This rare item is a memento from Dundee's 1953 South Africa Tour. Being in SA for 2 months meant that the team attended many civic receptions in the cities they visited and during those occasions this commemorative medal was presented.Big thanks to Paul Smith.
8 weeks Dundee FC were in South Africa for their summer '53 tour - 16th May to 15th July. This was one of the Dee's legendary squads with players like Billy Steel, Alfie Boyd, Doug Cowie and Bobby Flavell, to name just a few, who were involved.They played a total of 17 games - Won 15 - Drew 1 & Lost 1, and scored a whopping 70 goals along the way!Some of the tour was captured on cine and the silent footage below is an example of what was shot in Johannesburg at the Rand Stadium on 11th July '53.It's difficult to make out who's who during the match action but it does show the occasion very well and gives a good insight into just how popular the Dundee tour was.Goalscorers in this game were - Flavell 3 - Turnbull and Zeising.
Alan Cousin was at Dens from 1955 to 1965, and as a consequence, has him in Dundee's top 10 longest serving players of all time with a whopping 384 appearances. Being a striker, he has also banged in rather a lot of goals in his time - 141 to be precise - the club's 4th highest scorer. He was the Dees top scorer 3 seasons on the trot - 1957/58 - 1958/59 - 1959/60. The era he played saw him win the Scottish League title in 1962 and take part in the following famous European Cup run. In 1959 he represented Scotland twice at international level.The above photo was taken in his final year with Dundee in 1965.
This publication goes back to August 1959. The headline refers to the previous season when DFC finished 4th in the League and had a great time on their tour of USA. By the time this team photo appeared on the cover though, keeper Brown had moved onto Spurs.There is also a bit of a slip-up with Ian Ure's name as they have it down as I.Ove.
This ticket is from Dundee's tour of North America in 1959. The Dee played 10 games in total - 8 in USA and 2 in Canada. The ticket on show is from the game at Vancouver's Empire Stadium on 30th May.I don't know how much booze the squad consumed before the evening kick-off but we got crushed 7-1, with West Brom being the only team to beat Dundee during the tour.Overall, we won 6 - drew 2 and lost 2, both defeats by the Baggies.
Billy Steel signed for Dundee in 1950. He scored in his debut game against Aberdeen and from then on the wee wizard achieved legend status for the remaining 130 games he played for the Club. His influence had a powerful impact on the team as he inspired the Dees to lift the Scottish League Cup 2 years on the trot, in 1951 & 1952. His talents were also in demand for the Scottish National team with 13 full caps earned during his 4 years at Dens. His last game for Dundee was in April 1954, and although he departed to live in the USA his legend lives on at Dens Park to this day where they have a Lounge named after him in his honour.For a more in-depth insight into his life, I recommend a book titled "Billy Steel - Scotland's little maestro" by Bob MacAlindin.And below is a wee Billy Steel tribute video for your viewing pleasure!.
I've been on a few "football specials" in my time, buses and trains, but back in the 50's (before my time!), Dundee used to have trams to do the job. This was when Dens attracted crowds of 20 to 30,000 regularly.On match day, around 20 extra trams were laid on to take fans from Albert Square up to Dens. After dropping the crowd off at the ground, the trams would then turn around at a point in Moncur Crescent and trundle back down to the city centre to pick up some more supporters. This shuttle service would operate up until kick-off, then the trams would wait outside Dens until the game was over to take the fans back down town.Below is some rare footage of the Dens Park football specials in full flow.
This rare item is a programme from Dundee's tour of USA & Canada back in 1959. The tour lasted a month, mid May to mid June, and during the tour the Dees had many encounters with local teams as well as playing a couple games against clubs from Europe. One was Legia Warsaw (Poland), a 3-3 draw played in New York, and the other was England's West Bromwich Albion. As a matter of fact, DFC and West Brom played each other 3 times during this tour, twice in Canada, and this game (above) in New York. The above match took place at Ebbets Field, the home stadium of the famous Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team. A crowd of 21,000 attended the game which ended in a 2-2 draw.
This rare item is a memento from Dundee's 1953 South Africa Tour. Being in SA for 2 months meant that the team attended many civic receptions in the cities they visited and during those occasions this commemorative medal was presented.
8 weeks Dundee FC were in South Africa for their summer '53 tour - 16th May to 15th July. 
Alan Cousin was at Dens from 1955 to 1965, and as a consequence, has him in Dundee's top 10 longest serving players of all time with a whopping 384 appearances. Being a striker, he has also banged in rather a lot of goals in his time - 141 to be precise - the club's 4th highest scorer. He was the Dees top scorer 3 seasons on the trot - 1957/58 - 1958/59 - 1959/60. The era he played saw him win the Scottish League title in 1962 and take part in the following famous European Cup run. In 1959 he represented Scotland twice at international level.
This publication goes back to August 1959. The headline refers to the previous season when DFC finished 4th in the League and had a great time on their tour of USA. 
This ticket is from Dundee's tour of North America in 1959. The Dee played 10 games in total - 8 in USA and 2 in Canada. The ticket on show is from the game at Vancouver's Empire Stadium on 30th May.
Billy Steel signed for Dundee in 1950. He scored in his debut game against Aberdeen and from then on the wee wizard achieved legend status for the remaining 130 games he played for the Club. His influence had a powerful impact on the team as he inspired the Dees to lift the Scottish League Cup 2 years on the trot, in 1951 & 1952. His talents were also in demand for the Scottish National team with 13 full caps earned during his 4 years at Dens. His last game for Dundee was in April 1954, and although he departed to live in the USA his legend lives on at Dens Park to this day where they have a Lounge named after him in his honour.
I've been on a few "football specials" in my time, buses and trains, but back in the 50's (before my time!), Dundee used to have trams to do the job. This was when Dens attracted crowds of 20 to 30,000 regularly.
This rare item is a programme from Dundee's tour of USA & Canada back in 1959. The tour lasted a month, mid May to mid June, and during the tour the Dees had many encounters with local teams as well as playing a couple games against clubs from Europe. One was Legia Warsaw (Poland), a 3-3 draw played in New York, and the other was England's West Bromwich Albion. As a matter of fact, DFC and West Brom played each other 3 times during this tour, twice in Canada, and this game (above) in New York. The above match took place at Ebbets Field, the home stadium of the famous Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team. A crowd of 21,000 attended the game which ended in a 2-2 draw.
