Photo Copyright Matt Hooper 2022
28 MARCH, 2022 - SHANK MEDIA, BY MATT HOOPER: FOOTBALL IN DUNDEE HAS TURNED ON ITS HEAD OVER THE LAST 45 YEARS.
PRIOR TO 1980 THERE WAS LITTLE DOUBT WHICH THE BIGGST CLUB IN DUNDEE WAS, THAT WAS DUNDEE FC, OR THE DEE AS THEY ARE AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN BY THEIR FANS. DUNDEE FC WERE THE FIRST TEAM IN THE CITY TO WIN THE SCOTTISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP WHEN THEY TRIUMPHED OVER RANGERS AND CELTIC IN THE 1961-62 SCOTTISH DIVISION ONE SEASON. THEY SCORED 80 GOALS IN 34 LEAGUE GAMES AND THE CLUB WOULD ENJOY THE BEST PERIOD OF ITS HISTORY IN THE 1960'S.
IN THE FOLLOWING SEASON, REPRESENTING SCOTLAND AS CHAMPIONS IN THE EUROPEAN CUP, DUNDEE WOULD REACH THE SEMI-FINALS, DEFEATING COLOGNE, SPORTING LISBON AND ANDERLECHT ALONG THE WAY, BEFORE EXITING AT THE HANDS OF AC MILAN. THEY DID HOWEVER WIN THE SECOND LEG 1-0 AT DENS PARK. DUNDEE WOULD REACH A SECOND EUROPEAN SEMI- FINAL SOME 5 YEARS LATER WHEN THEY BEAT DWS, RFC Liegeois AND FC ZURICH TO REACH THE LAST FOUR OF THE INTER-CITIES FAIRS CUP, BEING NARROWLY BEATEN BY LEEDS UNITED.
BY THE 1977 SEASON DUNDEE FC HAD WON 1 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP, 1 SCOTTISH CUP, 3 SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUPS AND HAD REACHED 2 MAJOR EUROPEAN SEMI-FINALS. THE CLUB HAD ALSO SEEN ITS FANBASE GROW TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST IN SCOTLAND, WITH A RECORD CROWD OF 43,024 ATTENDING THE SCOTTISH CUP 2ND ROUND TIE BETWEEN DUNDEE AND RANGERS IN 1953.
DUNDEE WERE ALSO REGULAR CHALLENGERS FOR THE MAJOR HONOURS IN THIS PERIOD, REACHING AN ADDITIONAL 4 MAJOR CUP FINALS OVER A 25-YEAR PERIOD BETWEEN 1950 AND 1975. THE DEE ALSO FINISHED IN THE TOP 4 OF THE SCOTTISH LEAGUE ON 6 OCCASIONS. BUT THEN AS DECLINE SET IN, BEING RELEGATED IN 1976 AND 1980, THEIR NEAREST OF NEIGHBOURS WOULD ENJOY A RISE TO THE VERY TOP OF FOOTBALL IN A GOLDEN ERA LED BY JIM McLEAN. IN 1976 DUNDEE UNITED WERE BY FAR THE SMALLER CLUB, HAVING SPENT JUST 20 SEASONS IN THE TOP FLIGHT SINCE THEY WERE FOUNDED IN 1909. IN FACT, UNITED HAD NOT COME ANYWHERE NEAR WINNING ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF SILVERWARE PRIOR TO 1973, AND THE CLUB'S RECORD ATTENDANCE IS STILL ONLY 28,000, SOME 15,000 LESS THAN DUNDEE FC.
JIM MCLEAN WOULD OVERSEE A COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION OF THE CLUB, GUIDING THE TEAM TO THEIR FIRST LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1983 AND THEY WOULD ENJOY EUROPEAN ADVENTURES TO THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE 1984 EUROPEAN CUP, WHERE THEY WERE BEATEN BY LIVERPOOL, AND TO THE FINAL OF THE 1987 UEFA CUP, WHERE IFK GOTHENBURG BROKE THEIR HEARTS. THE CLUB WOULD WIN THE SCOTTISH CUP ONCE AND THE SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP TWICE, AS WELL AS FINISHING IN THE TOP 4 OF THE SCOTTISH LEAGUE ON 14 OCCASIONS DURING THE REIGN OF MCLEAN.
