New firm derby
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Peter Houston's Struggles and the Management's Ultimatum
Peter Houston's life was becoming increasingly difficult. His team's failure to secure a win had put him under immense pressure. The club management had issued him a warning:
If Dundee United couldn't win at least one of the next two matches, Houston would have to consider his future elsewhere.
The reason for the two-game deadline, rather than just one, was simple—the next fixture was nearly unwinnable. The board knew this, so they gave Houston one more chance after that to turn things around.
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September 11 – Fourth Round of the Scottish Premiership
Dundee United traveled to Glasgow, the capital of Scottish football, to face one of the league's two dominant powerhouses—Glasgow Rangers.
In Scottish football, Celtic and Rangers were in a league of their own.
They boasted many players who had experience in Europe's top five leagues and possessed an overwhelming competitive advantage over the rest of the league.
The result was as expected.
At Ibrox Stadium, Dundee United suffered a 0-4 thrashing.
Just eight minutes into the match, Dundee United's full-back Dillon accidentally scored an own goal while trying to cut out a cross from Rangers' Croatian forward Nikica Jelavić.
Before the first half ended, former Derby County and Wolves striker Kenny Miller netted twice, effectively sealing the game.
In the second half, a substitute striker came on and added another goal, ending any remaining suspense.
Liam Carter remained on the bench for the entire match—his second consecutive game without playing.
He wasn't too bothered by it.
After all, his performances in the previous two matches had been poor, and with Houston under so much pressure, the manager wouldn't risk playing a young, inexperienced player in such a crucial game.
Another loss.
On the long bus ride back from Glasgow to Dundee, Peter Houston sat in silence, his expression dark and unreadable.
No one on the bus dared to speak.
But once they returned to Dundee, Houston had no time to dwell on the defeat.
He had to focus on the next game—his last chance to save his job.
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September 18 – Dundee United vs. Aberdeen
One week later, in the fifth round of the league, Dundee United hosted Aberdeen at Tannadice Park—the match that could determine Houston's fate.
The game had special significance—it was the New Firm Derby.
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Scottish football had always been a two-team monopoly—Celtic and Rangers dominated the league. Even when other teams managed to win a title, they could never sustain their success against the two giants.
However, during the 1980s, two clubs rose to prominence—Dundee United and Aberdeen.
Not only did they challenge the dominance of Celtic and Rangers in the league, but they also made waves in European competitions.
Between them, they won four league titles in the 1980s—a rare disruption to the traditional order.
For Celtic and Rangers, the 1980s were a nightmare—in ten years, they lost four league titles, something unheard of in Scottish football history.
In European competition, Scottish teams were usually cannon fodder outside of Celtic and Rangers. But Dundee United and Aberdeen defied expectations.
Dundee United reached the Champions League semi-finals and the UEFA Cup final—even though they didn't win, their achievements were incredible. In fact, Rangers' best-ever Champions League run was also only a semi-final appearance.
Aberdeen, on the other hand, didn't shine in the Champions League, but in 1982-83, they eliminated Tottenham and Bayern Munich on their way to the European Cup Winners' Cup final.
There, they faced the legendary Real Madrid—and won 2-1, becoming only the third Scottish team in history to win a European trophy.
Their success didn't stop there.
That same year, Aberdeen beat Hamburg 2-0 in the European Super Cup, making them the only Scottish team ever to win the Super Cup.
With both teams rising at the same time, their rivalry intensified—creating what became known as the New Firm Derby.
Although both clubs declined after the 1980s, the New Firm Derby remained one of Scotland's most intense rivalries, second only to the Old Firm Derby between Celtic and Rangers.
For Dundee United, the New Firm Derby was even more significant than their rivalry with Dundee FC, their neighbors.
And for Peter Houston, this match was do-or-die.
The club's board had reached their limit.
They had tolerated the losses against Liverpool and Rangers—but losing the New Firm Derby at home?
Unacceptable.
If Houston lost, he would be fired immediately.
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On September 18, 2010, the fifth round of the Scottish Premiership kicked off.
Dundee United hosted Aberdeen at Tannadice Park, with an electric atmosphere filling the stadium.
As Liam Carter stepped onto the pitch, he received some applause, though not as much as before—fans were losing patience with the team.
However, when Peter Houston emerged from the tunnel, he was met with boos from the home crowd.
Houston had been Dundee United's assistant manager last season, only getting promoted when the previous manager left for Sweden.
But since taking over, his leadership had been disastrous.
The team's UEFA Cup exit was understandable—after all, they drew Liverpool.
But their terrible league form? That was his fault.
After four league games, Dundee United had:
0 Wins
2 Draws
2 Losses
2 Points
Second from the bottom in the standings
The only reason they weren't in the relegation zone was because only one team got relegated in the Scottish Premiership.
Still, the fans were furious—and calls for Houston to be sacked were growing louder.
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"The situation at Dundee United is dire," said one of the BBC commentators.
"I don't see Aberdeen letting this opportunity slip. I think Aberdeen will win this easily."
"I disagree," the other commentator countered.
"When a team is desperate, they sometimes find their best form in a crucial match. I believe this game could be Dundee United's turning point."
"Besides, this is a derby match—and in derbies, anything can happen."
"Remember when Barcelona won the treble, but still lost 1-2 to Espanyol in the Catalan Derby? Was Espanyol really that strong? No—it was just a derby upset."
"Same with Manchester United in 2007-08—they won the Premier League and Champions League, but still lost home and away to a weak Manchester City."
"In derbies, form and talent don't always matter. It's about who wants it more."
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Kickoff – The Battle Begins
The stakes couldn't be higher.
Would Houston survive—or would Dundee United's New Firm Derby loss become his final match in charge?
Only 90 minutes would decide his fate.
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