St Johnstone travel to Dens Park on Saturday for what should be Simo Valakari’s first game in the dugout as McDiarmid Park manager.
The Finn will be hoping to follow Paul Sturrock’s lead and post a victory at the home of Saints’ local rivals, as Sturrock did back in 1993 when he took over from John McClelland.
Courier Sport looks back through the history books to chart 10 significant Dundee away firsts for the Perth club.
First game in Dundee
Dundee FC were formed in 1893 from the amalgamation of two local clubs, Our Boys and East End.
Eight years earlier, St Johnstone played their first away game in Dundee – against Our Boys.
A 10-0 defeat would show how far the newly-created Saints had to travel.
First game at Dens Park
On April 19, 1903 Saints played a game at Dens, which had become Dundee’s new home four years before.
It was the Dewar Shield semi-final, which the hosts won 3-2.
First goal and first win at Dens
On August 22, 1925 Saints won a First Division game against Dundee 1-0, with Jimmy Fleming scoring the only goal.
First foots
The one and only time Saints have played Dundee at Dens on New Year’s Day, they won.
The game took place in 1929 and the visitors won 2-0.
First brace
On January 11, 1936, Jimmy Beattie claimed this accolade, scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory.
First hat-trick
Jackie Coburn, brother of Perth hall of famer, Willie, is one of only two Saints players to have scored three times in one game at Dens.
And he got them all in the first half.
Perthshire boy, Alan Gilzean, did likewise for Dundee in a 4-4, 1964 draw.
The two men were friends, having done their national service together at Farnborough and even played for Aldershot while they were down there.
Coburn would never score again for Saints.
Gilzean’s third goal was his last for Dundee and this his last game.
First to the bar
In 1978, Derek O’Connor matched Coburn’s achievement by scoring a hat-trick in an injury-time 4-3 victory.
The main reason this January 2 game has gone down in folklore isn’t actually O’Connor’s goals.
It’s the fact that John Pelosi played – and opened the scoring – while hungover.
Pelosi was only added to the match-day squad on the morning of the match, and later admitted he hadn’t held back on his New Year’s Day festivities.
First League Cup win
Willie Ormond’s great side beat Dundee 2-1 in the 1969, League Cup group section on the way to Saints’ first ever Hampden Park final.
First national cup
It wasn’t the League Cup or the Scottish Cup (and Dundee weren’t the opponents) but November 25, 2007 was still a significant date for St Johnstone.
By beating Dunfermline 3-2 at Dens, Saints won their first ever national cup competition, the Challenge Cup.
First Scottish Cup win
Before 2021, St Johnstone had never won a Scottish Cup tie at Dens.
They had lost on four occasions – 1930, 1949, 1977 and 1985.
Guy Melamed’s goal and Zander Clark’s penalty save to deny Charlie Adam took Saints into the last-16 of the competition.
They would secure a cup double a few weeks later.
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