Dundee F.C.

This article is about the side formed in 1893. For the similarly named club formed in 1909, see Dundee United F.C.

Dundee
Full nameDundee Football Club
Nickname(s)The Dee, The Dark Blues
Founded1893; 131 years ago (1893)
GroundDens Park
Capacity11,775[1]
ChairmanTim Keyes
ManagerTony Docherty
LeagueScottish Premiership
2023–24Scottish Premiership, 6th of 12
Websitehttps://dundeefc.co.uk/
Current season
Map showing the proximity of Dundee FC's stadium Dens Park (left) and Dundee United FC's stadium Tannadice Park (right)

Dundee Football Club is a professional football club based in the city of Dundee, Scotland, founded in 1893. The team are nicknamed "The Dark Blues" or "The Dee". The club plays its home matches at Dens Park.

The club was formed after a merger between clubs Dundee East End and Dundee Our Boys in order to apply for the SFL.[2] Within a decade they had become a major force in Scottish football, finishing as league runners-up three times in the 1900s, and finished the decade as Scottish Cup winners in 1910.[3] They remained a major side in Scottish football before a decline in the 1930s. After the return to football in the aftermath of the Second World War, the club experienced a revival in the late 1940s and 1950s under George Anderson with another runners-up finish and consecutive Scottish League Cup wins in 1952 and 1953.[4][5]

The club's most successful era was in the 1960s when, under the management of Bob Shankly, Dundee won the Scottish Football League title in 1962, before reaching the semi-finals of the 1962–63 European Cup the following season.[6][7] The club again won the League Cup in the 1973–1974 season, but since that time has won no further major honour.[8] Since the late 1980s the club has experienced issues with frequent relegations and financial issues, though has found stability in the latter as of late.

The club has a long-standing rivalry with fellow Dundee side Dundee United, which is situated on the same street. It is the most local football derby in Great Britain.[9] Matches between the two are called the Dundee derby, and games are fiercely contested and are often considered one of the most exciting fixtures in Scottish football. Despite this, the rivalry is much friendlier than other Scottish derbies such as the Old Firm, with families often split down the middle in terms of support.

  1. ^ "Dundee Football Club". Scottish Professional Football League. Retrieved 11 November 2013.
  2. ^ "125 years ago today". dundeefc.co.uk. 12 August 2018. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  3. ^ Ross, Kenny. "1910 – Scottish Cup". dundeefc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  4. ^ Ross, Kenny. "1951 – League Cup win". dundeefc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 January 2022. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  5. ^ Ross, Kenny. "1952 – League Cup win". dundeefc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  6. ^ Ross, Kenny. "1961/62 Scottish league champions". dundeefc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  7. ^ Ross, Kenny. "1962/63 – European Cup run". dundeefc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 22 April 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  8. ^ Ross, Kenny. "1973 – League Cup win". dundeefc.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 April 2017. Retrieved 19 February 2021.
  9. ^ Smith, Adam (17 April 2020). "Which is the most local football derby in England and Scotland?". Sky Sports. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 19 February 2021.