By Graeme Dey

DUNDEE CHIEF executive Dave MacKinnon last night hit out at the Scottish Football League for scheduling the first round of the Challenge Cup on Saturday, July 26.

And St Johnstone managing director Stuart Duff claimed the decision hadn’t been thought through.

MacKinnon revealed the Dark Blues were in the process of organising a friendly with opposition from the English Premiership—understood to be Everton—for that date when news of the SFL’s Challenge Cup plans was conveyed to them in an Email.

And being denied the chance to welcome a top side to Dens, with the potential accompanying financial fillip that would provide has incensed the Dundee supremo.

“I’m livid to be honest and I’ve told the League that,” said MacKinnon.

“What’s particularly annoying is that this was done without any consultation with the clubs.

“The weekend before the league season starts traditionally is one that teams, particularly in the first division, set aside for lucrative friendlies.

“And we were in talks with a club from the Premiership over a game here.

“But we are not alone in being unhappy. I know of another first division side who had arranged and booked hotels for a mini tour of the Highlands that weekend and are now faced with cancelling those plans.”

Challenge Cup holders St Johnstone haven’t been caught out as they’d informally sounded out the League about a likely start date for the new campaign around two months ago.

However, Duff reckons the SFL have got it wrong.

“This decision from the League Management Committee has been poorly thought out and I’ve made my views known, politely, to David Longmuir,” he said.

“They are staging the first round at a time when lots of people are on holiday so you won’t get crowds, clubs will now be starting their programme of pre-season friendlies even earlier and part-time teams who only begin paying players from the first competitive game will be faced with having to find another week’s worth of wages.”

Despite missing out on a money spinning conclusion to the pre-season build up, Dundee have arranged three decent home friendlies.

On Tuesday, July 15 they’ll host Aberdeen, on Sunday, 20th, Wolves will be at Dens and the following Wednesday, subject to confirmation, Bradford City will be the visitors.

MacKinnon, meanwhile, refused to comment on speculation linking him with the general manager vacancy at Livingston.

Dundee’s chief executive is reputed to have been short listed for the job by owner Pearse Flynn. It’s understood, though, that as a director and Dark Blues shareholder he is happy to stay put.