There was a point this season where I thought Dundee boss James McPake was a goner.
Now, before I start, I wasn’t happy about it. However, I was beginning to find it hard to argue with.
That point was a 2-0 defeat to Dunfermline at East End Park back in January.
It was, arguably, McPake’s darkest hour as Dee boss to date.
Of course, there have been two derby defeats and late collapses to Partick Thistle and Queen of the South under his watch.
But it was the manner in which the Dark Blues went about their business that Friday evening in Fife that made for such a sombre atmosphere.
Throughout the ‘contest’ they were meek, spineless, laboured – choose whatever negative adjective you like to describe Dundee that night, they were it.
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Fans were restless amid a three-game losing streak only compounded by the fact the Pars had lost their last five on the spin.
It would have been easy for the Dens Park hierarchy to pull the trigger on McPake with the Dark Blues teetering on the edge of the promotion play-offs and showing no sign of improving any time soon.
In fact, it was not out of the question that they would be in a battle at the wrong end of the table.
However, Tim Keyes and John Nelms showed patience – and credit to them for that.
Not only did the Dee board stand by their man, they wholeheartedly backed him in the January transfer window, with McPake’s late dealings starting to bear fruit.
Since that dark night in Dunfermline, Dundee are unbeaten in six and have registered five clean sheets in a row – half of their total shutouts this season.
On-loan Celtic goalkeeper Conor Hazard has been a big part of that, with the big Northern Irishman two clean sheets away from the club’s record for consecutive shutouts.
Christophe Berra, on loan from Hearts, has been a rock at the back, improving Jordon Forster and Josh Meekings in the process.
McPake deserves credit for his new 3-5-2 formation, too. The system is getting the best out of wing-backs Christie Elliott and Declan McDaid, with Shaun Byrne and Paul McGowan also shining.
With that solid base, goals look like they might start coming with Kane Hemmings feeling sharp once more and Dundee hunting Inverness in second spot.
As they prepare what lies ahead, there’s a very different feeling around Dens Park with James McPake seemingly here to stay…
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