# New Firm (Scotland)

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.
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 many 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, 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 1987 UEFA Cup Final, and the semi-final of the 1983–84 European Cup. Not only were the Old Firm not dominating the title race, but 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, with Aberdeen winning both cups in 1989–90, reaching both finals in 1992–93, as well as almost winning the league in 1991, while Dundee United were Scottish Cup finalists in 1991 and finally winners in 1994. However, in the 1994–95 season both sides fought relegation (with United going down), and although Aberdeen won the Scottish League Cup in 1995 and Dundee United the Scottish Cup again 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 non-Old Firm club won the Scottish league title.
Since 2010 however, the sides have seen a divergence in fortunes, as Aberdeen capitalised on Rangers' implosion to win the Scottish League Cup in 2014 and finish runners-up behind Celtic for four years running between 2014–15 and 2017–18 (losing three cup finals to the same club in that period), while Dundee United were relegated from the top flight in 2016 having lost the 2014 Scottish Cup Final to a local rival, St Johnstone.

### Domestic head-to-head

In domestic head-to-head matches, the teams have played each other 246 times, Aberdeen winning 98 compared to United's 79. Aberdeen have won more league and Scottish Cup matches while United have won more League Cup matches between the two.
Given their mutual success particularly in the 1980s, it is perhaps surprising that the only major final featuring both clubs is the 1979–80 Scottish League Cup Final, won by Dundee United in a replay at Dens Park after a draw in Glasgow.
    After 8 October 2022:
| Team | League | Scottish Cup | League Cup | Total |
| Aberdeen | 81 | 12 | 9 | 200 |
| Draw | 70 | 9 | 5 | 70 |
| Dundee United | 63 | 7 | 11 | 80 |
| Totals | 200 | 28 | 25 | 253 |

### League competition

Scottish Premiership Table (2013/14-present – 5 Seasons)
    As of 16 May 2018:
| Club | Seasons | Played | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Aberdeen | 5 | 190 | 111 | 30 | 49 | 302 | 191 | 111 | 363 |
| Dundee United | 3 | 114 | 41 | 22 | 51 | 168 | 176 | −8 | 142 |
SPL Table (1998/99-2012/13 – 15 Seasons)
| Club | Seasons | Played | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
| Aberdeen | 15 | 566 | 188 | 143 | 235 | 651 | 785 | −134 | 707 |
| Dundee United | 15 | 566 | 173 | 162 | 231 | 674 | 845 | −171 | 681 |

### European competition

    As of 9 August 2012:
| Team | T | P | W | D | L | F | A |
| Dundee United | 26 | 110 | 46 | 30 | 34 | 168 | 116 |
| Aberdeen | 27 | 109 | 44 | 28 | 37 | 160 | 130 |

