No one man has done more over the years than Jim McLean to ensure Dundee United’s dominance in city derbies.
That the Tangerines boast a record of 81 wins, 42 draws and 52 defeats in all major competitions against their neighbours owes so much to the leadership of the legendary Tannadice manager.
However, it is a delightful quirk of derby history that in one of United’s greatest results against their rivals, McLean was wearing the dark blue of Dundee.
Not only that, it was his debut after signing from Clyde!
The date was September 11, 1965 and the venue was Dens Park.
Today, of course, marks the 50th anniversary of that notable result.
The visitors were a strong side under wily boss Jerry Kerr but hardly anyone – including the United fans in the 15,058 crowd inside the stadium – expected what was to follow.
United took the lead against McLean and his teammates after just 15 minutes through a Finn Dossing header.
It stayed that way until 11 minutes into the second half when great Dane Dossing grabbed another for the men in white.
Dennis Gillespie made it 3-0 on 64 minutes and United were cruising.
Dossing grabbed his hat-trick with just three minutes remaining then Swede Lennart Wing scored the fifth from the penalty spot with just two minutes left.
The margin of victory has never been surpassed by United in a derby, although it did come under threat during the 6-2 romp on New Year’s Day past at Tannadice.
The teams for the 5-0 game were:
Dundee: Donaldson, Hamilton, Cox, Houston, Easton, Stuart, Bertelsen, Cousin, Cameron, Cooke, McLean.
United: Mackay, Rooney, Neilson, Smith, Millar, Briggs, Munro, Persson, Wing, Gillespie, Dossing.
The occasion was immortalised in a song called The Dens Park Massacre of ‘65, a ditty that has been passed down through generations of United fans.
It goes:
“Get down on your knees and pray,
It’s the anniversary,
Of the Dens Park massacre of 65 (65!).
It’s the day we won’t forget,
And the Dundee will regret,
It’s the day we gave them 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
It was the 11th of September,
A day we all remember,
Finn Dossing in the centre he scored three (he scored three!).
Lennart Wing fae the spot,
And Gillespie wi’ a shot,
A shot that keeper Ally didnae see.”