THEY might not have beaten either half of the Old Firm at Dens Park since 1992, but Dundee perhaps felt permitted to emit a degree of confidence yesterday prior to hosting Rangers in a Co-Operative Insurance Cup quarter-final tie.
Top of the First Division and preparing to erect the 'sold out' signs at Dens Park for the first since the Ivano Bonetti era, the only blight on the landscape for Dundee yesterday was a loose-tongued director.
Callum Melville's revelation to a l
ocal reporter on Sunday that the club were preparing to bid £500,000 for Dundee United's Scott Robertson, who joined United from Dens two summers ago, caused fans of both clubs to splutter into their cornflakes yesterday morning.
It was regarded by some as the most aggressive act seen on Tannadice Street since then Dundee chairman Angus Cook's attempt to take-over United in 1991. Jocky Scott, however, did not seek to inflame the situation.
The Dundee manager yesterday made it clear that Melville had simply allowed his enthusiasm to get the better of him. As far as he is concerned, there will be no move to bring the midfielder back to Dens.
"Having now worked with Callum for a few months I do know he is not trying to stir things," he said. "There is no malice or any attempt to tap players. He is just so engrossed in things and gets involved and possibly ends up saying too much."
"I certainly would not be bidding £500,000 for Scott Robertson. There definitely will not be a bid going in."
The row overshadowed the countdown to a game which has captured the imagination of the public. Dundee reported that only a few hundred tickets remained available yesterday morning, with local supporters perhaps sensing that tonight could be the night their side can again celebrate a win against Rangers at Dens.
Not since August 1992, and a titanic 4-3 victory, have Dundee defeated the Ibrox side at home.
Walter Smith described it as the worst performance since he replaced Graeme Souness, and the Rangers manager is back in place this evening for a match at Dens Park. It is his first return to the stadium in a working capacity since his initial spell at Ibrox, and succour in these trying times will be granted by the sight of a friendly face in the home dug-out.
Scott, his opposite number, is an old friend stretching back to the days when they played against each other in "wee derbies" in the mid-1960s, while reserves at Dundee and United. They both graduated to the first-team at their clubs, Scott with rather more success at Dundee. But they were not always on opposite sides.
The pair played alongside Jim McLean, Gordon Wallace, Archie Knox and former Forfar Athletic goalkeeper Davie Nicholl in an all conquering five a-side team, complete with substitute. "We remain unbeaten to this day," smiled Scott yesterday.
The Dundee manager, who has no fresh injury worries following the 2-1 win over Raith Rovers on Saturday, feels for Smith in these currently trying times, but not just because they are close. "I sympathise with any manager's problems," he said. "The job, regardless of which club you are with, is not easy, but obviously it is a lot harder if you are with one of the big two. He is handling it the best he can. When your hands are tied it makes your job doubly difficult."
