The first Dundee derby of the season takes place at Dens Park on Sunday, live on Sky Sports at 12.15pm, and the teams meet again at Tannadice in the League Cup on Wednesday.
Dundee United held the upper hand when the sides last met in season 2012/13, with Dundee’s last win in this fixture coming at Dens Park in November 2004.
Montrose midfielder Steven Robb, who is a director of the Bee Inspired Clothing Company he set up with ex-Hamilton and St Mirren winger Mark Corcoran, was part of that side.
He recalled: “We actually had a good run against Dundee United back then and always seemed to get a result against them. I do remember that game as John Sutton came off the bench and headed in the winner just before the end.
“The games against United were usually close but we enjoyed a few wins at that time. We always seemed to do well at Tannadice, which was great as they had a very strong first team with the likes of Derek McInnes and Barry Robson in it.
“I remember that Jason Scotland was really hard to play against the day we won. We were the underdogs but we stuck together well and came up with the result. The spirit was very good in our squad and Callum MacDonald, who was a team-mate in that game, is still a friend now. He is actually my wee boy’s Godfather and that emphasises the spirit we had in our ranks.”
The 32-year-old added: “They were always great games to play in, especially for a local boy from Dundee. I had grown up as a United fan but was a schoolboy signing at Dundee aged 15 so I had split allegiances.
“That season was after the Bonetti brothers’ period at Dundee when a host of great players were there at all levels of the club. When I came through the youth ranks we had a good record against United as well so it was good to carry that on in the first team.
“That last win was just after the club’s first administration and, as the ramifications of that hit Dundee hard, the gap between the sides opened in United’s favour.
“They have stayed strong but Dundee are catching up this season. It is good to see both teams doing so well and, after playing for Montrose on Saturday up at Elgin, I want to go along on Sunday. However, I don’t have a ticket and I may need to pull in a few favours!”
Robb left Dundee for United in 2006 before moving to St Mirren two years later and that was followed by a two-year stint in Thailand with Thai Port.
He returned home last year and played with Brechin City and thought that would be his last campaign but instead he signed on at Links Park.
He added: “I did not think I would be playing this season but I am enjoying it. I went back over to Thailand in the summer for two months to concentrate on Bee Inspired and did not think much about playing.
“I got back home and Lee Wilkie, who I knew from Dundee and United, was appointed as the assistant manager at Montrose and he asked me to come in. Lee is a good guy and so is the manager George Shields so I went in for training and I’m still here!”
Craig Stewart
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