Dundee boss James McPake knows the pain of losing in the Premiership play-offs.
And he’s determined to do everything he can to help his players avoid a similar fate this season.
The Dens boss is currently preparing his Dark Blues for next week’s semi-final against the winner of Dunfermline and Raith Rovers.
Thanks to a last day win at Queen of the South, finishing second has afforded the Dark Blues 12 days to prepare for that game.
It is time McPake has said will benefit his squad in shaking off any injury “niggles”.
However, he has different feelings over the wait his Hibernian side had to endure back in 2013/14.
Though sitting out due to a long-term injury, McPake was club captain at Easter Road as Hibs finished in 11th place in the Premiership.
There was no swift turnaround into play-off football for the top flight side in those days, though.
An 11-day gap awaited the Hibees as they watched Falkirk and Hamilton thrash it out in the semi-final.
Accies would win that and then come from 2-0 down to beat McPake’s team-mates on penalties.
That made Alex Neil’s side the first Championship side to secure promotion through the modern play-off system.
‘It was a devastating day’
McPake remembers the hurt felt at Easter Road that day only too well and wants to avoid any sort of repeat at Dens Park this season.
He said: “I was at Hibs when they were in the play-offs against Hamilton but I didn’t play in the games as I was just returning after back surgery.
“It was a long wait for the games which was tough while the other teams were playing.
“This season, the Premiership teams will all be playing right up to the play-off final whereas in other seasons they have not.
“But the negative side to that is there might be a massive disappointment for one of them on the Sunday and then they need to go on the Thursday night again.
“So what I can remember through the play-offs with Hibs was that the wait in between was quite tough.
“We were just waiting to see who got through and then you knew it was a two-legged affair over a period of three to four days.
“I was watching the games in the stands but it was a devastating day for the football club.
“In the first leg, Jason Cummings scored two good goals but Hamilton then came to Easter Road that day, scored early and that made it tough for the Hibs players in my opinion.
“They then scored a goal late on and it went to penalties.
“I was devastated for the football club. It was a place I was really fond of, I enjoyed my time there and the fans didn’t deserve that.
“It hurt me as I felt part of it although my last game had been in October before I had back surgery.
“I hadn’t played that much of the season but I still felt a big part of it as I was club captain.
“It was a sore day so I feel I have experienced that and I wouldn’t want to experience that again.
“Though I know it is now completely different circumstances.
“If we get to that play-off final, then I want to be the happier manager that day certainly than I was as a player back in 2014 with Hibs.”
Dundee players have been magnificent
McPake was unable to affect the outcome in that two-legged tie as he sat in the stands.
This time around he will be on the touchline, looking to help his side out as much as possible.
However, he’s quick to point out it is the Dundee players who have given themselves this opportunity at promotion after eight matches unbeaten in the league.
And McPake says it’ll be thanks to them if they can get the club back to the top flight.
“We will pick a team with the staff but credit must go to the players with the run that they are on and the character and resilience they have shown,” he added.
“Credit also has to go to the full staff. You get stick but there is so much work that goes on behind the scenes.
“We all have had a look at ourselves when things haven’t been going right.
“So yes, I can have an impact, I can make a sub, I can do that but ultimately if we can get this club back to the Premiership where we believe we should be it will be the players who do it.
“They have been magnificent recently.”