UNITED WOULD ALSO REACH THE SCOTTISH CUP AND SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP FINAL ON AN ADDITIONAL 8 TIMES IN THIS MOST GLORIOUS OF PERIODS IN THE HISTORY OF THE CLUB. AT THE SAME TIME DUNDEE FC WOULD BE RELEGATED 4 TIMES, AS THE FORTUNES OF THE TWO CLUBS FLIPPED COMPLETELY ON THEIR HEAD. NOW, IN 2022, THERE AREN'T MANY IMPARTIAL OBSERVERS WHO WOULD SAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN DUNDEE UNITED IS THE BIGGER CLUB, AND DESPITE THE ROMANTICISM OR NOSTALGIA OF THE TRADITIONALIST, THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT A MOVE TO A NEW STADIUM, AWAY FROM DENS PARK WOULD BENEFIT DUNDEE FC.
AND IT COULD ALSO HAVE BENEFITS FOR THEIR RIVALS, AND THE WHOLE CITY.
PRIOR TO 1980 THERE WAS LITTLE DOUBT WHICH THE BIGGST CLUB IN DUNDEE WAS, THAT WAS DUNDEE FC, OR THE DEE AS THEY ARE AFFECTIONATELY KNOWN BY THEIR FANS. DUNDEE FC WERE THE FIRST TEAM IN THE CITY TO WIN THE SCOTTISH LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP WHEN THEY TRIUMPHED OVER RANGERS AND CELTIC IN THE 1961-62 SCOTTISH DIVISION ONE SEASON. THEY SCORED 80 GOALS IN 34 LEAGUE GAMES AND THE CLUB WOULD ENJOY THE BEST PERIOD OF ITS HISTORY IN THE 1960'S.
IN THE FOLLOWING SEASON, REPRESENTING SCOTLAND AS CHAMPIONS IN THE EUROPEAN CUP, DUNDEE WOULD REACH THE SEMI-FINALS, DEFEATING COLOGNE, SPORTING LISBON AND ANDERLECHT ALONG THE WAY, BEFORE EXITING AT THE HANDS OF AC MILAN. THEY DID HOWEVER WIN THE SECOND LEG 1-0 AT DENS PARK. DUNDEE WOULD REACH A SECOND EUROPEAN SEMI- FINAL SOME 5 YEARS LATER WHEN THEY BEAT DWS, RFC Liegeois AND FC ZURICH TO REACH THE LAST FOUR OF THE INTER-CITIES FAIRS CUP, BEING NARROWLY BEATEN BY LEEDS UNITED.
BY THE 1977 SEASON DUNDEE FC HAD WON 1 LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP, 1 SCOTTISH CUP, 3 SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUPS AND HAD REACHED 2 MAJOR EUROPEAN SEMI-FINALS. THE CLUB HAD ALSO SEEN ITS FANBASE GROW TO BE ONE OF THE LARGEST IN SCOTLAND, WITH A RECORD CROWD OF 43,024 ATTENDING THE SCOTTISH CUP 2ND ROUND TIE BETWEEN DUNDEE AND RANGERS IN 1953.
DUNDEE WERE ALSO REGULAR CHALLENGERS FOR THE MAJOR HONOURS IN THIS PERIOD, REACHING AN ADDITIONAL 4 MAJOR CUP FINALS OVER A 25-YEAR PERIOD BETWEEN 1950 AND 1975. THE DEE ALSO FINISHED IN THE TOP 4 OF THE SCOTTISH LEAGUE ON 6 OCCASIONS. BUT THEN AS DECLINE SET IN, BEING RELEGATED IN 1976 AND 1980, THEIR NEAREST OF NEIGHBOURS WOULD ENJOY A RISE TO THE VERY TOP OF FOOTBALL IN A GOLDEN ERA LED BY JIM McLEAN. IN 1976 DUNDEE UNITED WERE BY FAR THE SMALLER CLUB, HAVING SPENT JUST 20 SEASONS IN THE TOP FLIGHT SINCE THEY WERE FOUNDED IN 1909. IN FACT, UNITED HAD NOT COME ANYWHERE NEAR WINNING ANYTHING SIGNIFICANT IN TERMS OF SILVERWARE PRIOR TO 1973, AND THE CLUB'S RECORD ATTENDANCE IS STILL ONLY 28,000, SOME 15,000 LESS THAN DUNDEE FC.
