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
14. "St Johnstone v Dundee United in the Scottish Cup – Previous Meetings Part 2". Saints History. 13 May 2014. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
15. "St Johnstone head-to-head statistics (filter: vs Dundee United)". Fitbastats. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
16. "Let's make a third national final". St Johnstone F.C. 2 February 2010. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
17. "1967 Scottish League Cup semi final – St Johnstone 1 Dundee 3". Saints History. 23 January 2014. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
18. "Dundee's 1962 title triumph saw Perth side relegated as a direct result". The Scotsman. 24 April 2009. Archived from the original on 22 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
19. Famous for ever in Dundee Archived 24 March 2020 at the Wayback Machine , Scottish Professional Football League, 27 April 2012
20. "Division One: Dundee 0 St Johnstone 1". Daily Record . 27 April 2009. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
21. "St Johnstone head-to-head statistics (filter: vs Dundee)". Fitbastats. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
22. "Dundee 1 Dundee United 2". The Blizzard. 1 December 2013. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
23. "Played for Dundee and Hamilton – John Brown". Dundee F.C. 18 August 2016. Archived from the original on 19 February 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
24. "Remembering Dundee United in 1986-87: 70 matches, two finals, no silverware". The Guardian. 18 March 2015. Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
25. "Dundee 2–1 Dundee United". BBC Sport. 2 May 2016. Archived from the original on 23 September 2019. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
26. "Dundee United head-to-head statistics (filter: vs Dundee)". Fitbastats. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.

External links

Soccerbase:

• Matches between Dundee and St Johnstone
• Matches between Dundee United and St Johnstone
• Matches between Dundee United and Dundee