PROMOTION 2014

Top marks for a top notch season and a top flight return.

THE SPL IN TWA THOUSAND AND TWEL'

Feel free to use this graphic for anything if you need an illustration to help celebrate the Dees getting back into the SPL - T-shirts, badges and so on.
Click it to get the large version.

GELLATLY WITH THE GOODS

This is DFC Chairman, James Gellatly, keeping a close eye on the Scottish League Championship trophy in 1962.
Wonder how much the club spent on Duraglit that year?!

3 CHEERS FOR US!!!

In contrast to the photo I posted in my December 2008 Archives of the team in a formal pose with the Scottish League cup, here's the squad on the night they won it. They'll have downed a few bottles of champagne at the Angus Hotel by the time this picture was snapped!!
Photo by DC Thomson.

SETTING SIGHTS ON PROMOTION

If there is 1 target we all want to see Dundee hit this season, then it has to be the return to the SPL.
And all going well, the Dee will be BANG ON!!

DFC IN THE NEWSPAPERS: #2 - 1962

DC Thomson went to town on this issue of the Sporting Post dated Saturday 28 April 1962, the day Dundee won the Scottish League. 2 goals by Gilzean and 1 from Penman got us the victory at Muirton against St.Johnstone, and thus Dee history was made.
They no longer publish the Sporting Post but I still remember hanging around our newsagent as a young lad in the 60's & 70's, a couple of hours after the Saturday football had finished, and a queue would be waiting ready to pounce on the bundle of Posts chucked onto the pavement from the passing delivery van.
The wee slide show below gives you a few shots of the inside of this issue.
Music is provided by The Shadows, a track aptly titled "Wonderful Life", which was number 1 in the charts on this day.

THE DEES CHRISTMAS #1 - 1973

Slade were top of the charts in December 1973 when Dundee were top of the stairs in Hampden collecting their League Cup winners medals. Every year since, when I hear that #1 tune "Merry Christmas Everybody" blasting out during December, I always remember the #1 team in the '73 Final.
Below is some rare footage of the extended version of the medal ceremony where every DFC player gets a mention in a roll-call of honour.

DUNDEE'S LEAGUE CUP WIN - 1973

It was 35 years ago today Dundee won the Scottish League Cup. 15th December 1973 was the big day and it was a match I was at. I'd be aged 15.
I remember making a customised scarf for the special occasion. I came up with the idea of adding the words "DUNDEE FC" to my regular dark blue scarf, so what I did was get on old white pillowcase, cut all the letters out from it then painstakingly sew them all onto the scarf. Took me all evening but the end result was pretty smart!
We Dundonians were up against the odds that day - Celtic being in their 9 in-a-row season. We were up against the elements too - the atrocious winter weather nearly had the game cancelled, and we were up against the government - there were power cuts and transport strikes all over Scotland. Despite all that was chucked at us, we still came out on top.
Here below is a wee film that gives a glimpse as to what the Dees trip to Hampden was like on the day we beat the odds!
Photo by DC Thomson.

IRVINE'S DERBY HEADLINES - 1999

Here's a snap of the Sunday Post dated 2nd May 1999 showing details of the previous days match at Tannadice in which the Dees won 2-0.
Below is an extra wee reminder of the goals, one by Brian Irvine and one by James Grady.

DUNDEE BRING HOME THE LEAGUE CUP - 1973

Saturday evening, 15th December 1973, and here is Gordon Wallace parading the Scottish League Cup on returning back to Dundee from Glasgow. It was of course Wallace who netted the winning goal at Hampden, against Celtic, that won us the trophy.
You can't tell from this photo just how awful the weather was that Saturday, but I was one of the one's who braved the horrendous conditions to travel through on the day to watch the final. Then again, we didn't really notice the weather after the final whistle went!
Also in the picture is, George Stewart centre and Bobby Ford on the right.
Photo by DC Thomson.Tints by GG.

PAT LINEY TO THE RESCUE

This moody shot was taken during a cold & frosty game at Ibrox on 9th Feb 1960. It ended 0-0. Here, Dundee keeper, Pat Liney, makes sure the Dee leave Glasgow with a clean sheet. Rangers and Dundee finished the season 3 & 4th respectively, both on 42 points.
Photo by The Scotsman.Tints by GG.

DFC's EARLIEST MATCH FOOTAGE

The Dee feature on the earliest known footage of a Scottish League game ever to be caught on camera. Filmed at Dens Park in 1911, (which means Dundee were the present Scottish Cup holders at the time), it captures a match against Raith Rovers. As for the result, well you'll have to watch the wee video to find out...!!
DFC are the 2nd team running onto the pitch, in the slightly darker shorts.
Photos by DC Thomson.

1997/98 CHAMPIONS PRESENTATION

Over 8,000 turned out at Dens to celebrate DFC being crowned First Division Champions on 18th April 1998. The 2 images above show the team being presented with the trophy in the centre of the pitch, surrounded by camera crews and press. The game itself was against Ayr Utd and finished 1-1. Technically, we won the League the week before at Raith Rovers.
Click on the image to enlarge.