Locale North-east Scotland Most wins Aberdeen | Meetings total 236 | |
Teams Aberdeen and Dundee Utd | ||
The New Firm is the term used, hailing from the 1980s, to describe the rivalry between Scottish football clubs Aberdeen and Dundee United. Both clubs are located on the east coast of Scotland, in the third and fourth most populous cities respectively.
Contents
- History
- Domestic head to head
- League competition
- European competition
- Players at both clubs
- Complete list
- Player records
- Partial game list
- References
Although not traditionally a derby, with 65 miles separating both teams, the fixture was seen as a North-east of Scotland derby between the two most successful teams in Scotland outside of the Old Firm during the 1980s. Dundee United also have a more traditional rivalry with their close neighbours Dundee.
History
The term originated in the 1980s, when both clubs challenged the Old Firm for domestic trophies. The term was used by Evening Times and The Glasgow Herald.
The Old Firm have more often than not been the dominant force in Scottish Football, however throughout the 1980s both Aberdeen and Dundee United were more than a match for them, regularly beating them home and away and winning most of the trophies on offer.
Aberdeen were to win the Scottish Premier Division three times, the Scottish Cup four times, the Scottish League Cup twice and the European Cup Winners Cup and the European Super Cup, all within the 1980s.
In this same period, Dundee United won the Scottish Premier Division once, and the Scottish League Cup twice, as well as reaching the Scottish Cup final four times, the UEFA Cup final, and the European Cup semi-final.
Not only were the Old Firm not dominating the title race, for three seasons in a row, 1983 through to 1985, the league title went to either Aberdeen or Dundee United, meaning for the first time two other teams were dominating Scottish Football.
Both sides' success was limited as they entered the 1990s. Aberdeen winning the Scottish Cup in 1990, and reaching cup finals in 1992 and 1993 as well as almost winning the league in 1991, while Dundee United were cup finalists in 1991 and Scottish Cup winners in 1994. However, in the 1994/95 season both sides fought relegation, and although Aberdeen won the Scottish League Cup in 1995 and Dundee United the Scottish Cup in 2010, neither side has managed to be a consistent force for Rangers and Celtic to reckon with, and Aberdeen's league success in 1984/85 is the last time a team from outside the Old Firm has won the Scottish league title.
Domestic head-to-head
In domestic head-to-head matches, the teams have played each other 236 times, Aberdeen winning 93 compared to United's 76. Aberdeen have won more league and Scottish Cup matches while United have won more League Cup matches between the two.
After 2 May 2015:League competition
Scottish Premiership Table (2013/14-present - 1st Season)
As of 23 November 2014:SPL Table (1998/99-2012/13 - 15 Seasons)
European competition
As of 9 August 2012:Players at both clubs
Nine players have signed for Dundee United directly from Aberdeen, the last being in 2000. Ten have made the opposite journey from Tannadice to Pittodrie, with five since August 2005.
Complete list
In addition, other players have played for both clubs without moving directly between them. A list of all players to have played at least one first-team game for both clubs is displayed below.
Player records
A list of players to have scored in derby matches between the two from 27 August 1994 up to 2 May 2015 is below:Partial game list
Fixtures from 27 August 1994 to the present day featuring League games, Scottish Cup and League Cup matches. Aberdeen wins are coloured in red, United wins in tangerine and draws are grey.