By Stefan Morkis

DUNDEE AND Dundee United have blasted claims by Rangers chairman David Murray that sectarian rivalry between the two clubs is as bad as the Old Firm’s.

The two clubs took the unusual step of releasing a joint statement yesterday afternoon in response to Mr Murray’s allegations.

United director of communications Derek Robertson has also vowed to raise the issue with Mr Murray when his team travel to Ibrox to play Rangers in their re-arranged fixture tomorrow, a match that was postponed as a mark of respect after the death of United chairman Eddie Thompson.

Mr Robertson said there was no history of sectarianism between the two Dundee clubs and that Mr Murray’s comments were “a classic case of deflection” after Rangers supporters were criticised for singing The Famine Song.

The club was also investigated by UEFA in 2006 after fans were reported for bigoted chanting following a Champions League match in Spain, although the club was eventually cleared.

Mr Murray claims Rangers have made strenuous efforts to stamp out sectarianism, but has now said his team are being made scapegoats for a Scotland-wide problem.

In an interview with a Sunday newspaper he said comments on unofficial fan websites of both Dundee teams were equally as bad as those on Rangers and Celtic fan sites but the problem was ignored.

However, this has provoked an angry rebuke from both the Tangerines and the Dark Blues.

Mr Robertson said, “There is no history of any sectarian abuse or feeling within the city of Dundee whatsoever and certainly not between the two football clubs.

“I can’t speak for any individuals who spout rubbish on websites—it is the same with any forum, a lot of comments are just puerile—but I am not aware of sectarian history between the two clubs. For David Murray to make these comments before we travel to Ibrox is ridiculous and I’ll be speaking to him about it.”

Mr Robertson also pointed out that research carried out by Strathclyde University on behalf of the anti-sectarian charity Nil By Mouth in 2005 showed sectarian abuse centred on Celtic and Rangers.

“They looked at the Old Firm and then the fan sites of four control clubs—Dundee, Dundee United, Liverpool and Everton—presumably because of their history of Irish immigration,” he said.

“Their conclusion was that sectarian abuse was particular to the Old Firm.”

Dundee chief executive Dave MacKinnon, who played for Rangers in the 1980s, also dismissed Mr Murray’s claims.

“The club is not in control of these website forums but having played for one half of the Old Firm I think Dundee and Dundee United fans have a totally different relationship compared to Rangers and Celtic fans,” he said.

l Continued on Page 10.