Dundee United manager Jackie McNamara didn’t quite feel the hand of history on his shoulder as his team destroyed Dundee at Tannadice.
The 6-2 demolition of the Dark Blues was the club’s biggest-ever home win over their city rivals and also the first time they have hit the net half-a-dozen times against them in a game.
It was a day when memories and the internet were searched, with each goal edging the scoreline closer to the famous 5-0 recorded by United at Dens Park in 1965.
Indeed, had Luka Tankulic not scored a late second goal for Dundee then this would have been an all-time record derby win for United. As it turned out, the four-goal margin was still more than enough to start 2015 with an almighty bang.
For McNamara, the number that really mattered was three the amount of points that helped keep them hot on the heels of both Aberdeen and Celtic at the top end of the Premiership.
What was uppermost in his thoughts after the final whistle was the forthcoming trip to Firhill, where the Tangerines will face Partick Thistle on Sunday.
When reminded that it was the first time United had hit their neighbours for six, McNamara replied: “I am delighted to hear that but, to be honest, don’t really think about those things. I just think about the victory, first and foremost.
“It is nice, though, because it sends our fans home happy. I am delighted and it is a good feeling to win against your biggest rivals.
“To win in the manner in which we did by that scoreline is terrific.
“I am delighted for the players, whose response was right after last weekend (when they lost 2-1 to St Johnstone).
“We scored very early in the match and they (Dundee) came into it after that.
“They put us under a bit of pressure and scored a good freekick but we went up and scored a second goal.
“I always felt we had goals in us today because of our movement and pace from middle to front. I think that caused them problems.
“The result is up there along with the semi-final last year (win over Rangers) and the 5-0 up at Inverness in the quarter-final.
“But, as I said, I really don’t think too much about that. What’s on my mind now is Sunday’s game against Partick Thistle.
“That is massive for us and the lads will go away from here and make sure they are right for that match.
“I will, though, enjoy going home after this instead of being miserable, which I was after last weekend’s defeat.
“That is just the job I am driven by results.
“I seem to enjoy victories more as a manager than I did as a player, while at the same time defeats are 10 times worse as a manager as they were as a player.”
As if to prove his point, he explained the reasoning behind the substitutions of Nadir Ciftci and Calum Butcher, neither of whom appeared to be injured.
“I had my mind on Sunday and that was why I took off Nadir,” he said.
“Also, Calum had picked up a booking so I was worrying in case he got a second yellow card. So I brought on fresh players and they were excellent when they came on, which they have been all season.”
The man-of-the match was Gary Mackay-Steven, who scored twice and played a part in three other United goals with Stuart Armstrong, Jarek Fojut and Charlie Telfer all very grateful for his work, while Chris Erskine grabbed the other one.
McNamara said of GMS: “I think once he got his first goal he grew in confidence. He was chasing and winning balls.
“His season has been up and down and he has been frustrated at times, most recently because of illness.
“He had a couple of great finishes and I am delighted for him.”