Dundee host Aberdeen in the Betfred Cup on Sunday and, even if the Dons have had a few early season problems, it’s fair to say anything other than a win for them would be a shock.
On the back of relegation, James McPake’s Dark Blues are finding their feet after a major overhaul of the squad during the summer.
It means they go into this tie as major underdogs, though history does tell us this is a competition in which Dundee are capable of upsetting the odds.
Tonight Tele Sport looks back at a couple of occasions when they have – and some others when the result has been true to the form book.
October 1980:
0-0 and 0-1 – Dundee win.
While unlike the present format, this tie was over two legs, it was similar to this clash in that Dundee had just been relegated at the end of the previous season.
Aberdeen were at the peak of their powers under Alex Ferguson and, as reigning champions, a bigger knockout tie for them was a European Cup meeting with Liverpool around the same time.
That they went out of that competition to the team that would eventually win it was no great surprise but losing to Dundee was.
After a draw at Dens in the first leg, the feeling was Donald Mackay’s team were heading to the Granite City hoping for little more than to keep the score respectable.
In the end, however, a battling performance saw them hold their own and progress to the semi-finals thanks to a Cammy Fraser strike.
Dundee would go on to make the final before losing to city rivals United on a historic day at Dens Park.
November 1995:
2-0 – Aberdeen win.
The only time the north-east rivals have faced up in a national final and it was Aberdeen who lifted the trophy with a comfortable Hampden victory.
Once again, the pair met with Dundee, under Jim Duffy, out of the top flight but going into the tie on the back of a fine unbeaten run that saw them riding high in the First Division and making the final.
For those of a Dark Blue persuasion, however, it quickly became a day to forget as their team didn’t really show up.
An effort from former Dens favourite Billy Dodds had Aberdeen ahead by the break and, when Duncan Shearer added a second right at the start of the second half, it was all over bar the shouting.
3-2 – Dundee win.
Although Dundee were again in the second tier, with the backing of Aberdeen-based businessman Callum Melville, their strong line-up was always going to provide a stern test for the visiting Dons.
So it proved as, despite losing experienced goalkeeper Rab Douglas through injury in the first half, Jocky Scott’s team pulled off the result of the round by winning in extra-time.
Goals from Eddie Malone and Craig Forsyth had the home team apparently cruising but a double from Michael Paton saw the proceedings heading into extra-time.
As the game ebbed and flowed, one of those Melville-backed signings, a young Leigh Griffiths, came up trumps with the winner.
August 2011:
1-0 Aberdeen win.
The last time the teams met in a League Cup tie saw Dundee still recovering from a second period of administration that had seen the team almost fold the previous year.
Having performed a miracle in keeping the team in the First Division in the 2010/11 season, boss Barry Smith was looking to pull off a shock at Pittodrie.
They battled hard to give him the scalp he wanted but, on the night, came up just short.
A tight tie was decided as early as the 16th minute when home attacker Darren Mackie grabbed the only goal.
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