My brother managed to get Alan Gilzean's autograph just a few months before he was transferred to Spurs. Gillie sent this photo (which he autographed on the back), along with this wee letter. Dated 9 June 1964 it reads - "Sorry to have taken so long to answer your letter, unfortunately I have fallen behind with my fan mail - thus the delay. Enclosed is an autographed photo & trust you will support Dundee in the future."Aye...still supporting them!
What a goal machine oor Gillie was. I think he tops just about every goals record Dundee has. Here's the lowdown on his statistics:TOP OVERALL SCORER - 169 goals in 190 games.TOP SCORER IN 1 SEASON - 52 goals in 1963/64.TOP EUROPEAN SCORER - 9 goals.TOP SCORER IN 1 GAME - 7 goals against Q.O.S. in 1962.TOP SUCCESSIVE SCORER - 7 goals in 7 consecutive games.TOP HAT-TRICK SCORER - 17 hat-tricks. Amazing...I'd like to see someone TOP THAT..!!
Just some of the players who have lent their names to the cause.Click on the image to enlarge, and feel free to download the graphic to do your own thing with.
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.
It all started with "Blue Nose Day" and passing the buckets around Dens Park. 5 years later, Dee4Life fundraising has reached almost half a million pounds. Having also achieved a seat on the Dens board and a shareholding in the club, Dee4Life Trust have funded many projects over the years. Here below is a wee reminder of just one of them... and a big round of applause to everyone who has contributed to the cause.
Satirical magazine, Private Eye, run a column called Colemanballs. It contains examples of sentences that don't make any sense that have been used in the media, usually during a sports commentary, or in interviews. They are named after David Coleman who was always coming out with such gaffs in his commentaries.Well here is the one when our own Jim Duffy made the sports hall of infamy, when he came out with this little ditty about Novo in 2003.
It's not often goalies win awards, but here is Thomson Allan having just received the Player of the Year trophy for the 1973/74 season. Not only was he on top form for Dundee that season but he was also capped for Scotland and was in the Scottish squad that went to Germany for the 1974 World Cup.The trophy was presented by the Dee Club.Photo by DC Thomson.
The 29th August 2003 and Dundee are drawn out of the bowl to play Perugia in the UEFA Cup. The draw took place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, Monaco.Photo by Getty Images.
This chant was very popular at Dens in the 70's and always good for a laugh. A chorus of "Spot the looney" would be triggered when one of the opposition would do something stupid like miss a penalty, or when one of their supporters was seen being escorted out the ground by police. The song would also be accompanied by everyone pointing to the culprit.The origin of the chant goes back to the 11th January 1973 when the "Spot the looney" comedy sketch was first broadcast on tv in the madcap series Monty Python's Flying Circus.The tune used was a #1 pop hit by Chicory Tip called "Son of my father" which charted in 1972.Here below is a clip of the original Python sketch along with a wee karaoke using the original tune.Photo by The Scotsman.Tints by GG.
Defeated Anderlecht players leave the pitch as jubilant Dundee supporters invade it. This was the night of the European Cup Quarter Final, 2nd leg on 6th March 1963. Dundee winning 2-1 (6-2 aggregate), in front of a whopping 40,000 at Dens.Photo by The Scotsman.Tints by GG.
Half a century of Dee players grouped together for the ultimate team photo!Click on image to enlarge and download.
For all who collect Dundee FC programmes, this one is considered to be the most prized. It is of course from the day we became Scottish League Champions at Muirton Park against St Johnstone on 28th April 1962.Probably difficult to find one for less than £100 these days.
The last time there were over 30,000 at Dens Park was on 18th March 1974. It was a Scottish Cup Quarter Final replay against Hibs. Dees winning 3-0. I remember going in at the Sandeman Street turnstiles to go to my usual Derry enclosure spot. The crowd was so densely packed that I physically couldn't move any further than the Provie Road end, and so had to settle for watching the game behind the goal. Jocky Scott was on top form that night, but unfortunately, all 3 goals were scored at the TC Keay end..!! Some night though.The photo above from the match shows Thomson Allan jumping for joy with all the action down at the other end of the park.Photo by The Scotsman.Tints by GG.
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.
Here is the original 1962 Scottish League Champions flag that used to be flown over Dens Park. Now it is framed, preserved for posterity. It is still on display, but away from the elements, in the Bobby Cox Stand.
MAKE SOME NOISE..!!
Goalmouth action at Dens, as Dundee go on the attack during the European Cup 2nd round, 2nd leg tie against Portuguese champs, Sporting Lisbon. Gilzean, on the the right of the picture, scored a hat trick that night, with Cousin heading in the other, in front of a crowd of 32,000.Photo by The Scotsman.Tints by GG.
