Tannadice Park: Dundee United
From Dundee United
Tannadice Park is one of the oldest grounds in football. It was first used to host matches in the 1870s, though not much is known about the games that were played back then. In fact, information about the ground is hard to come by before the arrival of Dundee East End F.C. in 1882. What we can tell you is that if you think well-known rivalries such as that between Liverpool and Everton are made more combustible because of the proximity of the two club’s grounds to each other, they’ve got nothing on the city of Dundee.
Tannadice Park can be found just 200 yards from Dens Park, the home of Dundee United’s city rivals, Dundee Football Club. They are the two senior football stadiums that are closest to each other in the entirety of the UK. Originally known as Clepington Park, admission was free until the site was taken over by Johnstone Wanderers and they made the decision to enclose it in order to charge an admission free from 1891 onwards.
Stats
| Tannadice Park Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Opened | 1870 |
| Capacity | 14223 |
| Average Attendance | 8408 |
| Record Attendance | 28000 (Dundee United v Barcelona (1966)) |
| Pitch Size | 100 x 66 (6600) |
| Former Name | Clepington Park |
| Owner | Dundee United F.C. |
| Sponsor | Calforth Construction |
| Clubs Hosted | Dundee East End, Dundee Violet, Johnstone Wanderers, Dundee Wanderers, Dundee United, Dundee United Juniors |
| First Fixture | Unknown |
| Dundee United Stats | |
|---|---|
| Year Founded | 1909 |
| Nickname | The Tangerines, The Terrors |
| Club Mascot | Terry the Terror |
| Rivals | Dundee, Aberdeen F.C., St. Johnstone |
| Kit | Orange & Black (Home) / White & Orange (Away) |
| Training Ground | Saint Andrews |
| Shirt Sponsor | Quinn Casino |
| Team Owner | Mark Ogren |
| Record Goalscorer | Peter McKay (203) |
| Record Appearances | David Narey (872) |
Tannadice Park Photos
Credit: Benson85 Wiki
Tannadice Park Seating Plan and Where to Sit
There are four individual stands at Tannadice Park. The George Fox Stand is two-tiered and runs along the side of the pitch, whilst opposite it are two stands that run into each other – The Jerry Kerr Stand and The Jim McLean Fair Play Stand. Behind one of the goals is the Eddie Thomspon Stand, which has two tiers and welcomes Dundee United’s most passionate fans. Behind the other goal is The West Stand, where opposition supporters are housed.
Dundee United Ticket Prices
Prices often change at Tannadice Park depending on the opposition. As an example, when Dundee United welcomed Aberdeen for a Premiership match in the 2021-2022 season seats in the Upper Tier were priced at £28 for adults, while concessions paid £15. There doesn’t seem to be any concrete information on how this is all controlled though.
How To Get Dundee United Tickets
As is the case with most football clubs in the modern era, the best way to get tickets is through the club’s website, although there is a £2.25 handling charge per ticket. There’s also a ticket shop on Tannadice Street that is open until kick-off on match days.
Where to Buy
Getting To Tannadice Park
Train – You can get to Dundee’s main railway station from most places on the UK mainland, though you might need to change at some point. Once there it’s a thirty minute walk to the ground.
Bus – Buses 1A and 22 will travel from the centre of Dundee to within a few minutes walk of the stadium.
Car – You’ll want the A90 until you reach the junction with the B960. Exit, get onto Arklay Street before getting onto Tanadice Street and keeping an eye out for the ground.
By Air – Domestic flights can land at Dundee Airport, nine miles from the city centre. Edinburgh Airport might be a safer bet, though, even if it is sixty miles away.
Taxi – A taxi from Dundee centre out to the ground will take less than ten minutes if the traffic’s clear enough and will cost you about £7+.
Parking Near Tannadice Park
There’s no parking at the ground but you might be able to find somewhere to leave your car on residential streets. Do be aware that parking restrictions have been introduced to a zone around the ground though, so you will have to park a good few streets away.
Useful Resources
- Parking - Just Park
Tannadice Park Hotels
As well as being the home of Captain Scott’s Antarctic expedition ship the RRS Discovery, Dundee is also home to some well placed hotels, take a look.
Holiday Inn Express Dundee - £50+
Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa - £70+
Malmaison Dundee - £85+
Pubs and Bars Near Tannadice Park
What’s that – you want a quick drink before the game? We’ve got you covered:
Tickety Boo’s
The Counting House
The Old Bank Bar
Facilities
You can get all of the usual bits and bobs at Tannadice Park, but the toilets at the away end have had some less than favourable reviews, so maybe nip to the loo in the pub before the game. Views are ok from almost everywhere, and all stands are at least partially covered.
Prices
- Programme: £3
- Pie: £1.9
- Cup of tea: £2.1
Hospitality
Tannadice Park isn’t the most luxurious of football stadiums but there are still some decent hospitality options available to you. The Premier Level has a warm and welcoming match day atmosphere, whilst The Centenary Club is where you’d want to go with business clients. Finally, The Captain’s Box is a family friendly area to enjoy before and after the game. All include various food/drink options, seating with the best views, and even club legend visits at Premier Level. There are some cool mascot packages available too if you want to spoil the kids.
Private Hire
The Hegarty Suite is the main area available for functions and meetings, and can comfortably hold up to 120 people. Birthdays, anniversaries, Christenings and funerals have all been held there in the past.
Stadium Tours & Museum
If you want to learn the history of the club and see areas of the stadium not usually available to members of the pubic then tours run sporadically. You will have to book in advance rather than just turning up on the day. There is no charge but donations are welcomed. There is also a virtual tour.
About Dundee United
Dundee United was formed in 1909 as Dundee Hibernian. They changed their name in 1923 and they are known by the nickname The Tangerines, on account of their orange kit, or The Terrors, on account of who knows what. Their supporters are known as The Arabs, so that might give you some idea of how off beat they are.
They have enjoyed a wee bit of success over the years, including being one of the handful of teams to have broken the Celtic – Rangers monopoly on the Scottish top-flight. They won the first division title in 1983 and have also won the Scottish Cup on two occasions. They missed out on the UEFA Cup in 1987 when IFK Göteborg beat them in the final and they made is as far as the semi-finals of the European Championships in 1984.
Tannadice Park History
The stadium was used by any number of local teams in the 19th century before Dundee East End started using it regularly in 1882. It has housed numerous Dundee-based teams over the years, including Dundee East End F.C., Dundee Violet F.C., Johnstone Wanderers F.C. and Dundee Wanderers F.C. It was when Dundee Hibernian, as United were then known, took over the ground in 1909 that things started to look up and it was given a significant facelift.
The biggest change in the ground’s history occurred at the start of the 1990s. The Taylor Report into The Hillsborough Disaster declared that all top-flight stadia in the UK should become all-seater affairs. At the time it only had 2252 seats despite its capacity of 22,310. The club considered ground-sharing with Dundee for a time but instead opted to develop Tannadice Park, building two new grandstands. The Fair Play Stand was added in 1997.
Future Developments
There are no major plans in place to develop Tannadice Park in the immediate future, although minor changes to cosmetic aspects and pitch upgrades are to be expected from time to time.