SCOTTISH CUP HUMDINGERS

A legendary quiz question in this neck of the woods is: “At which ground, apart from Tannadice Park, did Dundee United play five Scottish Cup games in season 1987-88?”

The answer, if you didn’t already know, is Dens Park in Dundee.

United drew with Dundee at Dens (0-0), couldn’t be separated in the replay at Tannadice (2-2), then won the second replay 3-0 at Dens.

Their semi-final tie in that same competition also went to three games — and all were played at the Dens home of their fierce city rivals.

United’s opponents in the last four then were Aberdeen and, since the mid-1960s, Scottish Cup ties between the two have, quite simply, been the stuff of legend.

In fact, most of the ties could be described as “humdingers”, with no quarter given or, indeed, asked.

Since 1965, when the Dons skelped the all-white Terrors 5-0 at Pittodrie, the clubs have met on many occasions in the national cup competition and, initially, the Taysiders couldn’t buy a result against the north-east outfit.

The following season, United went down 1-0 at Dens in the semi-final, when the teams could only be separated by a Tommy Millar own goal.

In 1970-71, it was a 1-1 draw at Tannadice, Doug Smith’s penalty for the hosts being cancelled out by a Jim Forrest counter.

The Dons went through 2-0 in the Pittodrie replay, thanks to goals from Scandinavian Henning Boel and Dundonian Davie Robb.

The following season saw another drubbing for the Tangerines as Joe Harper (2, 1 pen.), Willie Miller and Willie Young hit the net in a 4-0 win at Tannadice.

Tannadice was the venue again three years later as Drew Jarvie scored the only goal of the game for the Reds.

Under Jim McLean and Alex Ferguson, the teams were enjoying a healthy run of success in the Scottish game and had been dubbed the “New Firm.”

Their Premier League meetings were eagerly awaited, but the cup encounters were still swinging Aberdeen’s way when a Mark McGhee goal let Dons progress in the 1983-84 tournament in a 1-0 Pittodrie replay after a goalless draw in Dundee.

Surely, United had to win some time, and they did just that one season on when, yet again, their tie went to a second game.

They fought out a goalless semi-final draw at Tynecastle in front of 18,000 and, despite calls to take the game to Dens Park, were forced to return to Edinburgh for the replay.

Paul Sturrock and Stuart Beedie netted for United in the 2-1 win. Ian Angus scored for Aberdeen.

United lost 2-1 to Celtic in the Hampden final.

That aforementioned 1987-88 season saw the original semi at Dens end goalless, then a 1-1 draw at the same venue a week later (Mixu Paatelainen for United, Charlie Nicholas for Aberdeen).

Finally, Iain Ferguson hit the winner in the third game at the home of their city rivals.

Again, United went on to lose 2-1 to Celtic in the Hampden final.

Astonishingly, it took three games to separate the clubs a year later. Paatelainen’s counter for United at Pittodrie was cancelled out by Robert Connor, and the big Finn was again the scorer in another 1-1 replay draw at Tannadice (Brian Grant for Dons).

United won the toss to host the third game and Paatelainen’s solitary counter won the day for United.

By this time, the fans were loving every minute of this incredible rivalry as the respective crowds of 23,000, 18,700 and 21,500 showed.

Incredibly, 1989-90 saw the teams being paired in the Scottish Cup for the fourth season in succession, but United fell apart in the Tynecastle semi-final.

They shot themselves in the foot with own goals from Paatelainen and Freddie van der Hoorn, with Brian Irvine and Hans Gillhaus also netting in the 4-0 rout.

Eoin Jess hit both goals in the 2-0 win in season 1992-93, but it’s the following year that will be remembered forever by every Arab.

Big Brian Welsh, who scored a dramatic goal against Motherwell in a previous round, was again on target in the Hampden semi-final. The game went to a replay, though, as Duncan Shearer counted for the Granite City side.

United earned their place in the final with a goal in the Hampden replay from an unlikely source . . . Jim McInally.

In the final against Rangers . . . well, do you need me to tell you?

In 1997-98, Robbie Winters hit the only goal of the game at Tannadice against the club he would join in later seasons, while Aruld Stavrum did likewise for the Dons at the same venue in 1999-2000.

And so to Sunday . . .

LUCKY 13

Graham Hood emailed to ask, “Is Dundee’s current nine-game unbeaten run against Dundee United a record between the two clubs?”

I recalled around the time United won the league that Dundee couldn’t buy a win against their Tannadice Street neighbours.

Of course, despite the above heading, this had nothing to do with luck — more with United being far superior.

So, checking around that time, I came up with the following.

After Dundee beat United 1-0 (Sinclair) at Dens in a league game on October 20, 1979, the Tangerines were undefeated in their next 13 league and cup matches against the Dark Blues, winning 11 and drawing two.

Dundee broke the sequence on November 5, 1983, when a solitary Peter Mackie goal gave them the league points at Tannadice.

There may have been other winning runs for both clubs, but this example answers Graham’s query.

BENEFIT NIGHT

Friends, family, colleagues and former team- mates of Micky Boyle are hosting a benefit night tomorrow evening in his memory.

The well-known former Dundee junior footballer, who served Downfield for many years as a player and was a league-winning manager with Lochee United, died last year of cancer.

The Marquee, Constable Street, Dundee, will host a disco evening, with proceeds going to the purchase of a bench (“Micky’s bit wid”) in the Ninewells grounds, just off the Ward 32 dayroom. Surplus funds will go to cancer research.

Tickets are on sale at The Marquee or other details by phoning Dennis Elder 01382 827426 or 07711 038772.

NOT THE BEST

I’ve never toed the English media-led line that the English Premiership is the best in the world.

Midweek Champions League results, yet again, bear that out.

Until “First Division” superstars such as Ronaldo, Del Piero, Figo, Raul and others are tempted to this island to ply their trade, then the English Premiership will always remain “Second Division” in world footballing terms.