## 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 20 November 2021 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.
| Date | Competition | Venue | Result | Crowd | Scorers (Aberdeen) | Scorers (United) |
| 27 August 1994 | 1994–95 Scottish Premier Division | Tannadice | 2–1 | 9,332 | Grant | Welsh, Brewster |
| 29 October 1994 | 1994–95 Scottish Premier Division | Pittodrie | 3–0 | 11,744 | Kane (2), Booth | |
| 2 January 1995 | 1994–95 Scottish Premier Division | Tannadice | 0–0 | 10,560 | | |
| 6 May 1995 | 1994–95 Scottish Premier Division | Pittodrie | 2–1 | 20,124 | Dodds, Shearer | Winters |
| 28 September 1996 | 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division | Tannadice | 1–0 | 10,359 | | McSwegan |
| 16 November 1996 | 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division | Pittodrie | 3–3 | 13,807 | Kiriakov, Kombouaré, Dodds | McLaren, Winters, Olofsson |
| 1 January 1997 | 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division | Tannadice | 4–0 | 9,736 | | Winters, Pressley (2), Olofsson |
| 15 March 1997 | 1996–97 Scottish Premier Division | Pittodrie | 1–1 | 13,645 | Windass | Olofsson |
| 30 August 1997 | 1997–98 Scottish Premier Division | Pittodrie | 1–1 | 12,060 | Dodds | Winters |
| 15 October 1997 | 1997–98 Scottish League Cup SF | Tynecastle | 1–3 | 10,456 | Windass | Winters (2), Easton |
| 9 November 1997 | 1997–98 Scottish Premier Division | Tannadice | 5–0 | 7,893 | | Olofsson (2), Zetterlund, McLaren, Easton |
| 3 January 1998 | 1997–98 Scottish Premier Division | Pittodrie | 1–0 | 17,025 | Windass | |
| 24 January 1998 | 1997–98 Scottish Cup R3 | Tannadice | 1–0 | 11,488 | | Winters |
| 11 April 1998 | 1997–98 Scottish Premier Division | Tannadice | 0–0 | 9,155 | | |
| 4 October 1998 | 1998–99 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–0 | 8,933 | | McSwegan |
| 28 November 1998 | 1998–99 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 0–3 | 11,964 | | Olofsson, J.Miller, Easton |
| 20 February 1999 | 1998–99 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 3–0 | 8,309 | | Olofsson, Dodds, Hannah |
| 17 April 1999 | 1998–99 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 0–4 | 11,603 | | Dodds (2), J.Miller, Olofsson |
| 18 September 1999 | 1999–2000 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 1–2 | 11,814 | Dow | Hannah, Dodds |
| 6 November 1999 | 1999–2000 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 3–1 | 8,170 | Solberg | Dodds (2), Paterson |
| 27 December 1999 | 1999–2000 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 3–1 | 16,656 | Zerouali, Belabed, Stavrum | Hannah |
| 13 February 2000 | 1999–2000 Scottish League Cup SF | Dens | 1–0 | 9,500 | Stavrum | |
| 12 March 2000 | 1999–2000 Scottish Cup QF | Tannadice | 0–1 | 6,738 | Jess | |
| 25 March 2000 | 1999–2000 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–1 | 6,723 | Stavrum | Ferraz |
| 23 September 2000 | 2000–01 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 3–5 | 7,699 | Winters (3), Young, Jess | Easton, McConalogue, Hannah |
| 17 March 2001 | 2000–01 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–1 | 8,457 | Winters | C.Miller |
| 4 April 2001 | 2000–01 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 4–1 | 9,962 | Stavrum (3), Young | Griffin |
| 20 May 2001 | 2000–01 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 1–2 | 11,633 | Stavrum | Venetis, Lilley |
| 15 September 2001 | 2001–02 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 2–1 | 12,948 | Winters, Zerouali | McIntyre |
| 15 December 2001 | 2001–02 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–1 | 9,129 | Winters | Easton |
| 16 February 2002 | 2001–02 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 4–0 | 13,612 | Winters, Young (2), Mike | |
| 11 September 2002 | 2002–03 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 1–2 | 10,724 | Mackie | Thompson (2) |
| 30 November 2002 | 2002–03 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–1 | 8,621 | McGuire | Hamilton |
| 16 February 2003 | 2002–03 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 3–0 | 9,146 | Sheerin (2), McGuire | |
| 24 May 2003 | 2002–03 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 0–2 | 8,516 | Mackie, Tosh | |
| 18 October 2003 | 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 0–1 | 11,234 | | McLaren |
| 17 January 2004 | 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 3–2 | 8,888 | Booth, Clark | Robson, C.Miller, Dodds |
| 3 April 2004 | 2003–04 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 3–0 | 8,449 | Hinds, McGuire, Sheerin | |
| 11 September 2004 | 2004–05 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–1 | 10,995 | Mackie | Wilson |
| 27 November 2004 | 2004–05 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 1–0 | 12,038 | Tosh | |
| 27 February 2005 | 2004–05 Scottish Cup QF | Tannadice | 4–1 | 8,661 | Byrne | Archibald, Grady (2), Crawford |
| 2 March 2005 | 2004–05 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–2 | 6,688 | Diamond, Stewart | Scotland |
| 30 July 2005 | 2005–06 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–1 | 12,404 | Nicholson | L.Miller |
| 25 October 2005 | 2005–06 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 2–0 | 10,720 | Smith, Crawford | |