JIM MCLEAN WOULD OVERSEE A COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION OF THE CLUB, GUIDING THE TEAM TO THEIR FIRST LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP IN 1983 AND THEY WOULD ENJOY EUROPEAN ADVENTURES TO THE SEMI-FINALS OF THE 1984 EUROPEAN CUP, WHERE THEY WERE BEATEN BY LIVERPOOL, AND TO THE FINAL OF THE 1987 UEFA CUP, WHERE IFK GOTHENBURG BROKE THEIR HEARTS. THE CLUB WOULD WIN THE SCOTTISH CUP ONCE AND THE SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP TWICE, AS WELL AS FINISHING IN THE TOP 4 OF THE SCOTTISH LEAGUE ON 14 OCCASIONS DURING THE REIGN OF MCLEAN.
UNITED WOULD ALSO REACH THE SCOTTISH CUP AND SCOTTISH LEAGUE CUP FINAL ON AN ADDITIONAL 8 TIMES IN THIS MOST GLORIOUS OF PERIODS IN THE HISTORY OF THE CLUB. AT THE SAME TIME DUNDEE FC WOULD BE RELEGATED 4 TIMES, AS THE FORTUNES OF THE TWO CLUBS FLIPPED COMPLETELY ON THEIR HEAD. NOW, IN 2022, THERE AREN'T MANY IMPARTIAL OBSERVERS WHO WOULD SAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN DUNDEE UNITED IS THE BIGGER CLUB, AND DESPITE THE ROMANTICISM OR NOSTALGIA OF THE TRADITIONALIST, THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT A MOVE TO A NEW STADIUM, AWAY FROM DENS PARK WOULD BENEFIT DUNDEE FC.
AND IT COULD ALSO HAVE BENEFITS FOR THEIR RIVALS, AND THE WHOLE CITY.
Photo Copyright Matt Hooper 2022
LAST WEEK DUNDEE FC UNVEILED ARTISTS RENDERINGS OF THE PROPOSED NEW STADIUM FOR DUNDEE FC AT CAMPERDOWN PARK, AND TO MY EYE FOR BOTH THE CLUB AND THE CITY THIS IS A FANTASTIC OPPORTUNITY. I AM SURE DENS PARK USED TO BE A SUPERB PLACE TO WATCH FOOTBALL, BUT RIGHT NOW IT IS A SEMI-DERELICT MESS, AND THE AREA OUTWITH BOTH DENS AND TANNADICE COULD DO WITH A SERIOUS CLEANUP, AND THE MOVE WOULD SURELY HAVE BENEFITS FOR BOTH OF THE CLUBS, BOTH AREAS OF THE CITY, AND POTENTIALLY THE ENTIRE CITY ITSELF.
DUNDEE IS A GROWING CITY, AND PARTS OF IT ARE THRIVING LIKE NEVER BEFORE, WITH THE INCREDIBLE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT, WHICH HAS SEEN THE TRAIN STATION REBUILT, THE V&A OPEN, THE CITY QUAY COMPLETELY REDEVELOPED, AND THE E-SPORTS ARENA AND EDEN PROJECT TO COME. BUT THE PART OF THE CITY WHICH HOUSES BOTH FOOTBALL CLUBS IS IN MASSIVE NEED OF REGENERATION, AND DUNDEE FC MOVING TO CAMPERDOWN COULD BEGIN PART OF THIS REGENERATION IF THE CITY AND THE TWO FOOTBALL CLUBS CAN WORK TOGETHER.
