Despite injury, there was no stopping Charlie Adam leading out Dundee as captain for the first time at Easter Road.
Manager James McPake has revealed the chat about the midfielder’s dead leg before the cup clash at Hibs lasted around five seconds before Adam made it clear he was determined to play.
With club captain Jordan McGhee on the bench, Adam took the armband for the game in the capital.
After the 1-0 defeat to Hibs, Adam referred to his late father Charlie in a heartfelt post on Twitter: “Never did I think I would get the opportunity to play for the club I supported as a kid but to walk out as captain meant everything to me today.
“I know 1 person who would have shed a few tears watching.”
And Dens boss McPake has hailed the former Rangers, Liverpool and Stoke man’s character for playing through the pain.
McPake said: “I thought Charlie was great in the game again despite playing with a knock.
“He had a painful dead leg. They can be restrictive and cause you bother but he wanted to play.
“He just loves this football club and it was an honour for him leading the team out.
“I was made aware of what he tweeted and it is great to hear that from someone who has played at the very top.
“It means so much for him to play for Dundee, to lead the club and score for Dundee.
Never did I think I would get the opportunity to play for the club I supported as a kid but to walk out as captain meant everything to me today. I know 1 person who would have shed a few tears watching. @DundeeFC
— Charlie Adam (@Charlie26Adam) November 28, 2020
“He has been excellent since he came in and I can’t speak highly enough of his attitude, his drive, his desire to work hard every day and even to play through injury.
“There was no way we could talk him out of playing. We didn’t even try. We had a five-second conversation with him and knew there was no way he was going to miss out.
“That’s the characters we need at this club.”
Adam looked in pain in the final few minutes at Easter Road but is expected to be fine for next Saturday’s home league match with Arbroath.
Boss McPake will also have more striking options to choose from with Danny Mullen back after a stint of self-isolation after coming into close contact with a positive case of Covid-19.
The former St Mirren and Livingston frontman returned to training yesterday.
Jonathan Afolabi, meanwhile, hobbled off against Hibs after a couple of weeks out previously with a hamstring complaint.
Dundee are hopeful they’ll have him fit and ready to go against the Red Lichties while goalkeeper Adam Legzdins is still recovering from the calf injury that kept him out against Hibs.
“Afolabi will be alright,” said McPake.
“His hamstring tightened up a wee bit again. He was maybe about 80% going into the game but again showed the character to want to play but we weren’t going to risk anything when he went down.
“Danny Mullen is back which is a massive bonus.
“Adam Legzdins potentially could be OK. There is a minor tear in his calf. He’ll be touch and go.”
