Dundee United and Dundee will both kick-off at home at exactly the same time tomorrow in a rare Scottish football anomaly.
Passers-by on Tannadice Street could be forgiven for doing a double take when they hear simultaneous whistles at 3pm coming from Tannadice and just 200 yards away at Dens Park.
While there have been a smattering of occasions when the rivals have both played at home on the same day, kick-off times have been staggered to help with crowd control.
But when Steven Kirkland blows his first whistle on Dundee United ’s Premiership clash with Ross County on one side of the street tomorrow, Alan Newlands will be doing likewise just a goal kick down the road for Dundee’s Championship encounter with Raith Rovers.
It comes amid the coronavirus crisis which has seen the gates remain locked on football at all levels across the country - leaving fas having to watch their teams on streams at home.
The last time both the Dundee rivals played at home on the same day was on Boxing Day, 2012.
A lunchtime kick-off at Tannadice saw Dundee United and St Johnstone play out a 1-1 draw. Three hours later Dens was packed as Celtic ran out 2-0 winners thanks to goals from Georgios Samaras and Gary Hooper.
Fourteen years earlier - on August 8, 1998 - both were at home in the early stages of the League Cup.
Dundee were stung by Alloa 1-0 in a noon kick-off before United took to the park at 3pm for their own struggle as they were held 2-2 by Stirling Albion before advancing on penalty kicks.
United fans in particular will remember the 1991 Scottish Cup well as they made their way to a memorable final before losing 4-3 to Motherwell.
On their way they beat Airdrie 2-0 at Tannadice on February 23 thanks to a Hamish French double. That one kicked off at 3pm while Dundee had their own 2-0 win, over Kilmarnock, to celebrate three hours earlier.
The pair were then drawn together in the quarter final with United winning 3-1 at Tannadice.
One famous occasion when action overlapped at Tannadice and Dens came on February 17, 1968, when both clubs featured in the Scottish Cup within in hour of each other.
United kicked off at 2pm and lost an incredible match against Hearts 6-5. Dundee hosted Rangers at 3pm and drew 1-1 before losing the replay 4-1 at Ibrox.
United boss Jerry Kerr described that day as a football festival in the match programme.
For the first time in 52 years the same could be said tomorrow. Unfortunately no supporters will be in attendance to join the carnival.