My brother took this picture of the Dee Club banner in Paris, 1998. The lads weren't there for a Dundee FC fixture though, they were there as part of the Tartan Army for the Scotland v Brazil World Cup tie. As good a reason as any to have a bit of fun and flaunt the flag!
Here's a bit of fun you can have with your mates down the pub using a mobile, or at school with a calculator. It's called THE DEE SHIRT CHALLENGE. Here are the instructions you will need to get them to do...."Put in the number on Ian Ure's shirt"."Put in alongside it the number on Claudio Caniggia's shirt"."Multiply that figure by the number on Billy Steel's shirt".Ask, "what do they all have in common?"Then get them to turn the mobile/calculator upside down and read it.To help you, view the video below...it works!
This is the oldest aerial shot of Dens Park I have. The picture was taken on 11 Sept 1922. As you can see, the ground is situated on, what was then, the edge of the city limits. Very sparse North of Dens and to the left, where todays tenements in Provost Road & Moncur Crescent are, there was a football pitch. Must have been quite a slope to play futba on!5 days after this photo was taken, the Dees beat Partick Thistle 1-0 at Dens, in front of 17,000.Click on image to enlarge.
My brother managed to get Alan Gilzean's autograph just a few months before he was transferred to Spurs. Gillie sent this photo (which he autographed on the back), along with this wee letter. Dated 9 June 1964 it reads - "Sorry to have taken so long to answer your letter, unfortunately I have fallen behind with my fan mail - thus the delay. Enclosed is an autographed photo & trust you will support Dundee in the future."
What a goal machine oor Gillie was. I think he tops just about every goals record Dundee has. Here's the lowdown on his statistics:
Just some of the players who have lent their names to the cause.
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.
It all started with "Blue Nose Day" and passing the buckets around Dens Park. 5 years later, Dee4Life fundraising has reached almost half a million pounds. Having also achieved a seat on the Dens board and a shareholding in the club, Dee4Life Trust have funded many projects over the years. Here below is a wee reminder of just one of them... and a big round of applause to everyone who has contributed to the cause.
Satirical magazine, Private Eye, run a column called Colemanballs. It contains examples of sentences that don't make any sense that have been used in the media, usually during a sports commentary, or in interviews. They are named after David Coleman who was always coming out with such gaffs in his commentaries.
It's not often goalies win awards, but here is Thomson Allan having just received the Player of the Year trophy for the 1973/74 season. Not only was he on top form for Dundee that season but he was also capped for Scotland and was in the Scottish squad that went to Germany for the 1974 World Cup.
The 29th August 2003 and Dundee are drawn out of the bowl to play Perugia in the UEFA Cup. The draw took place at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, Monaco.
This chant was very popular at Dens in the 70's and always good for a laugh. A chorus of "Spot the looney" would be triggered when one of the opposition would do something stupid like miss a penalty, or when one of their supporters was seen being escorted out the ground by police. The song would also be accompanied by everyone pointing to the culprit.
Defeated Anderlecht players leave the pitch as jubilant Dundee supporters invade it. This was the night of the European Cup Quarter Final, 2nd leg on 6th March 1963. Dundee winning 2-1 (6-2 aggregate), in front of a whopping 40,000 at Dens.
Half a century of Dee players grouped together for the ultimate team photo!
For all who collect Dundee FC programmes, this one is considered to be the most prized. It is of course from the day we became Scottish League Champions at Muirton Park against St Johnstone on 28th April 1962.
The last time there were over 30,000 at Dens Park was on 18th March 1974. It was a Scottish Cup Quarter Final replay against Hibs. Dees winning 3-0. I remember going in at the Sandeman Street turnstiles to go to my usual Derry enclosure spot. The crowd was so densely packed that I physically couldn't move any further than the Provie Road end, and so had to settle for watching the game behind the goal. Jocky Scott was on top form that night, but unfortunately, all 3 goals were scored at the TC Keay end..!! Some night though.
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...!!
Here is the original 1962 Scottish League Champions flag that used to be flown over Dens Park. Now it is framed, preserved for posterity. It is still on display, but away from the elements, in the Bobby Cox Stand. 
Goalmouth action at Dens, as Dundee go on the attack during the European Cup 2nd round, 2nd leg tie against Portuguese champs, Sporting Lisbon. Gilzean, on the the right of the picture, scored a hat trick that night, with Cousin heading in the other, in front of a crowd of 32,000.
Here's a bit of fun you can have with your mates down the pub using a mobile, or at school with a calculator. It's called THE DEE SHIRT CHALLENGE. Here are the instructions you will need to get them to do....
This is the oldest aerial shot of Dens Park I have. The picture was taken on 11 Sept 1922. As you can see, the ground is situated on, what was then, the edge of the city limits. Very sparse North of Dens and to the left, where todays tenements in Provost Road & Moncur Crescent are, there was a football pitch. Must have been quite a slope to play futba on!