| 7 January 2006 | 2005–06 Scottish Cup R3 | Tannadice | 2–3 | 8,218 | Crawford (2), Nicholson | Fernandez (2) |
| 21 January 2006 | 2005–06 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–1 | 9,936 | Mackie | Archibald |
| 21 October 2006 | 2006–07 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 3–1 | 10,747 | Mackie, Nicholson (2) | Robson |
| 30 December 2006 | 2006–07 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 3–1 | 12,329 | Severin | Samuel (2), Robson |
| 7 April 2007 | 2006–07 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 2–4 | 12,148 | Lovell, Mackie | Daly, Hunt, Cameron (2) |
| 4 August 2007 | 2007–08 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–0 | 12,496 | | D.Robertson |
| 3 November 2007 | 2007–08 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 2–0 | 11,964 | Aluko, L.Miller | |
| 19 January 2008 | 2007–08 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 3–0 | 8,579 | | Hunt, Robson (2) |
| 5 February 2008 | 2007–08 Scottish League Cup SF | Tynecastle | 1–4 | 12,046 | Considine | Dods, Kalvenes, Conway, Gomis |
| 3 May 2008 | 2007–08 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 2–1 | 10,312 | Foster, Touzani | Swanson |
| 20 September 2008 | 2008–09 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 0–1 | 11,041 | | Sandaza |
| 8 November 2008 | 2008–09 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 2–1 | 9,490 | Mackie | Sandaza, Feeney |
| 21 February 2009 | 2008–09 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 2–2 | 14,673 | Severin, Diamond | Sandaza, D.Robertson |
| 7 May 2009 | 2008–09 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–1 | 10,407 | L.Miller | Goodwillie |
| 24 October 2009 | 2009–10 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 0–2 | 11,776 | | Casalinuovo, Gomis |
| 2 January 2010 | 2009–10 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 0–1 | 10,032 | Mulgrew | |
| 20 March 2010 | 2009–10 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 2–2 | 9,316 | Diamond, Paton | Daly (2) |
| 11 September 2010 | 2010–11 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 3–1 | 9,793 | Vernon | Daly, Howard, og, Goodwillie |
| 1 January 2011 | 2010–11 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 1–1 | 12,487 | Maguire | Goodwillie |
| 7 March 2011 | 2010–11 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 3–1 | 7,416 | Magennis | Douglas, Conway, Swanson |
| 15 October 2011 | 2011–12 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 3–1 | 10,256 | Árnason, Mawéné, Considine | Dalla Valle |
| 2 January 2012 | 2011–12 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–2 | 11,471 | Chalali, Árnason | Daly |
| 7 April 2012 | 2011–12 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 3–1 | 8,439 | Mackie, Clark, Jack | Daly |
| 20 October 2012 | 2012–13 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–1 | 9,858 | McGinn | Rankin |
| 2 January 2013 | 2012–13 Scottish Premier League | Pittodrie | 2–2 | 13,176 | Vernon, McGinn | Gunning, Langfield, og |
| 6 April 2013 | 2012–13 Scottish Premier League | Tannadice | 1–0 | 8,577 | | Boulding |
| 19 October 2013 | 2013–14 Scottish Premiership | Pittodrie | 1–0 | 12,654 | Zola | |
| 1 January 2014 | 2013–14 Scottish Premiership | Tannadice | 1–2 | 12,601 | Robson, Pawlett | Souttar |
| 29 March 2014 | 2013–14 Scottish Premiership | Pittodrie | 1–1 | 14,627 | McGinn | Paton |
| 6 May 2014 | 2013–14 Scottish Premiership | Tannadice | 1–3 | 8,677 | Vernon (3) | Dillon |
| 10 August 2014 | 2014–15 Scottish Premiership | Pittodrie | 0–3 | 16,471 | | Dow, Mackay-Steven, Erskine |
| 13 December 2014 | 2014–15 Scottish Premiership | Tannadice | 0–2 | 11,196 | Rooney (2) | |
| 31 January 2015 | 2014–15 Scottish League Cup SF | Hampden | 2–1 | 29,608 | Daniels | Morris, Ciftci |
| 18 April 2015 | 2014–15 Scottish Premiership | Pittodrie | 1–0 | 12,619 | Rooney | |
| 2 May 2015 | 2014–15 Scottish Premiership | Tannadice | 1–0 | 8,686 | | Muirhead |
| 2 August 2015 | 2015–16 Scottish Premiership | Tannadice | 0–1 | 10,706 | McLean | |
| 7 November 2015 | 2015–16 Scottish Premiership | Pittodrie | 2–0 | 12,805 | Rooney, Hayes | |
| 2 March 2016 | 2015–16 Scottish Premiership | Tannadice | 0–1 | 9,737 | Church | |
| 11 February 2018 | 2017–18 Scottish Cup R5 | Pittodrie | 4–2 | 11,611 | Rooney, Mackay-Steven (2), McLean | Stanton, McMullan |
| 17 October 2020 | 2020-21 Scottish Premiership | Tannadice | 0–0 | | | |
| 2 January 2021 | 2020-21 Scottish Premiership | Pittodrie | 0–0 | | | |
| 20 March 2021 | 2020–21 Scottish Premiership | Tannadice | 1–0 | | | Spörle |
| 25 April 2021 | 2020–21 Scottish Cup QF | Pittodrie | 0–3 | | | McNulty (2), Edwards |
| 1 August 2021 | 2021-22 Scottish Premiership | Pittodrie | 2–0 | 6,305 | Hayes, Ramirez | |
| 20 November 2021 | 2021–22 Scottish Premiership | Tannadice | 1–0 | 9,927 | | Harkes |
| 26 February 2022 | 2021–22 Scottish Premiership | Pittodrie | 1–1 | 18,719 | Edwards, og | McNulty |
| 8 October 2022 | 2022–23 Scottish Premiership | Tannadice | 4–0 | 11,010 | | Behich, Watt, McGrath, McCrorie, og |
| 12 November 2022 | 2022–23 Scottish Premiership | Pittodrie | 1–0 | 17,035 | Miovski | |
| 4 March 2023 | 2022–23 Scottish Premiership | Tannadice | 1–3 | 11,048 | Duk, McCrorie, Watkins | McGrath |