DENS PARK FOOTBALL STADIUM SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH DENS PARK, A PARK FEATURING A GREEN SPACE FOR THE LOCALS, TREES, GARDENS, A COMMUNITY CENTRE, CAFE, DUNDEE FOOTBALL MUSEUM AND AN OPEN-AIR POOL WHICH IS OPEN DURING THE SPRING AND SUMMER MONTHS AND THEN USED AS AN ICE-RINK DURING THE WINTER AND CHRISTMAS PERIOD. THE DISUSED STEPS UP TO DENS PARK COULD BE REFURBISHED AND A SIGN OUTLINING DENS PARK WAS THE HOME OF DUNDEE FC COULD BE ERECTED, PERHAPS EVEN ALONG WITH A STATUE OF THE CLUB'S GREATEST PLAYER AND MANAGER, WHICH COULD BE VOTED UPON BY THE FANS OF DUNDEE FC. THE CHILDREN'S PLAY PARK WHICH CURRENTLY SITS AT THE REAR OF 'THE SHED' END OF TANNADICE PARK COULD BE MOVED TO THE NEW DENS PARK, AND THEN GIVE ROOM FOR DUNDEE UNITED TO COMPLETELY REBUILD TANNADICE AS A MAJOR STADIUM FOR THE CITY OF DUNDEE.
DUNDEE HAS A METROPOLITAN AREA POPULATION OF OVER 264,890, AND THIS WILL ONLY GROW OVER THE COMING YEARS AS THE CITY BECOMES MORE ATTRACTIVE TO LIVE AND WORK IN WITH THE VARIOUS DEVELOPMENTS WHICH ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY, AND IN AN INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND DUNDEE CAN BECOME A MAJOR CITY IN EUROPE. THE CITY AND TWO FOOTBALL CLUBS SHOULD BE POSITIONING THEMSELVES READY FOR THIS, AND THE CITY UNDOUBTEDLY NEEDS A STADIUM TO RIVAL THOSE IN GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH. WITH THE HUGE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT TRANSFORMING THAT PART OF THE CITY, THE TWO FOOTBALL CLUBS CAN TRANSFORM TWO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
DUNDEE IS A GROWING CITY, AND PARTS OF IT ARE THRIVING LIKE NEVER BEFORE, WITH THE INCREDIBLE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT, WHICH HAS SEEN THE TRAIN STATION REBUILT, THE V&A OPEN, THE CITY QUAY COMPLETELY REDEVELOPED, AND THE E-SPORTS ARENA AND EDEN PROJECT TO COME. BUT THE PART OF THE CITY WHICH HOUSES BOTH FOOTBALL CLUBS IS IN MASSIVE NEED OF REGENERATION, AND DUNDEE FC MOVING TO CAMPERDOWN COULD BEGIN PART OF THIS REGENERATION IF THE CITY AND THE TWO FOOTBALL CLUBS CAN WORK TOGETHER.
DENS PARK FOOTBALL STADIUM SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH DENS PARK, A PARK FEATURING A GREEN SPACE FOR THE LOCALS, TREES, GARDENS, A COMMUNITY CENTRE, CAFE, DUNDEE FOOTBALL MUSEUM AND AN OPEN-AIR POOL WHICH IS OPEN DURING THE SPRING AND SUMMER MONTHS AND THEN USED AS AN ICE-RINK DURING THE WINTER AND CHRISTMAS PERIOD. THE DISUSED STEPS UP TO DENS PARK COULD BE REFURBISHED AND A SIGN OUTLINING DENS PARK WAS THE HOME OF DUNDEE FC COULD BE ERECTED, PERHAPS EVEN ALONG WITH A STATUE OF THE CLUB'S GREATEST PLAYER AND MANAGER, WHICH COULD BE VOTED UPON BY THE FANS OF DUNDEE FC. THE CHILDREN'S PLAY PARK WHICH CURRENTLY SITS AT THE REAR OF 'THE SHED' END OF TANNADICE PARK COULD BE MOVED TO THE NEW DENS PARK, AND THEN GIVE ROOM FOR DUNDEE UNITED TO COMPLETELY REBUILD TANNADICE AS A MAJOR STADIUM FOR THE CITY OF DUNDEE.
