Dundee United manager Peter Houston hopes Saturday’s friendly against Dundee is the first of five city derbies this season.
The Dark Blues will learn on Monday if they will be replacing Rangers in the SPL, and the Tannadice boss will be delighted if United’s local rivals are given good news.
He explained: ”If it’s Dundee that comes up, then financially that will be just as good for us (as two home games against Rangers). I mean no disrespect to Dunfermline but from a Dundee United point of view we’re better off financially with Dundee in the league because we know we’re going to fill our ground.
”If it’s them who come up then we’ll look forward to it. We’re meant to play them three weeks later if it is Dundee and although we’ll look forward to Saturday you can guess which one I would want to win more. That’s if they don’t rearrange the fixtures, which they’re talking about.”
With a near 10,000 crowd expected, there’s no doubting that the pre-season intensity is about to be cranked up.
Houston said: “You need competitive games because you’re trying to step things up. We’ve got Everton the following Wednesday.
”It’s natural Dundee will be fired up. Barry Smith and Ray Farningham are Dundee through and through. But I haven’t had to motivate my team too many times because it’s in our make-up to get fired into any game that comes round.
”But I’ll still be making them aware of what a derby game means to the supporters, even though the result isn’t the be all and end all.”
It will be Houston’s first Dundee derby as manager but he has a good idea of what to expect.
He said: ”Saturday’s attendance will show how important a derby match is to supporters. I think the last time we played them was at Tannadice for the opening of our floodlights.
”It’s the only one I’ve been involved in albeit as assistant manager but the one thing I’ll take away from it is the atmosphere.
”For a few years even United fans have been looking forward to a derby match because we’ve not played them for a while. I’m told they’re great occasions.”