DUNDEE HAS A METROPOLITAN AREA POPULATION OF OVER 264,890, AND THIS WILL ONLY GROW OVER THE COMING YEARS AS THE CITY BECOMES MORE ATTRACTIVE TO LIVE AND WORK IN WITH THE VARIOUS DEVELOPMENTS WHICH ARE HAPPENING ACROSS THE CITY, AND IN AN INDEPENDENT SCOTLAND DUNDEE CAN BECOME A MAJOR CITY IN EUROPE. THE CITY AND TWO FOOTBALL CLUBS SHOULD BE POSITIONING THEMSELVES READY FOR THIS, AND THE CITY UNDOUBTEDLY NEEDS A STADIUM TO RIVAL THOSE IN GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH. WITH THE HUGE WATERFRONT DEVELOPMENT TRANSFORMING THAT PART OF THE CITY, THE TWO FOOTBALL CLUBS CAN TRANSFORM TWO OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY.
DUNDEE UNITED COULD POTENTIALLY TURN TANNADICE PARK INTO A STADIUM SIMILAR TO THE Fritz-Walter-Stadion, IN THE CITY OF KAISERSLAUTERN, GERMANY. THIS 49,850 CAPACITY STADIUM HOSTED MATCHES AT THE 2006 FIFA WORLD CUP, AND I AM USING THIS EXAMPLE BECAUSE KAISERSLAUTERN'S POPULATION IS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN DUNDEE'S, PROVING THAT IT IS NOT UNREALISTIC TO BUILD A STADIUM WITH THAT SORT OF CAPACITY IN DUNDEE, EVEN IF IT MIGHT SEEM SILLY FOR A CLUB WHICH CURRENTLY AVERAGES UNDER 9,000 PER HOME GAME.
THE NEW TANNADICE COULD ATTRACT FUTURE RUGBY WORLD CUP MATCHES IF SCOTLAND EVER STAGED THE TOURNAMENT, AND WHO KNOWS, EVEN FUTURE FIFA WORLD CUP MATCHES IF THE UK AND IRELAND WERE TO STAGE THE EVENT. IT WOULD ALSO ENABLE DUNDEE TO BID TO HOST MAJOR FINALS INCLUDING THE UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL, UEFA EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE FINAL, UEFA WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL, EUROPEAN RUGBY CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL, AND EVEN SERVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE VENUE FOR THE SCOTLAND NATIONAL MEN'S AND WOMEN'S FOOTBALL TEAMS.
THE NEW TANNADICE COULD ATTRACT FUTURE RUGBY WORLD CUP MATCHES IF SCOTLAND EVER STAGED THE TOURNAMENT, AND WHO KNOWS, EVEN FUTURE FIFA WORLD CUP MATCHES IF THE UK AND IRELAND WERE TO STAGE THE EVENT. IT WOULD ALSO ENABLE DUNDEE TO BID TO HOST MAJOR FINALS INCLUDING THE UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE FINAL, UEFA EUROPA CONFERENCE LEAGUE FINAL, UEFA WOMEN'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL, EUROPEAN RUGBY CHAMPIONS CUP FINAL, AND EVEN SERVE AS AN ALTERNATIVE VENUE FOR THE SCOTLAND NATIONAL MEN'S AND WOMEN'S FOOTBALL TEAMS.
Photo Copyright Matt Hooper 2022
THE MOVE TO CAMPERDOWN COULD OPEN NEW DOORS FOR DUNDEE FC TOO, AND UNLOCK A NEW FANBASE IN ADDITION TO THE ONE IT HAS NOW. THE PLANS ARE FOR A 15,000 SEATER STADIUM AND will also include an 850-plus capacity conference venue, a 120-bed hotel, and leisure and retail offerings. RIGHT NOW THE TWO CLUBS ARE SEPARATED BY A MERE FEW HUNDRED METRES, AND WHILST THE TRADITIONALISTS MAY WANT THAT TO REMAIN THAT WAY FOREVER, A MOVE OF JUST OVER 3 MILES COULD PROVE TO BE A GIGANTIC LEAP FOR DUNDEE FC, DUNDEE UNITED AND THE CITY OF DUNDEE.
